"Meat" Loaf

My usual post-work routine includes watching lots of public television cooking shows. Seriously they're way better than The Food Network, and you can reliably find Julia Child re-runs every night of the week. It brings me back to my childhood, when I used fake being sick so I could stay home in my pajamas and watch Yan Can Cook and The Amish Kitchen -- a cooking show that has sadly disappeared into The Learning Channel vault. Does anyone remember that show?

So why this tangent about how much I love public television. Well a few nights ago I was planted on my couch watching an episode of Everyday Food and they were making meat loaf. For anyone that was wondering it was NOT the vegan kind. But this inspired me to cup up with my own "meat" loaf and now you too can make it...

For the basic loaf combine:
2 cups cooked black beans
1/2 cup vital wheat gluten*
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup chopped walnuts (for texture)
2 cloves of garlic
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp (or more to taste) salt plus fresh cracked pepper
1/4 cup water or vegetable broth

From here you can add any flavors you want.
For Italian style try 1 tbsp basil, 1 tbsp oregano and 1 tsp red pepper flakes
For a spicy southwest flavor try some cumin, chili powder, cayenne and some salsa

1. Mash the beans using a fork leaving some beans whole
2. Then dumb in the rest of the dry ingredients
3. Add the water broth and mix with your hand until everything is combine
4. Kneed for 3-4 minutes until gluten starts to form strands.
5. Form into a loaf on a foil lined baking sheet, to with ketchup or marinara sauce and bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes until it is warmed through.

I served with roasted dill potatoes. My husband loves these potatoes and there really is no secret to perfectly roasting potatoes except for lost of salt and really high heat. I spray a glass baking dish with cooking spray and liberally salt the bottom, then spread out a layer of cubed potatoes (red or yukon gold) and then spray and salt again. I roast them in a 450 degree oven for a good 30 - 40 minutes. When you think they're done, let them go another five minutes. That's when they get nice and carmelized.


*What is wheat gluten you ask? Its made by washing wheat flour dough with water until all the starch dissolves. You're then left with the wheat protein. Bob's Red Mill makes a widely available version and I can even find it at Target sometimes.