Vegan Cooking at it's Finest!!!!

One of my FAVORITE Vegan Dishes!

Step-by-Step

With Photos

Whether you're TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT, TRYING TO EAT BETTER, LOVE ANIMALS, WANTING TO EAT MORE VEGETABLES, or CRAVING GOOD 'OL FASHIONED HOME-COOKED MEATLOAF.....this blog might be the best part of your day. I got this recipe from my go-to-guide, "Skinny Bitch in the Kitch". 

Here are the ingredients:
(Keep in mind to "Try Organic Food....Or As Your Grandparents Called It, FOOD"-quote on one of my new favorite magnets, compliments of SaNtA)
1 tablespoon refined coconut oil (I was out of this pricey and wonderful ingredient...so I used canola oil. Coconut > Canola, but make do with what you got!)
1 carrot, diced
1 celery stalk, diced
1 onion, diced
3 oz mushrooms, diced (I LEAVE THIS OUT!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 c. walnuts
2 (14-oz.) packages of "Gimme Lean Ground Beef"
1/2 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. ketchup
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley (I ALWAYS put in more than the recipe calls. in every recipe. ;-)

ALWAYS drink while you cook!

Here are the instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375 . Grease a 10x4x3 in. pan (a meatloaf pan, HELLO) and set aside.

Note the soap in the background and kindly wash your hands.

In a skillet, heat the oil (if it's coconut oil, heat on medium and if it's canola oil, heat on high. Read the benefits of coconut and its' heating properties HERE).

Canola in a Pinch. Coconut when Possible

Chop those veggies! Carrots and celery first. Chop up an onion. Mince 2 cloves of garlic.

Cut the carrot down long-ways, then in little pieces.
Same for the celery stalk. Put in a bowl to the side.

Your garlic absolutely must be fresh. DO NOT CUT CORNERS HERE!

I try to sliver the garlic horizontally and vertically, then spread it out with the flat side of the knife.

Toss the celery and carrots into the skillet. TIME this for 2 minutes (the first few times I didn't time, and it turned out okay...but timing it really does make it taste better!)

Celery and Carrots Cook for 2 Minutes!

Add the onion, cook for 3 more minutes.

Add Onion, Cook for 3 More!

Add the mushroom, garlic, salt, and pepper, cook for 2 more minutes. Remove from heat and set to the side for now.

Season to your preference!

You are SUPPOSED to put two pieces of bread and the walnuts in a food processor and pulse it into a coarse meal. IF YOU DON'T HAVE A FOOD PROCESSOR, DON'T FREAK! Just cut into little pieces, then mush. Enjoy my pic of mushing :-)

mush!

Put in a separate, BIGGER bowl the new bread/walnut mix, the (2) packages of pretend meat, the oats, ketchup, parsley, and skillet-veggie mixture you set aside! MUSH!!!!!!

Bread+Walnuts

If it smells too good for you to resist, feel free to have a bite! No raw meat=no harm play!

Transfer the awesome clump into a meatloaf pan, spreading evenly. Bakes for 40 minutes then sits for at least 5 minutes. Don't serve immediately, it is SO much better after it sits.

Before going in the oven. Compact and spread evenly!

I chose to pair it with sweet potato fries and garlic green beans.
Dinner is Served!

My man just so happens to coordinate SO wonderfully with my decor!
He's a great decoration to have around here!!!!

Georgie and I both really enjoyed dinner tonight. I hope you and yours do, too!


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I want to point out a cool piece of business with this pretend-meat. Liberate your sweet self and have no fear with knife-sharing!!! 

I forgot to chop the parsley until after I already mushed my "meat." No need for a new knife. It's only SOY!

First of all, real meat is very dangerous to cook with because you can easily get poisoning from e.Coli. You can't cook vegetables/other food with the same spatula/spoon/pot/pan that raw beef has been in. Kinda gross to think about getting diseased from a live bug floating around on your decaying and dead animal. That is by all definitions decomposing. Anyway, this "Gimme Lean Beef" is mainly derived from SOY. That is the same food as edamame (that popular green bean looking appetizer you get at the sushi restaurant) for all you non-vegetarians!!! I know it's weird to think about eating pretend meat (I thought it was at first, too) but if you don't THINK about it, you won't notice the difference after it cooks and sits. My Atkins-praising MOM likes this recipe. My manly and meat-eating BOYFRIEND likes this recipe. I'm not leading you astray. If you're curious what it looks like, with the packaging (to purchase at the store) and in the words of Shakira, "Underneath Your Clothes," here is a glance in advance:

Don't knock it 'til you try it.
When in fear, think: WHY AM I MORE INCLINED TO EAT A DECAYING, DEAD, FLESHY ANIMAL THAN I AM A SOYBEAN?!

Don't be scurrrrred!

LOVE!