Meaty Gluten Free Vegan Nutritarian Lentil Loaf

This lentil loaf made my dad ask "does that taste as good as it smells?" I said "probably not"
I was wrong. First few bites tasted like meat to me and if I had a sauce on it - I bet even more! One I cooked in Asian sauce -not the best match, I prefer the plain one...though it was begging for ketchup which we don't have rn. 

Featuring some purslane.

I HIGHLY suggest tasting it once it is cooked in the pan to tweak for more flavour. I wanted this to be sugar, oil and salt free. DISCLAIMER my taste buds are weird and I like plain tasting food. Alter recipe to your tastes! 

Heavily based on : https://simple-veganista.com/the-ultimate-vegetable-lentil…/

 

 (which is based on 3 other recipes)

MY GLUTEN FREE LENTIL LOAF

1c lentils
1c brown rice (approximately)
2 bayleaves - optional (i didn't use it)
cook in plenty water. drain (to rid excess arsenic from the rice)

Finely chop all veggies. I used a food processor.

In a pan place: 

1 small onion
2 TB tomato paste
1t butter chicken spice
1t red curry paste
(or what ever spice mixes/flavourings/aromatics u like!)

Cook till translucent. Then add in:

3 garlic cloves
1 carrot
1 celery stalk
250g mushrooms 

Once cooked add in:

3/4 instant oats
1/2c chickpea or oat flour (optional and might need to ad more water) - i didn't add it in but chickpea flour is a good gelling agent so would be good to bind i think! OR not. i dunno. Add at your own risk.
1t oregano
3 tb flax
1t rosemary
cracked pepper
1/2c TVP (rinsed)
1/2c chopped walnuts or sunflowers /almond meal
1/2t smoke - essential IMO
bag of spinach if u have (i didn't use but i think it would go well)
2 TB nutritional yeast
2 iron capsules, opened and poured out - this gives it an authentic meat taste
1t date paste
1tb soy sauce
1 drop stevia ( I chose hazelnut flavour)
1tb balsamic glaze (all i had)
1/2 vegemite (gluten free was what I used)

mixing the rice/lentil mixture with the flavoured veggies

And stir until combined and the oats are thickening it up and the chickpea flour is cooked. 

AT THIS POINT PLEASE TASTE AND ADJUST to your liking!

Pat firmly in an oiled loaf pan.
"baste" with your favourite sauce. I used a mix of Sweet baby rays, sweet chilli sauce, water, tomato paste, and oregano and topped with nutritional yeast. 

Then pop in oven uncovered for about 35-50m at 175C - just watch it doesn't burn. Since it is already cooked this is mainly to just get the top charred and to kind of "glue" it together.

Tastes best the day after - also sets better the day after. 

HIGHLY RECOMMEND frying it to get that char grilled flavour. Tastes like a burger to me. Texture like raw mince (sorry...but it is PASTE like). Would be lovely as burgers, or served with ketchup. :)