Lentil Pumpkin Seed Pie & Lemon Tahini Dressing

August 4, 2015 0 0

LENTIL PUMPKIN SEED PIE

Dreena describes this recipe as somewhat like meatloaf. Now meatloaf isn’t something which is particularly eaten in the UK but the picture in the book was enough to make me want to give this a try! We took a few slices on a picnic and it held together really well so we could just eat it with our hands. It was a great protein based addition to our picnic along with hummus and veggies.

We then ate it with the Lemon Tahini Sauce and broccoli for dinner one night and that was totally delicious.

I kept to the recipe really closely with no substitutions. However, I had recently found lots of bottles of vegan Worcestershire sauce in the cupboard and was thrilled to find a recipe that needed some. So thrilled in fact that I used two tablespoons instead of teaspoons! It gave it a very, Worcestershire sauce flavour, but it was still a lovely pie.

Lentils and pumpkin seeds are great for vegan runners and this pie is definitely a tasty way to eat them. Don’t forget to make the sauce too!

Serves 4–5

1 & 1/2 cups chopped onion
3/4 cup dried brown lentils
1/2 cup chopped celery
1& 1/2 cups plus 2–3 tablespoons water, divided
1 cup rolled oats
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1/8 teaspoon sea salt
1 medium-large clove garlic, roughly chopped
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
2 tablespoons tamari or coconut aminos
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons blackstrap molasses
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds

In a large pot over medium-high heat, combine the onion, lentils, celery, and 1 & 1/2 cups of the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and let cook for 28–32 minutes, until the lentils are soft and have absorbed all the water. If the lentils are dry at 25 minutes but still not tender, add another couple tablespoons of water, cover, and cook 5–10 minutes more. If the lentils are cooked and there is more than a tablespoon of water in the pot, simply drain off the excess water. Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly oil a pie plate. In a food processor, combine the lentil mixture with the oats, tomato paste, oregano, rosemary, sea salt, garlic, black pepper, tamari, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, and molasses, and puree until just fairly smooth, but retaining some texture. Add the pumpkin seeds, and pulse through several times to break up. Transfer the mixture to the prepared pie plate and distribute evenly. Bake for 27–30 minutes, until lightly browned and just firm. Let stand for a few minutes (it will firm more as it cools), then slice into wedges and serve with suggested lemon tahini sauce.

LEMON TAHINI SAUCE

Tahini was another ingredient I never really liked but knew it was good for me so I persevered just adding a little bit in recipes and now I really like a good lemon tahini dressing and this IS a good dressing! I would recommend using a light tahini if, like me, you are unsure about the flavour of tahini. However, if you do like tahini, the darker one is considered to be healthier. Tahini is made of sesame seeds and therefore is a good source of protein and vitamin E. It also contains important minerals for vegan runners, such as calcium, iron and magnesium. The lemon juice adds a boost of vitamin C as does the parsley which is also a great source of vitamin K and iron.

This sauce is delicious and easy to whiz up in a few minutes. We ate it with the Lentil & Pumpkin Seed Pie and on top of baked kale and on roasted veggies. I will definitely make this dressing again and again it is wonderful.

Makes about 1 & 1/4 cups

1/2 cup tahini
2–3 tablespoons fresh parsley leaves
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/3–1/2 cup water
3–3 & 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2 tablespoon tamari or coconut aminos
1/2–1 & 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup to taste (see note)

In a blender or using a handheld blender and a deep cup, puree the tahini, parsley, sea salt, 1/3 cup water, 3 tablespoons lemon juice, tamari, and 1/2 tablespoon maple syrup. Puree until smooth. Add extra lemon juice and maple syrup as desired, to taste. For a thinner sauce, work in another 1–2 tablespoons of water.

Maple Syrup Note: The maple syrup helps balance the bitterness of the tahini. For adults, you may not want any, or you may want just 1/2 tablespoon.

Serving Suggestions: This sauce is very versatile. You can use it on leafy greens, massage into a kale salad, toss through cooked quinoa, or stir into hot noodles. It’s also delicious drizzled over veggie patties and loaves. Definitely try it with the Lentil Pumpkin Seed Pie.