Cast Iron Black Bean Loaf

It was a chilly evening, so I rooted through my newest cookbook to see what kind of hearty dish I could find when I stumbled across the Cast-Iron Black Bean Loaf. This ridiculously filling dish comes to us from Easy Vegan Breakfasts & Lunches by Maya Sozer.  Loaded with quinoa, black beans, veggies, and topped with a ketchup sauce, it's like the meatloaf your mother didn't know how to make. Makes a great main dish with a side of roasted broccolini.

Cast-Iron Black Bean Loaf
Serves 3-4

Ingredients

• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1-2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 stalk celery, sliced
• 2 Tbsp tamari
• 2 Tbsp tomato paste
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch or cornstarch
• 1 cup cooked quinoa
• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

Ingredients for Sauce

• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 2 Tbsp pure maple syrup or agave nectar

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350-degrees. Heat the oil in a cast-iron pan over medium heat and add the onion. Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Add all the rest of the ingredients, except the sauce ingredients, and cook, stirring, for another minute. Transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and spread over the black bean loaf. Bake for another 30 minutes. Serve warm.