Pecan Loaf

2 cups pecans, ground into fine meal
2 cups bread crumbs (I use whole wheat, Italian seasoned)
2 cups dry Basmati rice
2 cups finely diced tomatoes, leave peeling on, retain juices for recipe mixture
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 stalks celery, finely diced
1 bell pepper, finely diced
2 tsps. Celtic sea salt, or other sea salt (more or less to taste)
2 tsps. ground sage
2 tsps. garlic powder (not garlic salt)
ketchup for topping, and about 3/4 cup to mix into recipe mixture, if desired

Season as your tastes guide you. I also mixed in some ketchup into the mixture before baking. I've made it before without doing that, and the recipe was still good. Originally, I pressed the recipe mixture into a loaf pan, but I found that I had a couple of cups of mixture left over, so I now use a 9 X 13" pan. Delicious. Even my carnivore family members love this recipe and ask for it at family gatherings.

Bring 4 cups water to a boil. Add 2 cups basmati rice. Turn heat to low or simmer, and cook for 30 minutes, covered. Then, remove from heat and allow rice to sit, covered, for 15 more minutes, absorbing all water. Saute' bell pepper, celery, and onion in a small amount of water. Use food processor to grind pecans into a fine meal. Stir cooked rice (all water should be absorbed), sauteed veggies, ground pecans, and seasonings in a large mixing bowl. I mix in about 3/4 cup ketchup as well, but I have left this out before to reduce sodium. Spread evenly into an oiled (I use Pam spray) 9 X 13" pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Take out, and spread ketchup on top. Bake for another 15 minutes. Cut and serve.

Serving Size: 9 X 13" pan makes 15 servings

Number of Servings: 15

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user BEVJONES821.