Plant-Powered Meatloaf Rueben

This high protein meal is the perfect lunch! Taking a spin on the classic rueben, this meatloaf rueben takes the classic rueben to the next level!

Plant-Powered Meatloaf Rueben [Vegan]

Ingredients

For the Meatloaf Sauce:

• 1/3 cup tomato paste (80g)
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons 100% pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

For the Meatloaf:

• 1 cup water (235ml)
• 1/2 cup uncooked steel cut oats, rinsed and drained (100g)
• 2 tablespoons vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 5 slices sprouted grain bread, toasted in the toaster until nice and brown (should produce ~2.5 cups of bread crumbs)
• 4 cups sliced mushrooms (8oz / 250g)
• 1/2 can pinto beans, drained and rinsed well (about 3/4 cup / 140g)
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans (80g)
• 1/2 cup diced yellow onion (65g)
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
• 1/2 tablespoon smoked paprika
• 2 teaspoons garlic granules
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 10 turns cracked black pepper
• 1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (60ml)

For the Thousand Island Dressing:

• 1/2 cup cashews soaked in water for at least 10 minutes (75g)
• 1 dried date, soaked in hot water for 10 minutes - pit taken out
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste (20g)
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup water (175ml)
• 1/3 cup chopped pickles (90g)
• 2 tablespoons chopped onion (20g)
• Few turns cracked black pepper

Additions:

• Sauerkraut
• Avocado slices
• Sprouted grain or whole wheat bread, toasted

Preparation

For the Meatloaf Sauce:

1. Place all of the Sauce ingredients into a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside for now.

For the Meatloaf:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cut a piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom and up the two long sides of a 5" x 9" loaf or cake pan.
2. In a small saucepan, combine the water, steel cut oats, Worcestershire sauce and tomato paste. Bring to a boil, turn the heat to low and cover the saucepan with a lid. Simmer over low heat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally so it doesn’t stick. After 15 minutes, remove the lid and set aside to cool.
3. Toast the bread, tear into small pieces and place them into your food processor and process until they become soft crumbs. Transfer the crumbs to a large mixing bowl (no need to wash the food processor).
4. In the empty food processor, place the mushrooms, pinto beans, pecans, onion, ground flax seeds, smoked paprika, garlic granules, salt and pepper and process until everything is chopped into small pieces but not pureed (10 to 20 seconds). Stop intermittently during this time and scrape down the sides of the food processor and then continue processing.
5. Add this mixture to the large mixing bowl that has the breadcrumbs, along with the steel cut oats mixture and the nondairy milk. Mix everything together until well combined.
6. Scoop the entire mixture into the lined loaf pan and pack it down with a spoon. Evenly spread the Meatloaf Sauce that you made earlier over the entire loaf and bake for 65 minutes.
7. Allow to cool for 15 minutes. Then, transfer the meatloaf to the refrigerator (lightly cover the pan with a clean dishcloth or wax paper) so it has time to firm up overnight. When you are ready for sandwiches, lift the meatloaf out of the pan by the parchment paper and set onto a cutting board and then cut the meatloaf into slices.

For the Thousand Island Dressing:

1. Drain and discard the water from the cashews and place the cashews, date (without the soaking water), tomato paste, apple cider vinegar, salt and water in the blender and blend until creamy and smooth.
2. Pour the dressing into a mixing bowl and add the pickles, onion and black pepper. Stir until well combined and refrigerate.

For the Meatloaf Rueben:

1. After you have your Plant Based Meatloaf and the Thousand Island Dressing made, the next step is to assemble the sandwich.
2. Toast two pieces of bread (or don't toast it, up to you!), then spread both pieces with a generous slather of Thousand Island Dressing.
3. Add a slice of Meatloaf (re-heated if you like) to one side of bread, followed by some sauerkraut. Drizzle dressing on top of the sauerkraut and then top with avocado. Top your sandwich with the other piece of bread and chow down!

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/plant-powered-meatloaf-rueben-vegan/