What's Cookin' Tonight

I've already deviated from my meal plan, and it's only day two.  I had veggie pizza last night (back injury, no cooking), and tonight I'm making lentil-walnut loaf.  The pierogi will happen tomorrow. There may be pictures. Before you get too excited, however, know that I'm cheating and using won ton wrappers.


Lentil-Walnut Loaf
Ingredients:
1/2 cup walnuts (I actually like walnuts and pine nuts mixed)
2 TB olive oil or grape seed oil
one small onion, diced
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup uncooked quick oatmeal
1/4 to 1/2 cup lentil cooking liquid, as needed                                                                                                 2 cloves garlic, minced                                                                                                                              1/2 cup cooked oatmeal
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley                                                                                                                     salt and pepper to taste
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350º. Spray a loaf pan or 8x8 square baking pan with nonstick spray and set aside (an 8x8 pan makes a crisper loaf).
Grind the walnuts (and pine nuts, if using) into a coarse meal using a food processor. Place in a large mixing bowl and set aside.
Saute the onion and garlic in the olive or grape seed (my personal preference) oil until soft, about 5-7 minutes.  Add to the mixing bowl along with the remaining ingredients.  Use your hands to combine the ingredients as you would a meatloaf, adding only as much liquid as necessary.  Add more uncooked oatmeal if the loaf mixture seems too wet.  (I usually don't have to add liquid.)
Press mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 50 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.

I’m going to make some mushroom gravy, mashed potatoes, and green beans to go with this. I had planned to make green beans with smoked almonds, but guess what I forgot? The one thing?  Yeah, the almonds. D’oh!