Meatless Loaf

Ingredients

1 medium sweet potato

1 medium onion

2 ribs celery

1 medium carrot

2 cloves garlic minced

1 15- ounce can cannellini beans or other white beans drained and rinsed

14 ounces extra-firm tofu or an additional can of white beans

2 tablespoons gluten-free soy sauce or coconut aminos

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 tablespoon spicy brown or whole-grain prepared mustard

1/4 cup fresh parsley chopped

1/2 tablespoon rubbed sage

1 tablespoon thyme leaf

1/2 tablespoon dried rosemary crushed

1 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

3/4 cup quinoa flakes or quick oatmeal

Instructions

1. Wash a medium sweet potato (about 7 ounces), pierce it several times with a fork, wrap it in a paper towel, and microwave until done, 4-5 minutes. (Alternately, bake or steam the sweet potato.) Allow to cool enough to handle and then peel and set aside.
2. Mince the onion, celery, and carrot. You can do this quickly by cutting each vegetable in quarters and then pulsing in a food processor until finely chopped.
3. Heat a large, non-stick skillet. Add the minced vegetables, including garlic, and cook, stirring regularly, until they become tender, about 6-10 minutes. Add water by the teaspoon if necessary to keep the vegetables from sticking or becoming dry. Once they’re softened, add the drained beans and mash them lightly with a slotted spoon or spatula.
4. Place the peeled sweet potato into the food processor along with the tofu, soy sauce, and all seasonings, including nutritional yeast. Process until fairly smooth. Scrape the tofu mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the quinoa flakes and the cooked vegetables. Stir well.
5. Preheat oven to 375F. If you have a silicone baking mat (recommended) place it on a baking sheet. Otherwise line the baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick spray. Spoon the tofu mixture onto the prepared baking surface, using dampened hands to shape it into an oblong or oval loaf about 2 1/2 inches high. Bake for 25 minutes or until the top is evenly browned. Loosely cover with aluminum foil and cook for 20 more minutes. Check to make sure that the center is firm; if not, give it a little extra time. (You can also remove the foil and cook for 5 more minutes for a crunchier crust.) Remove from oven and allow to stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
6. Serving Suggestion: Serve alone or with Mushroom Gravy on the side.

Vegan Mushroom Gravy

• 1/2 large onion minced
• 10 regular-sized or 6 large mushrooms sliced or chopped
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/– 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary optional, crushed
• 1/4 -1/2 teaspoon rubbed sage
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon sherry optional
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce coconut aminos, or gluten-free tamari
• 2 tablespoons unbleached flour substitute with arrowroot for gluten-free
• 1/4 cup plain non-dairy milk
• salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Instructions

1. In a medium-sized non-stick saucepan, saute the onion until beginning to brown, about 5-10 minutes (adding a pinch of baking soda speeds things up). Add the mushrooms and 1 tablespoon of water, and cook for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic, and cook, stirring, for another minute.
2. Add the vegetable broth, herbs, nutritional yeast, sherry, and soy sauce. In a bowl, whisk or blend (with a hand blender) the “milk” and flour together until smooth. Add it to the saucepan and stir well. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.

Recipe Notes

You can make this gravy more palatable to mushroom-haters by blending it until smooth. For a smoother gravy with some pieces of mushroom, blend only half the gravy.

For a bacony-flavored gravy, add a few drops of Liquid Smoke with the salt and pepper. (Bacony gravy is excellent over biscuits!)