Dinner tonight...

As I mentioned before--dinner making is my strength.

I finally got a blender to make smoothies for breakfasts and/or lunches, and I didn't have ingredients. I finally got ingredients, and I couldn't find my recipes. I found my recipes, and couldn't find the time today to actually get around to making a smoothie like I intended. So, I'm writing this on an empty tank. Very bad, Mandy. But dinner will be delicious and nutritious! Very good, Mandy!

I woke up late, since I was disoriented by M being gone on S's field trip and assumed it was super early when I first woke up and he was gone. So I slept until 11 AM. Oops.

I had intended to spend the day cleaning, doing laundry, prepping food, planning a fall retreat, and getting some writing done. I did some measure of all of those things in the 3 hours before M picked me up to spend a little time all together with S after school, including the first phase of making this No-Fu Love Loaf that my friend J introduced me to last weekend when I stopped by for a quick visit (see her blog here: http://veryveryverygreen.blogspot.com/).

It's a bit of a process; probably 2 hours when all is said and done (I'm a slow cook--so I know when it says 1 hour 15 minutes, that means 2 hours in Mandy world), so I did the cooking the oats and lentils, assembling the ingredients, pressing into a loaf pan part and put it in the fridge. The plan is to put on the topping and bake in the hour before dinner, as well as prepare salads and my favorite smoky roasted cauliflower as a side dish. Here is the recipe, originally found here: http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2012/04/dreenas-no-fu-love-loaf.html

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup brown (green) lentils
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 dried bay leaf
• 3/4 cup bulgur (toasted cracked wheat) (for gluten-free version, use certified gf steel cut oats)
• 1 cup water, boiled
• 1/4 cup natural ketchup
• 1 cup rolled or quick oats (ensure gf certified for gluten-free)
• 3 tablespoons tamari (use wheat-free for wheat/gluten-free version)
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons ground white chia (or can use flax meal)
• 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce (see note for gf version)
• 2 tablespoons tahini or sunflower seed butter
• 2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
• 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/8 teaspoon ground fennel (optional)
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Topping:

• 3 – 4 tablespoon natural ketchup
• 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce (optional) OR 2 tsp vegan bbq sauce (optional)

Instructions

1. Combine the lentils, vegetable stock, 1⁄3 cup of water, and bay leaf in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, until just about tender. Once done, add the bulgur and boiling water, cover, and cook on medium-low heat for another 8 to 9 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly oil an oven-proof glass loaf pan and line the bottom of the pan with a strip of parchment paper to cover (place it in to protrude along the short ends of the pan; this helps for easier removal of the veggie loaf from the pan). Combine the topping ingredients in a small bowl.
3. Once the bulgur is cooked, remove the bay leaf and add all the remaining ingredients (except topping). Stir very well. Transfer the mixture to prepared pan and pack it in. Spread the topping mixture over the top.
4. Cover the dish with aluminum foil and bake for 25 to 28 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let stand for 10 to 15 minutes or so, before cutting to slice and serve. Serves 5-6.

Curious about that cauliflower? Seriously, if you have yet to be introduced to the wonders of smoked paprika, it's a must-try. See the recipe here: http://theshiksa.com/2011/12/06/smoky-roasted-cauliflower/

I'm thinking raw kale salads...kale ripped from the stems, rolled and sliced into shreds. Topped with sunflower seeds, tamari roasted pumpkin seeds, the red bell pepper that is threatening to head to veggie heaven sitting in my fridge, and my favorite dressing:

(ready for this?)
Equal parts lemon juice, olive oil, and Bragg Amino Acids. SO GOOD ON KALE.

OK, I'm making myself seriously hungry, so off to find a snack...I'll update this post with a picture of dinner, after it's done. :)

Update: DELICIOUS. M said,"This is exactly the sort of thing people make fun of vegans for. "Lentil loaf" like it automatically tastes like cardboard and is boring and disgusting. They have no idea." And they don't...