Friday, April 13, 2012

Lentil Loaf Make-Over



I have missed eating Lentil Loaf for a very long time. I was first introduced to this healthy entree back in the days when I was a single professional woman living close to Madison, WI,  and exploring a variety of eating styles. A friend gave this recipe to me and it became a "go-to" favorite meal, providing plenty of left-overs that could easily be frozen for later use. When I got married and was raising 3 sons, I continued to make this on occasion and found that at least 2 of the 3 guys liked it, and so did my husband. And when our oldest son married a vegetarian, this became one of her favorite meals at our house. And so I have missed eating this hearty treat because it is filled many things I don't digest well, such as coarsely chopped nuts, whole eggs, lentils with a coarse outer husk, chopped onions, and milk. Last week I determined to find a way to make it digestible for me. I was pleasantly surprised with my first attempt at its make-over! In fact, when Kiara (our daughter-in-love) tried it, she thought it might even be better than the original!


Ingredients:
3/4 cup thoroughly cooked brown lentils
3/4 cup finely ground herb seasoned stuffing crumbs
1/4 cup egg white substitute
3/4 cup plain lite soy milk (or fat-free evaporated milk)
3 Tablespoons finely ground almonds or almond meal
2 Tablespoons canola oil
1/2 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon Morton Nature's Seasons
Plain non-fat yogurt to serve as an accompaniment

Preparation:
Puree the lentils in a food processor or similar. (I used the chopper attachment for my Cuisinart SmartStick and it worked perfectly.  Thoroughly mix all of the ingredients together in a mixing bowl.  Lightly oil a 7 x 11 inch glass baking pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 - 30 minutes until the loaf is cooked in the center.  Cut into 6 pieces.  Serve with a side of plain yogurt.



Nutrition: (using soy milk and does not include a side serving of yogurt)
Servings per recipe: 6
Serving Size: 1/6th of the pan (each piece is about 3 1/2 " square depending on size of pan used)
Calories: 153
Total Fat: 6 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Sodium: 187 mg
Total Carbs: 16 g
Dietary Fiber: 3 g
Protein: 6 g