As I mentioned in my previous post, it’s at a point in the year where we are between seasons - winter is winding down, and with it, winter vegetables are past their prime; spring hasn’t arrived, and there is very little to harvest right now. I am relying on my pantry and freezer for most meals. Enter this Mediterranean No-Meat Loaf.

This vegetarian meatless loaf is made from pantry staples like canned chickpeas, brown rice, breadcrumbs, sun-dried tomatoes, and dried herbs. Out of the freezer comes ground flaxseed and frozen spinach, and from the fridge, crumbled feta for a salty, creamy bite. This recipe calls for cooked rice - next time you make rice, reserve one cup of the cooked rice, place it in a freezer-safe container, and freeze it for use later to make this loaf. This no-meat loaf is held together with the help of the liquid from one can of the chickpeas - this liquid is called aquafaba, and is often used as an egg replacement in vegan cooking. That is the purpose it serves here, as a binder for this chickpea-rice mixture. This Mediterranean No-Meat Loaf isn’t vegan, but it can be - just substitute nutritional yeast for the crumbled feta cheese.

Serve this Mediterranean No-Meat Loaf topped with my Roasted Red Pepper Sauce to really take it over the top, and to make it feel extra-comforting. Pair it with roasted vegetables or a side salad for a complete meal!

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Original publication date: March 11, 2021