Meatless Monday – Fully-loaded veggie cake
Upgrade the humble veggie bake into an epic savoury cake.
![Meatless Monday, 22 November, Fully-Loaded Veggie Cake](https://images.caxton.co.za/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2021/11/meatless-monday-22-november-fully-loaded-veggie-cake-1-780x470.jpg)
Serves 6-8
You’ll need: 1½ cups Imbo Red Split Lentils, rinsed and drained; 1 medium butternut, peeled; 1 Tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tsp each salt & pepper; 1 onion, diced; 1 red pepper, finely chopped; 1 punnet (250g) mushrooms, sliced; ½ cup oats, blended; 2 cups grated cheddar cheese.
Serving suggestion – Pecan nuts, toasted and chopped; sprigs of parsley; leafy green salad.
How to:
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line a 20cm springform cake tin as well as a baking sheet.
ring a small pot of water to a boil. Add the Imbo Red Split Lentils and allow to cook for 7-10 minutes until cooked through but not too soft.
Once the lentils are cooked but not too mushy, drain them well in a sieve until most of the water is gone. Add to a bowl and set aside.
Cut the butternut into 0.5cm rings and scoop out the seeds. Dice 5-6 of the butternut rings into evenly sized cubes. Arrange the rings and diced butternut on a baking sheet, sprinkle over the oil and lightly season with salt and pepper. Roast for 20-25 minutes, or until soft.
In an oiled pan, sauté the onions until translucent. Add in the red pepper, mushrooms and oats. Sauté until the vegetables are soft, about 5 minutes.
Add the sauteed mixture to the cooked lentils. Add in the diced butternut and 1 cup of the cheese and mix. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Pour the lentil mixture into the lined cake tin and arrange the butternut in overlapping rings on top. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Cover the tin with foil and bake for 35-45 minutes until golden and crispy.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes, remove from the cake tin and place on a cake stand. Top with the toasted pecan nuts and fresh chopped parsley before cutting into 6-8 portions. Serve with a leafy green salad and enjoy!
* Recipe & image by Foodies of SA.