As I have been trying to make more
prepare-ahead meals at home this year, Giada de Laurentiis’ book Giada’s Feel Good Food has become my
go-to lately. She includes a TON of
vegetarian recipes that are light, healthy and vibrant in color. But what else would you expect from her?
Anyway, her recipe for a vegetable
“meatloaf” piqued my interest. As
someone who was never a huge fan of ground beef to begin with, vegan imitation
products like veggie crumbles just don’t do it for me. My version of this recipe however, packs in a
crazy amount of vegetables, legumes and whole grains so you can feel satisfied
and good about what you’re eating. It is
low in sodium yet high in iron, Vitamin C, Vitamin A, potassium and thiamin. Here is a great example of how foods can work
together to create complete proteins, like rice paired with beans or lentils.
See here for a link to Giada’s checca
sauce she pairs with her version of this loaf or serve with salsa, guacamole or
other topping.
Vegetarian
Loaf
Serves 8-10
Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 cup onion, diced
½ cup shredded carrot
½ cup orange bell pepper, diced
2 cups fresh spinach
½ cup frozen corn
2 cups cooked brown rice (I used minute
rice for convenience)
1 15-ounce can cooked lentils, drained
and rinsed
1 8-ounce can black beans, drained and
rinsed
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup shredded cheese (mozzarella)
Salt and Pepper to taste
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or other
dried herbs
2 medium tomatoes, sliced
Non-stick cooking spray
Directions: Preheat oven
to 350 degrees F.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté onion, carrot and peppers for 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and place in a large mixing bowl. Add spinach to same skillet and cook until leaves are wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from spinach and transfer to cutting board to roughly chop. Add spinach to mixing bowl. Add cooked rice, lentils, black beans, corn, eggs and seasonings. Mix well.
In a medium skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil and sauté onion, carrot and peppers for 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and place in a large mixing bowl. Add spinach to same skillet and cook until leaves are wilted, about 3-5 minutes. Squeeze excess liquid from spinach and transfer to cutting board to roughly chop. Add spinach to mixing bowl. Add cooked rice, lentils, black beans, corn, eggs and seasonings. Mix well.
Spray 10 x 14 inch baking dish with
cooking spray and spread out mixture in an even layer. Top with sliced tomatoes and top each tomato
with a little bit of cheese, about 1/2 tablespoon.
Drizzle with remaining 1 tablespoon of
olive oil.
Bake for 30-35 minutes or until loaf is
heated through and cheese is melted. Let
cool for several minutes before cutting and serving.
Nutrition
Facts: 446 Calories, 7.5g Fat, 73g
Carbohydrates, 22g Protein, 19g Fiber, 63mg Sodium, 1016mg Potassium
For a fitness freak like me this looks perfect meal after work out. Thanks for sharing the recipes with us. Will be asking my wife to made it for me.
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