Published On:Wednesday, February 17, 2010

By TANEKA THOMPSON

Tribune Staff Reporter

WHEN people first find out that I'm a vegetarian, I'm usually met with one of the following reactions: a blank stare of confusion, a snide remark about how crazy I must be, the invariable question of 'But where do you get your protein?', or the probe into what I could possibly eat on a daily basis, besides, you know, salad and tofu.

Anyone who looks at me can see I don't survive on lettuce alone. I'm a gluttonous vegetarian who loves to stuff my face and belly just as much as my omnivore counterparts. But I understand the confusion from meat-eaters.

After all, five years ago I was the kind of person who would go anywhere with the promise of free meatballs and chicken wings. The kind of person who rolled my eyes in contempt after my best friend remarked at how delicious and meat-like sietan tasted. The girl who said, "All I know is that it tastes good," when a college friend tried to educate me on the inhumane cruelties chickens endure all to end up in a greasy, breaded three piece meal.

But I digress.

I love that question of, "what do you eat?" because it gives me a chance to expose meat-eaters to culinary options they never thought of. A world where vegetables aren't relegated to last minute side dishes, but are the stars of the show. A world where glazed butternut squash or a tofu chickpea curry gets your mouth watering faster than any cow or pig ever did.

With this in mind, I thought I would share one of my favourite dishes to warm your tastebuds and your spirit. It reminds me of the kind of comfort food my mother and grandmother used to make. Something yummy, filling and cruelty-free.

Enjoy!

"MEATLESS LOAF"

(serve with mashed potatoes and your favourite veggie)

From grouprecipes.com

INGREDIENTS

1/4 cup walnuts, crushed

2 celery ribs, chopped

3/4 cup onions, chopped

2 green onions, thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

10 ounces firm tofu

8 ounces fat free feta cheese, crumbles

1 1/4 cups quick-cooking oats

3 tablespoons soy sauce

2 tablespoons ketchup

2 tablespoons ketchup, more

ketchup, for topping

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

2 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

1 teaspoon poultry seasoning

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat Oven to 350°F.

2. Grind walnuts to powder and set aside.

3. Sauté celery, onion, green onion and garlic

over medium heat until tender about 4 minutes.

4. Remove veggies from heat and let cool while

you do the following steps.

5. Mash tofu in a bowl and stir in walnuts, feta,

oats, soy sauce, ketchup, mustard, parsley, and

poultry seasoning.

6. Once mixed stir in veggies.

7. Season with salt and pepper.

8. Coat 9X5in loaf pan with cooking spray.

9. Add mixture and pack in tightly.

10. Top with a thin coat of ketchup.

11. Bake for 55 minutes.