“Back To The Womb” Lentil Loaf

By Linda Garrettson 

I don’t know about anybody else, but going back to the womb—or childhood, at the very least—sounds like a good idea. 

Day dreams aside, memories of my post-war childhood in America are the next best thing. Back then, my biggest problem was the fact that our family dinner hour conflicted with the Howdy Doody show.

To me it was akin to child abuse to sit at the dining room table, staring into a plate of meatloaf, when I could be staring at Howdy and his friends, Clarabelle, Phineas T. Bluster, Princess Summerfall WinterSpring and Buffalo Bob. 

Lacking Howdy, my next best memories are of the ultimate comfort food: my mother’s meatloaf and mashed potatoes smothered in gravy. I may not have eaten bright green peas with the same enthusiasm as I do today, but the plate was colorful! 

So dear readers, for this issue I offer you comfort. The comfort of memories, mama’s cooking and my meatless lentil loaf with all the trimmings. 

Lentil Meat Loaf
Serves 6 

Ingredients
2 cups of lentils, green, brown or De Puy, rinsed
2/3 cup of low sodium vegetable broth
¾ cup crushed tomatoes
3 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
1 tbsp low sodium tamari
1 tsp grated orange peel (Optional – not everyone likes fruit cooked in their food.)
Dash red pepper flakes
11/2cups panko breadcrumbs
¾ cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp ground flax seeds dissolved in 3 tbsp of water
1 cup of fresh herbs, cilantro, parsley, basil or a combination

Method
• Boil the lentils in 3 cups of water for 25 minutes, or until soft, drain, and set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• Lightly grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan (glass preferred)
• Mix vegetable broth, tomatoes, tamari, optional zest, pepper flakes and garlic. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl combine 1 cup of panko crumbs, nutritional yeast, sea salt, flax seeds, water and herbs
• Press ½ of the lentil mixture into the loaf pan. Top with ¾ cup of the tomato mixture
• Add the rest of the lentil mixture and then the remaining tomato mixture
• Sprinkle last ½ cup panko crumbs on top.
• Place the loaf pan on a baking sheet. Bake for 60 minutes or until brown and crunchy on top.

Smashed Potatoes
Yield: 8 cups

Ingredients
3 lbs. yellow potatoes, skins on, cut into 1-1/2” cubes
2 large turnips, peeled, cut into 1-1/2” cubes 
1 tbsp horseradish
1tsp sea salt 

Method
• Place potatoes and turnips in a pot, cover with water, and bring to a boil.
• Boil 35-40 minutes, or until tender.
• Drain the vegetables and mash with a potato masher. 
• Stir in horseradish and sea salt. 

Onion Gravy
Yield: 4 cups

Ingredients
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, cut into 1” half moons
Low sodium vegetable broth
2 tbsp low sodium tamari
2 tbsp flour, dissolved in ¼ cup of vegetable broth
1 tbsp fresh rosemary, chopped

Method
• Sauté the onions and garlic in vegetable broth or water
• Stir in the flour mixture, whisking briskly
• Add tamari and rosemary