A friend and I were joking the other day that without Clarissa Explains It All, I could have been a completely different person. I was entirely obsessed with Clarissa Darling as a kid and however consciously or subconsciously, this childhood fixation laid out my entire life.
For example: I played the flute, grew to love The Violent Femmes, moved to New York City for college, majored in journalism, became a vegetarian, and had a boyfriend named Clifford Spleenhurfer (possible exaggeration). Need I add I’m writing this while wearing leggings and Dr. Marten-ish boots? Yikes! (Way cool!)
Anyway, the Darlings famously feasted on garbanzo beans and other terrifying health foods, and this nut loaf is exactly what I imagine the Darlings would have for Thanksgiving. Only I promise it’s much, much, much tastier than anything Mrs. Darling ever made.
Ingredients
serves 6 to 8
1 cup red lentils, rinsed well
2 cups water
1 bay leaf
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 small onions, diced
2 large Portobello mushrooms, cut into centimetre-sized cubes
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 pinch dried oregano
1 pinch dried thyme
1 pinch dried parsley
1 pinch dried basil
1 pinch black pepper
1 pinch onion powder
1 pinch garlic powder
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 cup hazelnuts, ground into a coarse powder
1/2 cup rolled oats.
1 handful fresh parsley, minced
1 handful breadcrumbs (optional)
Method
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
In a medium sized stockpot, bring lentils, 2 cups water, one pinch salt and bay leaf to boil. Once boiling lower heat to simmer and cook until all the water is absorbed and lentil have turned to mush.
While that's cooking, heat olive oil in a large saucepan. Sauté onions until soft. Add mushrooms and garlic and continue sautéing until the mushrooms release their liquid.
Add the soy sauce, all the dried spices, the garlic and onion powders and tomato paste and stir well to incorporate. Take the pan off the heat.
By this time your lentils should be ready. In a big bowl, combine lentils, onion and mushroom mixture, ground hazelnuts (take whole hazelnuts and grind in a food processor until they look like coarse sand), oats, lemon juice and chopped fresh parsley. Mix well to incorporate. Taste and adjust seasonings.
Plop mixture into a greased loaf tin and sprinkle top with breadcrumbs (optional).
Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
Slice and serve hot with your favorite tomato sauce or vegan gravy.
Image © Yvonne Penzkov for BitchBuzz.com