Thank you to Nutritionist, Yvonne O Shaughnessy for sharing her delicious Meat Free Monday recipe with UBFit.
This is one of my all time favourites, it doubles for me as a meat substitute and a bread substitute. I would have it with a main meal with lots of vegetables, with soup or just have it as a snack topped with some hummus and a cup of green tea. It will freeze well, I slice the whole loaf before freezing and pop a few slices into the lunch box before I head off in the morning. Feel free to add any other vegetables you like into the recipe. Courgette also works well. Just out of the oven and ready for the week ahead. I love the weekend for prepping food!
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 2 sticks celery, finely chopped
- 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 200g chestnut mushrooms, finely chopped (OPTIONAL)
- 1 red pepper, halved, deseeded and finely diced (OPTIONAL)
- 1 large carrot, grated
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 100g red lentils
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- 300ml vegetable stock
- 100g GLUTEN FREE breadcrumbs
- 150g mixed nuts such as Almonds, walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts and Brazil nuts, roughly chopped
- 3 large eggs, lightly beaten
- handful flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
Method
- Preheat the oven to 180C/fan 160C/Gas 4. Line the base and sides of a 1.5 litre loaf tin with parchment paper.
- Heat the oil in a large frying pan and cook the onion and celery for about 5 mins until beginning to soften. Stir in the garlic and mushrooms and cook for a further 10 mins.
- Stir in the red pepper (optional) and grated carrot and cook for about 3 mins then add the oregano and paprika and cook for just a minute.
- Add the red lentils and tomato puree and cook for about 1 min, then add the vegetable stock and simmer over a very gentle heat until all the liquid has been absorbed and the mixture is fairly dry.
- Set aside to cool.
- Finally, stir in the breadcrumbs, nuts, eggs, and parsley and a pinch of salt and some ground black pepper. Stir to mix well then spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and press down the surface .Cover with foil and bake for 20 mins, then remove the foil and bake for a further 10–15 mins until firm when pressed gently.
- Allow the loaf to cool in the tin for about 10 mins then turn out onto a serving board or plate. Remove the baking paper and cut into slices and serve with a little hummus or avocado! Yum-eee….
And enjoy! Tag us on social at @ubfitsports when you try this at home.
