Specials Board: Courgette & Lentil Loaf

Courgette & Lentil Loaf and VeganMofo Day 28

Apologies for the photographs, I didn't finish cooking until it was dark and I was too hungry to set up a photo shoot! 

Before I get onto the recipe I just want to wish my sister a very Happy Birthday!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY SIS!

I told you there would be more courgette recipes! My freezer is bursting at the seams with frozen courgette, so I didn't want to freeze a load more as they are. I'm not alone with the amazing courgette harvest this year, my gardening angel is exactly in the same position. She said that as soon as she turns her back on a plant it springs out courgettes! We're not complaining though, this vegetable is so versatile. Maybe next year my vegan mofo topic will be courgettes! That will really test me 30 days of courgette recipes, jeez that would be a tough one.

I'm going to freeze individual slices of this loaf, so I can have dinner on the table in minutes especially on those days when I get in from work late.

Ingredients 

1 Tbsp Flax seeds
3 Tbsp Water
300g Red lentils
900ml Vegetable stock
1 Tbsp Olive oil
1 Onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, chopped
230g Courgette, grated
2 Tsp Mixed herbs
85g Wholemeal breadcrumbs (2 slices)
1 Tsp Arrowroot powder

Method

First make your flax egg, slowly pour the water over the flax seed, whisking as you do so, continue to whisk for a couple of minutes until the mixture starts to go a bit gloopy. Put the flax egg in the fridge so it firms up whilst you continue with cooking.

Add the red lentils and stock to a large saucepan and bring to the boil, turn down the heat and simmer for 30 minutes, stirring at regular intervals so the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan. Towards the end of cooking you will need to stir more often so it doesn't stick. You will end up with what I can only describe as a thick porridge like consistency. I should have taken a photo for you, but it doesn't look appetising!

While the lentils are cooking sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil for 5 minutes until the onions are translucent.

Add the courgette and mixed herbs and sauté for another 5 minutes, the courgettes will lose some of their moisture.

Once the lentils are cooked take off the heat and add the onion and courgette mixture. Give everything a good mix and then add the breadcrumbs. Mix again before adding the arrowroot and then mix again.

Remove the flax egg from the fridge and add to the lentil mixture and give everything one final mix ensuring all ingredients are mixed together.

Spoon the mixture into an oiled loaf tin and bake for 60 minutes. Let cool slightly before turning out onto a board or plate so it firms up a bit more. If I'm honest, it wasn't as firm as I would have liked when I cut my first slice.


EDIT POST: I was far too impatient, when left to cool for 10 minutes the mixture firms up nicely. Yay!

Superwoman to the Rescue

Who else out there thinks there Mum is Superwoman? My Mum is the superwoman of all superwomen, she should wear a cape! Once again she came to our rescue, hubby and I are still poorly and haven't been shopping for almost two weeks. She arrived on our doorstep with a shepherds pie for hubby and a portion of my lentil and vegetable loaf, which I'd been storing in her freezer, for me. (No, we don't have a freezer, which is something I need to sort out, it would help so much in preparing and storing vegan meals for those nights when all you want is something quick and easy.

Instead of serving the lentil and vegetable loaf with Mediterranean vegetables or a salad (none of which we had) I served it with mashed potatoes using just vitalite (remember I don't have any non-dairy milk), carrots, peas and cauliflower. I did add a little marmite gravy but I forgot to take another picture, in fact it looked far too tasty to stop and take another photo! I wanted to dive straight in.

So Mum Superwoman came to the rescue once again! What makes your Mum superwoman?