Unappetizing names

Pate

When I lived in Spain, my senora made me sandwiches with pate spreads all the time.  At the time I wasn’t vegan, but I already shunned dairy and avoided most meat (chicken and fish were still in my diet though).  I told her over and over again I didn’t like pate – it reminded me of cat food.  But she repeatedly made it for me.  As a result I get shivers up and down my body whenever I see or hear the word. 

This is especially unfortunate because many raw spreads are dubbed “pates” because of the similarity in texture. 

Loaf.

Another item that gave me the heebie jeebies growing up was meatloaf.  Now, to be fair, it wasn’t actually my mom’s meatloaf ground turkey loaf that I disliked, but the ketchup topping.  But either way, I wasn’t a fan of the dish. 

This makes me seem like a really picky eater!  I promise I wasn’t one of those kids.

The fact of the matter is, to me loaf and pate are two of the nastiest sounding foods.

So now that you have some background info, you may understand why I felt like the hugest hypocrite as I prepared dinner the other night.

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WTF! 

Lentil loaf AND pepita pate in one meal!?!  Who am I?

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Let me assure you, this recipe bears no resemblance to a true pate.

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Pepita Pate

Ingredients:

  • 1/4 cup pepitas (raw pumpkin seeds)
  • 2 T water
  • 2 T evoo
  • 1 medjool date
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp miso paste
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Directions:

Puree pepitas and water together until nearly smooth (chunky texture is fine). 

Add all other ingredients (except spinach and oil) and puree again.

Once blended, add spinach and oil and blend until consistency is pesto-like. 

Serve with noodles, smear on bread, top a potato, or use as salad dressing.

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If you’re a fan of spinach you will like this.

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As for the main part of the meal…

I’ve made a lentil loaf before, so this isn’t a new dish.  I just happened to write down the exact recipe this time.  

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Lentil Loaf

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup lentils (dry)
  • 3/4 cup raw walnuts
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds
  • 1 cup water (used separately as 1/4 cup + 3/4 cup)
  • 1/2 cup bread crumbs (I used panko)
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • pinch cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 tsp chili powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp BBQ sauce

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Directions:

Bring water to boil and add 3/4 cup dry lentils.  Cook until they are soft (you’ll know it when they get fatter and start to smell).  You can always taste test a few to see if they are done.  Leaving them slightly al dente is fine since they will be cooked again in the oven. 

Pulse walnuts with 1/4 cup water until they are almost completely ground up.  Chunks are okay.

Puree nuts and (drained & cooled) lentils together adding 1/4 cup water at a time (totaling 3/4 cups water).  You are looking for a well mixed consistency with a little bit of texture, so don’t worry about completely pureeing it. 

Add the nuts, lentils, bread crumbs, chia seeds, and spices to a bowl and combine until everything is uniformly mixed.  Let the chia seeds “gel” for 10 minutes.

Finally add in the ketchup and BBQ sauce and (again) stir together.

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Once the “batter” is ready, pack it into a loaf pan sprayed with cooking spray.

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Top view vs. side view.

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Then drizzle extra ketchup or BBQ sauce on top. 

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Patterns are optional, but go ahead and get artsy with this!

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Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Once cool, slice and serve.

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Kyle swore it was “just like real meat” and told me so several times. 

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Are there any meals you have horrible memories of, which have forever ruined them as foods? 

It took me a LONG time to get over my almond phobia.  I used to be completely anti-nuts, but since blogging my palate has grown and expanded so much!  I now enjoy cashews, peanuts, and almonds.  The rest of the nut family better be really well hidden (ie: walnuts in a loaf).

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Comments (21)

  1. Caity @ Moi Contre La Vie

    Gotta try this!

  2. Katie

    You’re right… loaf is an unfortunate name. My mom made meatloaf once- my first and only time having the non-veg version- and it grossed me out like whoa. I’ve been meaning to make a lentil version though ever since I had a really delish one at Josie’s.

  3. lucie

    The pepita pate you made looks so delicious, such a beautiful and appetising colour!

  4. Katie @ Peace Love & Oats

    I always HATED my mother’s meatloaf! It was just weird! haha now I like meatloaf. And that pate looks delicious!

  5. Katie

    Blech, I also hate the word loaf. I can’t even say it in reference to bread.

    Also “patty” …like meat patty. My mom used to make salmon patties when I was a kiddo, and I actually liked them – but can’t stand the name.

  6. Brigid

    I always hated meatloaf growing up. Honestly, though, I was 100% one of those picky kids. I don’t know if it’s because my parents were over-indulgent or if I was really just that awful on my own, but I really, really home my own kids are better!

  7. MegSmith @ Cooking.In.College

    I can’t believe you didn’t like nuts! That’s crazy 🙂

    This loaf looks amazing. I have always wanted to make a veggie loaf but my b/f’s Mom scarred him for life and he won’t touch anything in loaf form…

  8. Jamie @ Don't Forget the Cinnamon

    Haha it’s so funny how we can get such negative associations with foods! The one that gets me is tortellini. My roommate (who cannot cook for the life of her) was so sweet and wanted to make me dinner but severely undercooked the tortellini. Not good and I cringe and the mention or sight of it now!

  9. TeenyLittleSuperChef

    When I was about 7 years old, I got a really bad stomach flu and the only thing I remember during that time was throwing up a can of Spaghetti-O’s all over myself and my bed (I’m pretty sure there was a few O’s on the wall too). Since then, I can’t even look at a can of Chef Boyardee without wanting to yak… probably a good thing since Spaghetti-O’s are pretty nasty anyways.
    And I’m totally with you on not liking meatloaves because of the ketchup on top. My mom always made hers this way too and I always had to scrape that red goo off the top before eating it. Thanks for the lentil loaf recipe. I think this one will suit my palate much much better.

  10. Shana

    That lentil loaf looks awesome!

  11. Lou

    Both of these recipes look fantastic… I would like the pate ON the loaf, thanks.

    Pate is super gross – especially that weird gel layer they put on the top, ew it’s just like cat food, huh? Viper LOVES it, duck liver pate, vomit. So wrong on so many levels. Don’t get me started on Blood Pudding.

    I’m totally going to try the loaf… you used brown lentils, right? I’ve got some red so I may have a play 🙂

  12. Elise (Post author)

    i did use brown, but let me know if you play around with the red.

  13. Lisa F. @thevalleyvegan

    Ugh! I HATED meatloaf as a kid!! My mother used to “hide” hard boiled eggs inside of it – so there were 2 things together in one dish I didn’t like: ketchup & eggs. And to make matters worse, one time she actually used canned salmon instead of ground beef. I nearly passed out from the gross factor on that one.

    Not a “loaf” I also could not stomach tuna casserole. Something about the peas + tuna felt like I was eating fish eyes…

    and YES! I was “one of ‘those’ kids” (if you couldn’t tell…)

  14. jaime

    I just recently found your blog & I LOVE it! So many yummy recipes, I’ve already tried a few, including this lentil loaf tonight. It was amazing!
    I enjoy seeing what you pack for meals at work. I also like how your dinners are so quick and easy. It makes me realize that there are no excuses to eat delicious healthy meals every day. Thank you so much!!

  15. Abby @ Abz 'n' Oats

    The cat food sandwich made me gag a little bit. lol. I totally agree with pates being one of the most unappetizing things on Earth. I don’t really have any food aversions except for olives. They repulse me!

  16. Sarah B @ Bake + Bike

    Hah I also strongly dislike the word pâté, probably because when I first became vegetarian, I ate a lot of that packaged vegepâté stuff and I got really sick of it.

    Your pepita version looks awesome, though!

    There are so many foods I hate as a kid that I enjoy now, thank goodness! However, I still haven’t come around to most mushrooms and olives. Also soft cheese….augh. Can’t handle it.

  17. Lolita

    The pepita pate looks so delicious. I have recently been experimenting more with raw foods and this is definitely going on my recipes to try list!

  18. hippierunner

    ‘loaves’ creep me out too. but yours looks so good! i will definitely try that recipe sometime. It looks like it holds together so well.

  19. Katie

    I’m not sure how blogs work, I’m new to the blog scene. But I have been reading your blog to read up on FODMAPS, which is very useful by the way. But today I made 2 of your recipes: Lentil Loaf – OMG it is DELICIOUS! and the Quinoa Granola – WOW, very yummy and tasty. I also made quinoa to stash in the fridge for the week. Thank you so much for your information and recipes. I am really enjoying reading your blog and making some good food!

  20. Elise (Post author)

    hi katie! thanks so much for leaving a comment 🙂 welcome to my site – im glad youre loving the recipes!

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