Barbeque Sauce Lentil Loaf - Vegan and Gluten-Free

Dense, moist, savoury, this vegan lentil loaf is also great for sharing with gluten-intolerant coworkers at office potlucks. I adapted this recipe from http://www.healthfulpursuit.com/2012/02/tasty-yummies-gluten-free-vegan-lentil-meat-loaf/ when I was looking for a new lentil loaf recipe. It's delish! It's also the first vegan lentil loaf recipe that holds it's shape well. For onions-and-garlic-free barbeque sauce, look for my posted homemade barbeque sauce recipe.

• Ready In: 1 hr 30 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons ground flax seeds
• 6  tablespoons boiling water
• 1  tablespoon olive oil
• 1  cup shiitake mushroom, diced
• 2  cups bok choy, chopped
• 1  tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
• 3⁄4 cup barbecue sauce
• 1  pinch  salt and pepper, or to taste
• 1  cup walnuts, chopped
• 2  cups green lentils, cooked, cooled and split into 1 1/2 cups and 1/2 cup
• 1  cup rolled oats, split in half
• 1⁄2 cup  almond flour

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
2. In a small bowl, combine ground flax seeds with boiling water. Stir and set aside. After a few minutes, the flax seeds with form a sticky goopy mixture, like beaten eggs.
3. Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the mushrooms and cook 3 to 5 minutes until the mushrooms are tender, add in the thyme and bok choy and cook until the bok choy is tender, about 5 minutes. Add in 1/2 cup of the BBQ sauce, stir to combine and turn off the heat, add salt and pepper to taste, if it needs it.
4. Process 1 1/2 cups of the cooked lentils and 1/2 cup of the oats in a food processor until smooth (some whole bits may remain, that’s ok). Spoon the mixture into a large bowl, add in the remaining lentils and oats, plus the flax “egg”, almond flour, chopped walnuts, and vegetable mixture. Stir really well to combine. Then get your hands in there, just like you would with a regular meat loaf or meatballs, and make sure it is mixed and mashed together really well.
5. Spoon the mixture into a parchment paper lined 9″ x 5″ loaf pan, (leave a bit of the parchment paper hanging over so you can easily lift the loaf out when it is cooked). Using your hands, you really want to press it in good. Brush on the remaining 1/4 cup of BBQ sauce over the top.
6. Bake uncovered for 35 to 40 minutes at 375°F Cool in the pan for about 5, pull the loaf out by grabbing the sides of the parchment paper and lifting up and allow it to cool for another 5 to 10 minutes on a cooking rack. Slice and serve.