Tasty Vegetarian Meatloaf

Even with the heat lately, I have been looking for a meal that is hearty, comforting, and classic. After seeing a few recipes for vegetarian meatloaf, I decided that that would be perfect. Meatloaf was always a comfort food for me, especially since in my house growing up, it was almost always served with mashed potatoes (a personal favorite). This recipe still has the comforting feeling, but without the meat (obviously) and without that overly greasy feeling that comes from ground beef. I decided to make my own twists on the recipe, mostly because I had foods in the fridge that needed to get eaten, but overall, I think they worked out great, and I will definitely be making this again when it cools down and having the oven on isn’t torture.

Vegetarian Meatloaf>

Ingredients
2-3 cups water
1 cup dried lentils
1 tsp oil
1 small onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/4- 1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeds removed, diced
1/2 cup corn
1 cup oats
3/4 cup shredded cheese, divided (I used four cheese Mexican)
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup enchilada sauce, divided
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp salt

Directions: 1: Bring water to boil in a saucepan.
2: Add lentils to boiling water, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes, until lentils are soft. Drain and set aside.
3: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
4: In a small skillet, heat oil over medium high heat. Add onion and pepper to heated oil and cook about 5 minutes, until onion is slightly soft.
5: Add garlic, jalapeño, and corn and cook an additional 30 seconds.
6: In a large bowl, partially mash lentils. Add onion mixture, oats, and 1/2 cup cheese and stir until combined.
7: Stir in egg and 1/2 cup enchilada sauce and mix well.
8: Spoon mixture into a greased loaf pan. Smooth top with a spoon.
9: Bake for 30-40 minutes, until top of loaf is firm and golden brown. Remove from oven and pour remaining enchilada sauce and cheese on top. Cook and additional 3-5 minutes, until cheese is melted.
10: Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes before cutting or serving.

Recipe source: Adapted from Food.com