Sometimes portable meat just doesn’t cut it

Sometimes, when I can’t eat any more meat a nut-loaf can be just the ticket. This recipe is super delicious… and as with most of my food, it is portable. If it can’t go in a cooler to work, I don’t want it. I also operate on a ‘cook on Sunday and never again until at least Wednesday’ principle. This is one of 3 recipes I am cooking up this weekend to stock the fridge with healthy dinners (the other two involve a seafood chili and grilled chicken with a fruity salsa).

Anyway, I hope you give this a try and that you enjoy it as much as I do. Now onwards, and forwards to the beautiful weekend.

Vegetarian Nut Loaf

½ tbsp coconut oil

2 stalks celery, diced

1 large onion, diced

2 cups chopped mushrooms

2 tsp thyme

1 tsp ground caraway seeds

1/3 cup chopped sundried tomatoes (not packed in oil, the dry kind)

¼ cup vegetable broth (in honesty I use beef broth because I am not actually a vegetarian)

3 eggs

1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs

1 tsp baking powder

1 cup chopped walnuts

½ raw unsalted sunflower seeds

½ cup strained diced tomatoes

1.     Preheat oven (or toaster oven) to 350 degrees

2.     In a large skillet heat oil over medium heat, add the celery, onion, mushrooms, sundried tomato, thyme, caraway and broth. Saute/cook until no liquid (or very very little) remains.

3.     In a bowl beat together eggs, bread crumbs and baking powder; fold in mushroom mixture, walnuts and sunflower seeds. Spread in parchment paper lined load pan. Pour strained tomatoes over top.

4.     Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until slightly puffed and firm.

* Makes 4 to 5 servings (i.e. if you eat this with salad I would say 4 servings, but if you are eating it with sweet potato fries and asparagus then probably 5 servings) 

* Don’t stress if you don’t have thyme or caraway seeds, just throw in some Italian seasoning or whatever you have on hand.