A Perfect Fall Meal!

Well I think it's safe to say we've officially taken the jump from summer to fall.  Even though we spent the weekend camping and at the beach today it is windy, cold, and cloudy.  It seemed like the perfect day for a vegetarian nut loaf and some mashed potatoes.  Comfort food at its best.  I think we'll save this one for other gloomy days, even baby liked it (and she doesn't like much)!

Vegetarian Nut Loaf

1.5 cups walnuts

3/4 cup sunflower seeds

2 tbsp butter

1 chopped onion

3 cloves minced garlic

3 stalks chopped celery

4 shredded carrots

1.5 cups sliced mushrooms

1/3 cup chopped sun dried tomatoes

1/3 cup vegetable stock

3 tbsp fresh thyme

1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

salt and pepper

1.5-2 cups bread crumbs

3 tbsp ground flax seed + 3 tbsp water

1/4 cup ketchup + 1/4 cup brown sugar

*In a food processor, pulse together walnuts and sunflower seeds.  Transfer to a large bowl.

*Saute onion, celery and garlic in butter until soft

*Add carrots, and mushrooms and sun dried tomatoes for another 5 minutes.

*Add stock, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper and reduce.

*Transfer to a food processor and pulse together until mixed well.

*Transfer to walnut mixture and add crumbs and flax seed mixture.  Mix well.

*Pour into a greased loaf dish and brush with ketchup mixture.

*Bake (covered) at 350 for 45 minutes.  Uncover and bake another 5-10 minutes.

*Let sit for 10 minutes before slicing.

My New Favourite Cookbook!

A few weeks ago I worked a day shift (this never happens) and had time to go to the library... ALONE.  This also never happens so I was pretty excited to spend at least 1/2 hour in the cookbook section.  I'd seen the Canadian Living-Vegetarian Collection book around but hadn't had a chance to actually look through it so it was the first book I picked up.  I love it.  REALLY REALLY love it.  So far we've had our version of the tofu salad sandwich, the chili fries and tonight (our version) of the Curried Lentil and Cashew burgers.  It was the first page I stuck a post it to because it had 3 of my favourite things (LENTILS! CURRY! and BURGERS?!) and I was not disappointed.  Even knowing that I was going for a run less than an hour after dinner I still ate 2, that good.  We served the burgers with a wild rice/brown rice pilaf and some steamed asparagus.

Curried Lentil and Cashew Burgers

3 cups cooked lentils

2 cups roasted (unsalted) cashews

1 chopped onion

4 cloves minced garlic

2 cups sliced white mushrooms

3 tbsp curry paste

salt and pepper

2 tsp cumin

handful of fresh cilantro

1 cup bread crumbs

*In a food processor, pulse cashews until crumbled

*Add lentils and mix well

*In a frying pan, saute together onion, garlic and mushrooms until soft.

*Add curry paste, cumin, and salt and pepper.

*Add onion mixture to food  processor and pulse together.

*Transfer to a large bowl and add cilantro and bread crumbs, allow to rest for 5-10 minutes.

*Form into patties and cook on a grill or a well oiled frying pan for at least 8 minutes per side.

Lunch Edition: Tofu Salad Wraps

I survived the longest 2 weeks ever but just barely.  I have  few meals to catch up on but honestly by the end we were living on whatever my husband could pull together.  Many (many) repeats and I think we even ordered pizza once!  Today's lunch was made by my darling oldest daughter (she is 8!) who loves to help out around the kitchen.  She found a similar recipe in one of my library cookbooks that I reaalllly don't want to return and quickly exclaimed that she was going to "make it her own".... These were supposed to be sandwiches but we are out of bread so they became wraps served with leftover rice and some cucumber.  Tonight we are off to celebrate the last day of our real summer vacation with bike riding and a wiener roast at a local provincial park.  Happy Labour Day, everyone!

Tofu Salad Sandwiches

 1 package of extra firm tofu, crumbled

 3-4 tbsp of mayo

1 tbsp dijon mustard

2 stalks chopped celery

1 grated carrot

handful of chopped dill

1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

1/2 tsp turmeric

salt and pepper

*Mash together tofu, mayo, and dijon mustard

*Add remaining ingredients and mix well.

*Chill for 1/2 hour and then place in whole wheat wrap with lettuce and serve :)