Old Fashioned Lentil Loaf & Golden Mushroom Gravy: VT Tuesday

There was a cookbook trend for a while aimed at parents.  They encouraged desperate moms and dads to sneak veggies into their children’s diets.  Who are we kidding?  I think a vegan cookbook like this should be created for adults.  Studies have shown that 2/3 of Americans don’t get the recommended amounts of fruits and vegetables everyday.  Many people have gotten to the point where they expect their plates to be filled with shades of beige.

Since many cuisines outside of the U.S. are naturally plant-heavy, I often gravitate towards those international dishes.  So a few months ago when I was hosting some non-vegetarian family at my house for a week, I was doing my best Tasmanian Devil impression swirling up Thai stir fries, burritos, and Greek feasts.  I was taking them to Chinese restaurants and introducing them to Ethiopian cuisine.  After the dust settled and they called from their home, they said, “Boy, I couldn’t wait to go home and have mashed potatoes.”  All of this is to say, never underestimate the power of the familiar.  Although fresh ginger and rice vinegar may seem more exciting, on some occasions oregano and thyme will do the trick better. 

Keeping these things in mind, the Old Fashioned Lentil Loaf from Vegan Table is the kind of food that is reminiscent of what you’d find in Middle America.  A glaze of ketchup makes this healthy loaf accessible to those who generally eschew “health food”.  In addition to being a fiber powerhouse, this heart-healthy loaf also has omega 3-rich walnuts, onions, parsley, thyme, and garlic.  I served it with a hearty helping of mashed potatoes smothered in Golden Mushroom Gravy.  The gravy is light on oil and absolutely packed with mushrooms.  However, any vegetable-phobes in your life would never know it.  I blended the gravy, so that there were no visible chunks.  It laid smoothly over the buttery mashed potatoes, which I made with boiled potatoes, rice milk, and a dab of Earth Balance.  Next time my family is back in town, I’ll have this recipe in my bag of tricks.  As for my sneaky vegan cookbook, I’ll have to start working on that one.  Its time has come.

Tags: Americans, beige, colleen patrick-goudreau, golden mushroom gravy, lentil loaf, mashed potatoes, omega 3, vegan table, vegetables, walnuts