Quinoa Nut-Loaf (serves 6)

Do you remember days when eating was simply a pleasure, and planning a menu did not require an excursion into journalistic investigation? For those of us affluent enough to be able to choose our diets, those days are gone. Today we must consider sodium, fat, cholesterol and genetic modification. We have to know if the product is sustainable, cruelty-free and fairly traded. We even need to ask about its carbon footprint. And, BTW, is it nutritious?

As in everything else, we have a choice. We can be overwhelmed and give up. Or, we can make conscious decisions about the food we eat. Every meal is an opportunity to eat with gratitude for what we have been given, with appreciation for the efforts of those who have produced it, and with concern for the impact our choices may have on others. Because being mindful about our food choices is not just a spiritual matter. Food tastes better when it is eaten with a generous heart and a lighter conscience!

So, today when I would previously have rewarded myself for a long hard week at work by making a gourmet meatloaf, I am choosing to cook a Quinoa Nut-Loaf. And when Will and I sit down to dinner, we will give thanks remembering the words of this prayer. “Bless O Lord, these gifts to our use and us to your service. And keep us ever mindful of and responsive to the needs of others.”

No one food choice will address the world wide concerns of food security, and every commodity is subject to the vicissitudes of trade and commerce, but I do know that in terms of the things that matter to me Quinoa is a better choice than ground beef. If you would like to know more about Quinoa, it’s production, and the positive and negative consequences of its popularity, see the United Nations Publication http://www.fao.org/quinoa/en/ and this article from Mother Jones http://www.motherjones.com/tom-philpott/2013/01/quinoa-good-evil-or-just-really-complicated. ~ Glyn And Will

Quinoa Nut-Loaf
1 cup quinoa
2 cups vegetable broth (or water)
1/2 cup onion finely chopped
1 clove garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup walnut pieces (raw, unsalted)
1/2 cup pecans, chopped (raw, unsalted)
1/2 cup almonds (raw, unsalted) 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds (raw, unsalted)
1/4 cup hazelnuts, coarsely chopped (raw, unsalted)
1/2 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp black pepper freshly ground
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Procedure
1 Rinse the quinoa until the water runs clear. Drain thoroughly
2 Sauté the onion and garlic in the olive oil.

3 Add the quinoa and cook for a few minutes to lightly toast.
4 Add the water or broth and cook according to package directions
5 Meanwhile, combine the nuts and toast on a tray in the oven. Do not scorch or allow to burn.

6 When the nuts have cooled, chop them to medium fine in a food processor.
7 Combine the nuts, quinoa and spices.

8 Add the nutritional yeast, the ground flax seed and the water.
9 Mix well and press into a lightly oiled loaf pan.

10 Bake at 325 for one hour, or until browned on top.
11 Let sit for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and serving. Serve with roasted vegetables and your favorite sauce of gravy. We like Braswell’s Merlot Wine Sauce (vegan but NOT Guten-Free).

Servings: 6
Yield: One Loaf
Degree of Difficulty: Moderately difficult
Oven Temperature: 325°F
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1/6 of a recipe (7.2 ounces).