Meatless Meatloaf

Oh boy! Here is a classic meat dish transformed into a vegetarian version packed with delicious flavors. This was a huge hit and something I will make again real soon. Enjoy with steamed vegetables (as I did) or a side salad with fresh bread.

Serves 4
Ingredients:
* 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil, more for oiling pan
* 1 small organic yellow onion, finely diced
* 1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
* 1 package veggie burger crumbles (i.e. Morningstar Griller Crumbles), thawed overnight
* 3 tablespoons tahini
* 1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
* 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
* 1/2 cup cooked brown rice
* 1/2 cup dried breadcrumbs
* 1 tablespoon dried parsley

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and pepper, and cook until onions are translucent and peppers are soft, about 7 minutes.

3. Transfer to a large bowl. Crumble the veggie burgers or veggie crumbles into the large bowl with the cooked onion mixture.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the tahini, 1/3 cup tomato sauce and soy sauce.

5. Add the tahini mixture, rice, breadcrumbs and parsley to the large bowl.

6. Stir to mix well. Transfer mixture to an oiled loaf pan. Spread 1/2 cup tomato sauce on top.

7. Bake 45 minutes. Allow to cool 15 minutes before slicing.