We've never been to Vegas and while I'm not the gambling/drinking/partying kind of lady, I do like sun and warmth. Vegas had a high of 27 degrees celsius today, doesn't sound bad. It's sunny here, which is nice, but we're far from reaching 27 degrees!
This meatloaf has great texture and is full of flavor. The fries are too; nice and garlicky! I've made this meatloaf quite a few times before. It's virtually fat-free but very hearty. The lentils, steel-cut oats, and regular oats give this meatloaf a protein punch. So, you won't have to worry about people accusing your vegan diet/lifestyle of lacking in protein if you keep this recipe on rotation.
We've never had a bordelaise sauce before and... it was different. Not bad, just not my cup of tea. It looks pretty though!
This is such a meat and potatoes dish, literally. It's comical to me. We don't eat like this on the regular, not even veganized versions, and we never really have. But it's nice to switch it up every now and then. That's why we chose this dish to recreate.
And for a little more Nevada-born charm, here's Brandon Flowers' new song. It just came out today so I thought it was very apropos for this post.(let's just forget the whole Mormonism thing while we listen)
Hearty Vegan MeatloafAdapted from Let Them Eat Vegan via FatFree Vegan Kitchen
Ingredients½ cup red lentils1 cup veggie stock1/3 cup water 1 dried bay leaf¾ cup steel cut oats1 cup water, boiled ¼ cup ketchup1 cup rolled oats3 tbsp soy sauce2 tbsp nutritional yeast2 tbsp ground flaxseed 2 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce2 tbsp almond butter2 tsp molasses1 tsp Mrs. Dash original seasoning ½ tsp dried oreganoFreshly ground black pepper, to taste
DirectionsAdd lentils, veggie stock, 1/3 cup water, and bay leaf to a large pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and cover for 25 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Add steel-cut oats and boiling water to same pot, cover, and cook for 8-9 minutes over medium-low heat.
Preheat oven to 375˚ F. Grease an oven-safe glass loaf dish. When steel-cut oats are cooked or the liquid is all absorbed, add the remaining ingredients. Mix well to make sure all of the seasoning is evenly distributed, and press into the prepared dish.
Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 25-30 minutes, remove foil and bake for another 7 minutes.
Take it out of the oven and let it hang out for 15 minutes, before serving.
Garlicky Baked FriesAdpated from Brand New Vegan
Ingredients7-8 medium sized potatoes1 tbsp flour1 tsp garlic powder1 tsp paprika 1 tsp chili powderSalt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions Clean and slice potatoes into 1-inch thick strips. Add to a large pot of water so the water just covers the potatoes and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes.
Preheat oven to 425˚F and line a baking sheet with parchment. When the potatoes are done boiling drain the water and return potatoes to the pot. Add the seasonings to the pot and shake it all around. Make sure all the potatoes are covered in coating.
Spread evenly on the baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes.
Vegan Bordelaise SauceAdapted from Meet the Shannons
Ingredients2 tbsps margarine1 red onion, one slice and dice the rest1 cup red wine2 tbsp AP flour½ cup veggie stock1 tsp fresh parsley, chopped2 dried bay leaves1 tsp soy sauceFreshly ground pepper, to taste
DirectionsMelt margarine in skillet over medium heat. Add the slice of red onion and cook until browned. Remove the slice. Stir in the flour, you can use a whisk if you’d like. Lower heat and add the stock and wine. Stir, or whisk, in the parsley, onion, and bay leaves. Bring to a boil while whisking for one minute. While whisking, add the soy sauce and black pepper. Remove from heat.
