Ingredients: |
Ingredients: 1 T butter, softened
1 c dried brown lentils, or use 2 c cooked lentils (soak dry lentils for faster cooking)
8 oz reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 small yellow or red onion, finely diced
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp dried thyme, or 1 tsp fresh
1 c italian-style bread crumbs
15 oz tomato sauce or red pasta sauce
8 whole grain english muffins (optional)
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Directions: |
Directions:Remove the butter from the refrigerator to let it soften. Unless you are using canned lentils, cook and measure the lentils before you star making the casserole. (Soaking the lentils overnight cuts the cooking time by about half, so if you have soaked them, check for doneness after 10-15 min) To cook the lentils, in a medium saucepan with a lid, bring 1 1/2 c water to a boil. Rinse 1 c lentils in a colander or bowl. Add the lentils to the boiling water, reduce the heat, cover the pan and simmer the lentils for 25-30 min until they are tender to the bite. Drain any remaining liquid. (this makes more than two cups of cooked lentils, so measure them before adding them to the casserole)
Preheat the oven to 350 an coat a loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together all the ingredients, except the tomato sauce and optional English muffins. Spread the mixture evenly in the loaf pan. Cover it with aluminum foil and bake it for 45 min. Serve immediately or refrigerate it, covered tightly, for up to 3 days. Slice the casserole and top it with warm tomato sauce, or make sandwiches on English muffins (optional) |
This recipe for Lentil And Cheese Casserole (Vegetarian Meatloaf) is from