Vegetarian Milestone

In the 1970s, as I understand it, veggie loaves were one of the staples of a vegetarian diets, right up there with salads and beans, and, anecdotally, one of the major (squishy, flavorless) turn-offs of a vegetarian lifestyle.  They've fallen in popularity, though--few vegetarian cookbooks even include recipes for this ostracized food anymore.  I've never made one and have only eaten the quick, frozen Amy's version.   And I liked it, just like I used to like meatloaf--and the gravy and mashed potatoes that usually accompany it.  Veggie burgers are a hipper, crispier option, but I wanted to try a loaf.  And I knew just where to go.

Vegan Lunchbox blogger Jennifer McCann updated, promoted, and popularized the veggie loaf with the Magical Loaf Studio, inspired by Seventh-Day Adventist dinner or entree loaves.  Yep, the church.  Because they are committed to the veggie loaf the way Latter-Day Saints eat Jell-o.  And this wonderful site allows you to input your choices for ingredients and then pops out your own personalized recipe.

Here's mine:

My First Veggie Loaf



1/2 cup walnuts
2 TB olive oil
One onion, diced
One large garlic clove, minced
One large carrot, peeled and grated
Two celery ribs, diced
One cup mushrooms, cleaned and chopped
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable broth, as needed
1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 TB ketchup
Several dashes vegetarian Worcestershire Sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. salt


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 walnuts into a coarse meal using a food processor or spice/coffee grinder. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Sauté any vegetables you've chosen in the olive oil until soft. Add to the large mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients. Mix and mash together well, adding only as much liquid 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 binder/carbohydrate 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. Serve with potatoes, vegetables, and vegetarian gravy, if desired.
Cold leftover slices of make a great sandwich filling.


--Magical Loaf Studio and Mommy Hungry


And it was pretty good, though I would add more ketchup and Worcestershire Sauce and saute the vegetables longer (I was in a hurry).  But it has good crunch and texture.

I just wish I'd made mashed potatoes and gravy!