The magical loaf studio! - Create your own loaf! - Very kewl!!!

[jennyfedei]

I found this terrific website that has just about a gazillion ways in which you can create your own loaf. Thought it was terrific!!!! We should start a "loaf bake off" and post photos to see who can come up with the most creative recipe. Fun!!

http://www.veganlunchbox.com/loaf_studio.html

[harpy]

That's good. I notice there are a lot of ideas for binding it together there, which we were discussing the other day? I wonder whether polenta would work.

[jennyfedei]

That's good. I notice there are a lot of ideas for binding it together there, which we were discussing the other day? I wonder whether polenta would work.

You could always try it and post your results here. I'm a "loaf" person, so this is right up my alley!!

[harpy]

Yes, I might try and make something like that over Christmas. We're going out for Christmas lunch but might have to eat the odd other meal here, and those loaves are the type of thing that can be made in advance.

Only thing is my m-in-l doesn't like anything "foreign" so if I used polenta I'd have to keep it dark

[RubyDuby]

isn't polenta just cornmeal? She might be more comfortable with that term

[harpy]

isn't polenta just cornmeal? She might be more comfortable with that term

Still foreign Although strangely corn on the cob isn't. Nor is tea, apparently

[twinkle]

I've got my second batch of Emiloaf III in the oven at the moment. I used polenta as a binder since that's the only one I had. Given that I also have oatmeal in there, I don't know how necessary it is, but I don't think it does any harm.

I had the first loaf in slices in sandwiches. With moroccan hummous it was really nice, on its own it was not bad at all, although on the heavy side. I might make it with breadcrumbs instead of oats next time.

Here's how my loaf recipe came out:

*Emiloaf III*

*Ingredients:*

1/2 cup almonds
2 TB olive oil
One onion, diced
One large garlic clove, minced
One large carrot, peeled and grated
One jalapeno chile, seeded and minced
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup uncooked quick oatmeal or oat bran
1/4 to 1/2 cup vegetable broth, as needed
1/2 cup uncooked polenta
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 tsp. salt

*Directions:*

Preheat the oven to 350�. Spray a loaf pan or 8x8 square baking pan with
nonstick spray and set aside (an 8x8 pan makes a crisper loaf).

Grind the almonds into a coarse meal using a food processor or
spice/coffee grinder. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.

Saut� any vegetables you've chosen in the olive oil until soft. Add to
the large mixing bowl along with all the remaining ingredients. Mix and
mash together well, adding only as much liquid as needed to create a
soft, moist loaf that holds together and is not runny (you may not need
to add any liquid if the grains and protein are very moist). Add more
binder/carbohydrate as needed if the loaf seems too wet.

Press mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour,
or until cooked through.

Let the loaf cool in the pan for 10 to 15 minutes, then turn out onto a
plate or platter and slice. Serve with potatoes, vegetables, and
vegetarian gravy, if desired.

Cold leftover slices of Emiloaf III make a great sandwich filling.

[twinkle]

This is what I had for lunch today - leftover slices of emiloaf reheated in the oven, with garlicy tomato and carrot sauce and potato wedges. Hit the spot!