Fig Balsamic Vegan Holiday Loaf

Posted on by llbalanced
Fig Balsamic Vegan Holiday Loaf
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    [post_title] => Fig Balsamic Vegan Holiday Loaf
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12.19
vegan gluten free holiday loaf

This post is sponsored by The Quaker Oats Company, but all opinions are my own.

After bringing y'all two sweet recipes using Quaker oats (my Chocolate Chip Crumble Oat Muffins  and Caramel Apple Breakfast Pizzas), it's high time for something savory!

Well, something mostly savory. My Vegan Holiday Loaf is sweetened by two of my favorite ingredients from seasonal Winter fare: dried figs and sweet potatoes! These ingredients balance beautifully with cozy cooked lentils, aromatic veggies, umami-rich walnuts, and a touch of bright caramel flavor from aged balsamic.

The inspiration for this dish was simply the desire for a plant-based holiday entree that would stand up proudly next to roasts and rotisseries and the like. Now don't get me wrong—I love a good (pasture-raised) steak, but I believe that most people and the environment could benefit from less meat consumption*.

vegan gluten free holiday loafOne of the tricks to making a vegan loaf that is as satisfying as its meat counterpart is layers of flavors and textures. That's why there are several steps in the recipe before you even assemble the loaf: we want to make sure that every bite is rich and complex. Trust me; this is worth every minute of prep time!

Another trick is to use oats to bind the loaf together without using eggs! Not only are oats a fantastic natural binder, they pair equally well with sweet and savory flavors. I love using the Quaker Quick 1-Minute oats in this recipe, because they maintain some "chew", but they also blend in with the other ingredients. On the Seed to Spoon Tour, the Quaker Team clarified that all of the oat varieties have the same wonderful nutritional profile, including the Quick 1-Minute oats. So, you can rest assured that you're not sacrificing anything when you use these convenient, 100% whole grain oats!

vegan gluten free holiday loafIf you're looking for a plant-based entree for your next holiday dinner, I highly encourage you to give this a try!

If you do give these beauties a try, please tag me @lauraleabalanced and @Quaker, so we can see your gorgeous creations!

*https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5811770/

http://science.sciencemag.org/content/361/6399/eaam5324

http://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1755-1315/85/1/012015/pdf

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TOTAL TIME :50minutes35minutes30minutes
8slices
INGREDIENTS
  • 3/4 cup turkish figs (approx. 6 figs. Sub 10-12 mission figs)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 small sweet potato, peeled & diced into 1/2" cubes
  • 3-4 stalks celery, tops & bottoms trimmed and sliced into 1/4" thick half-moons
  • 1/2 yellow onion, diced in 1/4" pieces
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 3/4 cup dried green lentils
  • 2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt (feel free to start with less and add to taste)
  • 1 cup raw walnuts
  • 6 tablespoons dark balsamic vinegar (look for something that say "aged")
  • 1/4 cup low-sodium ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • 3 tablespoons low-sodium Tamari
  • 2 cups Quick 1-Minute Quaker Oats
DIRECTIONS
  1. Preheat oven to 350. 
Add figs to a bowl and cover with hot tap water. Set aside to soak, at least 10 minutes.
  2. Heat a stock pot to medium-high heat and add oil. When oil moves quickly around the pot, add sweet potato, celery and onion. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until softened and translucent, approximately 10 minutes. You can add small splashes of water to prevent burning/sticking if you like.
  3. Turn heat to low and add garlic, pepper and salt, stirring constantly for 30 seconds. Add lentils and 2 ½ cups water or low-sodium vegetable broth and stir to incorporate all ingredients together. Bring to a rapid simmer (a little less than a boil) and simmer for 15-18 minutes, until all of the water is absorbed.
  4. While lentils are cooking, add walnuts to a baking sheet and roast for 12 minutes, then set aside to cool. Also, while lentils are cooking, drain figs and pull off any stems. Add to a blender, along with balsamic, ketchup, dijon and tamari. Blend until as smooth as possible--it’s ok if there are some little fig pieces.
  5. Line a loaf tin with non-stick parchment paper.   
 Add oats and 6 tablespoons of the balsamic/fig glaze to a large mixing bowl. Stir to incorporate.
  6. When lentils are finished cooking, add to the mixing bowl with oats. Chop cooled walnuts and add to the mixing bowl as well. Stir mixture together to evenly incorporate, then add to your lined loaf tin. Press to pack it into the tin, smoothing out the surface.
  7. Bake for 35 minutes, then spread a layer of fig/balsamic glaze on top and bake another 15 minutes. Save remaining glaze to serve with loaf. Cool 30 minutes in the tin, then remove and cool another 20 minutes before slicing.
  8. Loaf will keep tightly sealed in the refrigerator up to 4 days.
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