Vegan Lunch Loaf

1/2 cup almonds
2 tsp Grapeseed oil
One onion, diced
One large garlic clove, minced
One large carrot, peeled and grated
Two celery ribs, diced
2 cups cooked lima or butter beans
1 cup uncooked quick oatmeal or oat bran
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable broth, as needed
1/2 cup uncooked polenta
1/2 tsp. dried sage
1 tsp. ground cumin
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 TB soy sauce

Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a loaf pan or 8x8 square baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside (an 8x8 pan makes a crisper loaf).

Grind the almonds into a coarse meal using a food processor or spice/coffee grinder. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Sauté vegetables in the oil until soft. Add to the large mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients. Mix and mash together well, adding only as much broth as needed to create a soft, moist loaf that holds together and is not runny (you may not need to add any liquid if the grains and protein are very moist). Add more polenta as needed if the loaf seems too wet.

Press mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until cooked through.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a plate or platter and slice.

Use cold in sandwiches or serve warm with vegan gravy, rice and vegetables.

One serve = 1/8 of a prepared loaf

Number of Servings: 8

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user PHRASER.