Hearty Lentil Loaf

• 3 cups black lentils, cooked
• 2 cups Cremini mushrooms, diced
• 2 cups Shiitake mushrooms, diced
• 1 1/2 white onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 5 oz pecans, chopped
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 scoop Iron Vegan Protein, unflavoured
• 1 cup buckwheat or farro, cooked
• 1/2 cup oats
• 1/4 cup fresh rosemary, chopped

For the beet ketchup:
• 2 lbs raw beets, diced
• 1/2 red onion, diced
• 2 cups apple cider vinegar
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp salt

1. Preheat the oven 350F
2. Sautee the chopped onion in a pan, until golden brown; add a dash of salt at the very beginning. Add the minced garlic and cook for one minute. Add the mushrooms little by little, don't crowd them in the pan, spread them out so that they are only just touching one another, until they are brown and crispy, then add the celery and carrots and cook for another minute, then add the pecans until toasted, about 1 minute. Now you can add the cooked lentils, stir and set aside.
3. In a bowl, mix the mushroom mixture, along with cooked buckwheat, protein powder, smoked paprika, oat flakes and the rosemary. Add salt to taste.
4. Transfer the mixture to a greased loaf pan, spread the mixture and press into an even layer.
5. Spread with a thin layer of beet glaze or regular ketchup. I like mine with homemade beet ketchup (recipe below).
6. Bake for 40 minutes until you start to see golden brown edges. Let it rest for 15 minutes, then slice and serve. Enjoy!!

For the beet ketchup:
Sautee the onions, until golden brown, add salt and beets, cover with water and simmer until fork tender. Transfer to a food processor, add the apple cider vinegar and brown sugar, process until smooth. Add salt to taste, if necessary.