Savory Lentil Loaf

Sort and rinse your lentils to make sure they’re clean and free of foreign debris while waiting for your 2 1/4 cups of water to come to boil. Add the cup of lentils, reduce to a simmer, and cover. Let simmer for 25 to 30 minutes, until lentils are soft.

While the lentils are simmering, dice the onion and garlic.

Mix the grated cheese, quick-cooking oats, bread crumbs, onion, and garlic together.

Your lentils should be done by now. Most of the water should be absorbed. Drain what’s left, and mash them. Don’t worry about mashing them all completely—it won’t happen, and it doesn’t matter. Just make sure you get a good mush going on.

Now would probably be a good time to preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Add the cheese/oat/bread/onion mixture to the mashed lentils, and mix until well combined. Add the beaten egg and mix it in. Add the ketchup and BBQ sauce bit by bit. Feel free to add more or less to taste, depending on the wetness of the mix. Stir until combined. (Feel free to use your hands!)

Add salt and pepper to taste. The best thing about vegetarian food is you can taste it while it’s still raw to check your seasonings, and it won’t kill you!

Put the mixture into the loaf pan and smooth it all out with the back of a spoon. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes to an hour. The top should be firm and dry. A few minutes before it’s done, you can take it out and cover it with some more ketchup/BBQ sauce mixture.

Cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then slice and serve.

Eet smakelijk!