Italian-Roast-Style Lentil and Bean Meatloaf
Serves 6-8 people
Preparation: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Passive time: 15 minutes

1 ½ cup of cooked lentils (I cooked mine in homemade vegetable broth, but you can used canned lentils to save time)
1 can of black beans
1 small onion
1 leek (optional)
1-2 medium carrot
1 stick of celery
4 tbsp of aquafaba
1 splash of arrope (must) or ¼ tsp brown sugar or coconut sugar
14-16 oz. of king oyster mushrooms and white mushrooms
1 spring of rosemary
1 tbsp white wine
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh thyme, chives, parsley, and basil to taste
1 bay leaf
1 tsp dry fennel seed
1 cup pecans or a mix of walnuts and pecans
1 clove of garlic (whole)
¼ cup pumpkin seeds
Smoked paprika (optional)
¼ cup breadcrumbs
2-3 tbsp tomato sauce

Preparation:
1. Sauté the chopped mushrooms in extra-virgin olive oil, a splash of arrope (must), some of the thyme, parsley, and rosemary, and one clove of garlic (that you will remove at the end); salt to taste. This will take 10 minutes. When the mushrooms are ready, remove the garlic and set aside to cool down.
2. Prepare the soffritto by finely chopping carrot, onion, and celery and sauté in extra-virgin olive oil until caramelized (approximately 10 minutes). Now, deglaze with the white wine, and when it has completely evaporated remove from the heat and salt to taste.
3. In the same skillet, lightly sauté the lentils (either from a can or that you have previously cooked) and the black beans (drained and rinsed), salt to taste. Do not skip this step as this will give the beans from a can a much deeper and more pleasant flavor.
4. Lightly toast the pecans, the pumpkin seeds, and the fennel seed, then pulse the toasted mix in the food processor until it becomes a loose meal. Then add mushrooms, soffritto mix, rosemary, and the remaining fresh herbs to taste; pulse to combine. Lastly, add the lentils and the black beans together with the aquafaba. Pulse for a few seconds, making sure not to purée this mix.
5. In a large mixing bowl, add salt, smoked paprika and pepper to taste, the tomato sauce (if you don’t have it, you can use some good tomato paste, ½ tbsp of it), and add the amount of breadcrumbs needed to have a compact yet moist mix.
6. Wet a sheet of parchment paper, then squeeze out the water, pat dry with a towel, and cover a loaf pan. Now, transfer the mixture in it, and firmly press into an even layer so that you will have a nicely compact loaf. Brush the top with olive oil and cover with aluminum foil to keep the moisture in. Bake for 20 minutes at 350 F, then remove the foil and continue baking, uncovered, for 10 more minutes.
7. Allow the loaf to rest for 15 minutes before removing from the pan to serve.

This loaf is beautiful with a vegan gravy and a tangy cranberry sauce. The mushrooms give that meaty and earthy flavor that will not make you miss turkey this holiday season. And the rosemary, the soffritto, and the wine will just recreate the aromatic bouquet of the classic Italian roast typically served on festive occasions.

As will see, the intensity of flavor and scents is not about the meat: the aroma comes from the fresh herb mix, from the mushrooms, the bay leaf, the wine, and from all that nature gives us, right in our backyard, or a few blocks from the house.