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.

Finally back to it.

Getting home from a vacation, especially a road trip, is always a tough transition for me.  I'm tired, I have no groceries, and I have very little motivation.  I usually prepare a casserole to put in the freezer for our first meal once we arrive home but after that it's right back to real life and  I was in no mood for it this time around.  Today was the first day where I felt slightly creative and slightly (yes only slightly) motivated to make something of note.  Combining two of my favourite things (black beans and loaves) seemed like an obvious choice.  So here it is, served with a green salad and some roasted potatoes--a black bean loaf.

Black Bean Loaf

olive oil

2 sliced onions

2 cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and mashed

1 cup rolled oats

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

6 cloves roasted garlic, minced

2 chopped red peppers

3 tbsp ground flax seed

3 tbsp water

1/2 cup ground walnuts

2-3 tbsp braggs

3/4 tsp parsley

1/2 tsp oregano

1 tsp cumin

3/4 tsp chili powder

salt and pepper

topping

mustard, chili powder, brown sugar

*Saute onion and red pepper in olive oil  on low for 10-15 minutes, until soft

*In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and let stand for 5-10 minutes

*Brush on topping

*Transfer to a greased loaf pan and bake at 375 for 55-60 minutes

A full day of baking!

Tonight's supper was pizza at the bowling alley... not really blog worthy material.  BUT!  The kids had a school in-service today and we decided to spend the day baking.  We made all kinds of different school snacks.  Mostly muffins, but also some granola bars and also one loaf (Thanks for the recipe, Shannon!)  We are going to have a freezer full of school snacks that should last a long while. I only wish I could have added some nuts!  It was important to me that the kids all help in making the snacks, so that they'd be more likely to eat them.  My oldest daughter read us the recipes (and even had to practice fractions and multiplication for doubling the recipes) while the middle two helped with the actual baking.  Baby was really just getting in the way, but she did like watching the oven light :)

I made a lot of food today so I'm not sure how to go about posting the recipes.  I think I'll just leave it open to if you want a certain recipe, please comment and say so... I'll be glad to post it, but otherwise I'll just let you enjoy the pics!

 Apple Bran Muffins

Granola Bars

 Pizza muffins

 Breakfast muffins

 Mini 4-Grain Breakfast muffins

 Mini Banana muffins

 Blueberry Oatmeal muffins

Shannon's lemon loaf

 Our new freezer stash!