Sweet Potato Lentil Loaf with Sriracha Ketchup

Sweet Potato Lentil Loaf with Sriracha Ketchup

Serves 2

• 1/4 cup dried lentils, rinsed and picked over
• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped small
• 2 large cremini mushrooms, chopped fine
• 1/2 slice of whole wheat or sprouted bread, toasted crunchy (I used the Ezekiel 4:9 Sesame variety)
• 2 garlic cloves, pressed
• 1 medium carrot, grated
• 1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
• a dash each of ground cumin, salt, and pepper
• 2 tbsp organic ketchup
• 1 tsp Sriracha chili sauce

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Place lentils and 1 cup of water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, or until tender. Drain excess water before using. Poke holes in the sweet potato with a fork, place over a paper towel, and microwave for 8 minutes, stopping after 4 minutes to rotate. When time's up, allow to cool and then remove skin. Place in a large bowl and mash as much as possible. Add lentils, onion, mushrooms, garlic, and grated carrot to the sweet potato in the bowl and combine with your hands. Cut or crumble toasted bread into very small chunks. Add to bowl along with spices, salt, and pepper and continue to combine with hands until the mixture can be roughly formed into a ball. Add a tiny amount of water if necessary. Grease a loaf pan or pie dish with olive oil or cooking spray spray and mold into an oblong loaf on the pan. Pop it in the oven and let it bake for 45 minutes. While that's baking, combine ketchup and Sriracha and stir until completely combined. When time's up, remove the loaf from the oven and allow it to cool for at least a few minutes (you won't want to, it will smell so good!) Carefully slice down the middle into two portions. It was a little fragile, but with a little patience you can cut it without destroying it.