Makes 2 small loaves, depending on the size of your loaf pan

The first time I made this, the smells wafting through the kitchen made my mouth water and my heart go pitter-pat. When it was done, and I took my first bite, I actually said, out loud, “oh my f#@!, This is one of the best things I’ve ever put in my mouth!”

Ingredients

• 3 cups TVP granules
• 2 1/2 cups vegetable broth, or water
• 2 tablespoons Braggs, tamari or soy sauce
• 1 large yellow onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon ground back pepper, plus extra pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1 cup ketchup, plus extra ketchup for basting
• 1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Reconstitute TVP granules in veggie broth & Bragg’s by mixing it together in a large microwave safe bowl, covered tightly with plastic wrap, and microwave on high for 6 minutes. Set aside. In a skillet, heat the olive oil and sauté the onion and garlic until translucent and just beginning to brown, about 7-10 minutes.

Mix all ingredients into the reconstituted TVP, except the extra ketchup and pepper. Mix well. Use your hands and knead the mixture together. Make sure everything is well incorporated. At this point you can proceed, as is, or take half of the mixture and place it in the food processor and process until it is the consistency of paste. Then mix the two portions back together, very well, with your hands. The point of this step is to get your meetloaf to stick together better when you slice it. TVP is crumbly and when you slice your loaf, if you want perfect slices, use this method. If you don’t mind crumbly meetloaf, you can skip this step. It tastes the same either way and I have done it both ways with great results.

Press the “dough” into a well-oiled loaf pan very tightly. As tightly as you can pack it in. Seriously. Push hard. Harder. Okay, now bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Remove and brush a thin layer of ketchup onto the top. Return to the oven and bake an additional 25 minutes. Remove from oven, let stand about 10 minutes and turn onto a serving dish. Serve with garlic smashed potatoes (you’ll have to order the book for this recipe) and of course garnish with, you guessed it, more ketchup!