Meatless Mondays: Supper Served Two Ways

Maybe it’s time to change your perspective on meat eating. This doesn’t mean that you have to embrace a full-blown vegetarian lifestyle, but meat production produces a lot of CO2. We can all lighten the planet’s carbon load if we start reducing the amount of meat we eat. So how about deciding to eat vegetarian one day a week? Here’s the Meatless Monday challenge:

Supper Served Two Ways

This dish can be made in the evening when the kitchen is cool since you need the oven. It is nice when eaten warm but equally nice when cold, which is why it is a supper that can be served two ways. Think of this as the vegetarian equivalent of meatloaf. I’ve had leftovers in a lunchtime sandwich with ketchup and alfalfa sprout and loved it! It’s useful for families as it will serve up to eight easily.

Lentil Pie
Oil a deep dish pie pan and put aside.
Chop 1 onion, 1 garlic clove and roughly 1/2 cup of celery; you may add a deseeded chili pepper if you like. In a deep pan lightly saute in a little oil; when transparent, add 1 cup of red split lentils. Add two cups of water and cook over a medium heat with the lid on. Check after 15 minutes to see how much of the liquid has been absorbed. When the lentils are well-cooked, add some Italian dried mixed herbs and a teaspoon of yeast extract OR vegetable stock powder. Don’t add the last two ingredients until the lentils are well-cooked as the salt content can make the lentils tough.

It takes about 20-25 minutes to cook the lentils. Take the pan off the heat and add 3/4 cup of breadcrumbs. Stir in well. Grate in 3-4 oz of sharp cheese. Beat in an egg to bind the mixture. Turn into the oiled pie plate and grate over some parmesan cheese.
Bake for approximately 30 minutes at 350F.

We like a slice of warm or cold lentil pie with ketchup.

This pie has a pulse, grain, dairy product and egg in it. It really will set you up as well as meatloaf! Serve it with a green vegetable – roasted zucchini, a green salad – and potatoes for a filling supper. We have potato salad for summer and pan roasted potatoes in cooler weather since the oven is already hot.