Chickpea Veggie Loaf

[nverland]

Chickpea Veggie Loaf - Vegan Meatloaf
Prep Time 15 mins Cook Time 55 mins Total Time 1 hr 10 mins Servings: 4

Ingredients

For the Loaf:
1 tsp oil
1/2 red onion chopped 3/4 cup
4 cloves of garlic finely chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped celery or use other veggies
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper or carrots or both
2 tbsp dried cranberries optional
15 oz can chickpeas or 1.5 cups cooked
15 oz can cannellini beans or other white beans or use more chickpeas or cooked lentils
2 tbsp chopped fresh cilantro
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 tsp ground cumin
2 to 4 tbsp my soy free barbecue sauce
1.5 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp chia seed meal or 1.5 Tbsp flax seed meal
1 Tbsp Tahini optional
1/4 to 1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 tsp cayenne or chipotle pepper powder
1 tsp dried thyme or rosemary or 2 tsp fresh
1/2 tsp dried sage
1/2 to 3/4 tsp salt or to taste
1/2 cup or more breadcrumbs or use coarsely ground oats or gluten-free breadcrumbs to make gluten-free

Glaze
3 tbsp bbq sauce
1 tsp hot sauce
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tsp ketchup
a generous dash of freshly ground black pepper
1/4 tsp smoked paprika


Instructions

Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add oil, onions and garlic and pinch of salt. Cook until translucent. Add celery, peppers, cranberries and cook for 3 minutes, * You can cook the veggies without oil. Cook onions and garlic in a splash of broth or water until translucent, then add other veggies.
Drain the chickpeas and beans really well. In a food processor, process the chickpeas, beans, cilantro, parsley and half of the cooked veggie mixture. Pulse, process until the mixture is half mashed and half coarsely chunky. You can add a handful of greens in as well at this step.
Transfer to a bowl. Mix in the chia seed meal into the bbq sauce + lemon juice in a small bowl and let it sit for a minute. Add spices, tahini, bbq sauce mixture, leftover veggies to the beans bowl. Mix in. Add in the breadcrumbs and mix in. The mixture should be like a veggie burger mixture. If too wet, add more breadcrumbs. If too dry, add a tbsp of aquafaba (chickpea brine). or 1 tsp chia/ flax seed meal mixed in 1 tbsp water. Taste the mixture and adjust salt, spice, seasoning.
Transfer the mixture to parchment lined loaf pan with parchment sheet hanging out to make it easy to remove the loaf. Even it out and press well. If you don't have a pan, use a parchment lined baking sheet and shape into a rectangular log.
Prepare the glaze by mixing everything and spread over the loaf.

Cover the loaf with parchment, bake at pre-heated 400 degrees F / 200ºc for 20 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to bake for another 15 to 25 minutes, till toothpick from the center comes out clean. Bake longer for taller loaf or if you want crisper edges.
Cool for 15 minutes, then remove from the pan. Cool almost completely and slice with a serrated knife.
Or shape into balls and bake for 15 minutes, then flip and bake for another 10-15 minutes.
Serve with cranberry sauce, gravy, mashed potatoes or other sides of choice.

Variations:
Add 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast.
Add 1/2 cup chopped mushrooms with the onions.
Add 1/4 cup walnuts, oats or cooked rice with the beans in the processor for more textured loaf.