Olive and Sun-dried Tomato Sausages

The veggie sausage - proof that you don't need to eat "lightly" to eat healthfully! If you're like me, in winter you just want to curl up with a good book and a hot plate of veggie bangers and mash. Our Olive and Sun-dried Tomato Sausages or Glamorgan Sausages are also wonderful as part of a hearty vegetarian Full English!

If you're interested in other ways to eat heartily and healthfully this year, please do consider joining our Cooking for Optimal Health course in January, or any of our courses in 2015.

Olive and Sun-dried Tomato Sausages

Serves: 4

Time: Prep 15 mins, Cook 30mins, Chill 20mins, Fry 10mins

Dietary: Vegan, Gluten Free

Ingredients:

100g red lentils
1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
250ml water
50g pitted black olives
2 medium leeks, sliced
4 garlic cloves, peeled
4 sage leaves
2 tbsps olive oil
75g medium oatmeal
75g porridge oats
dash of Tabasco
2 tsps tamari
2 tbsps sundried tomato paste
Small handful of fresh parsley, chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Cornmeal for rolling
Sunflower oil for frying

Method:

Pre-heat the oven to 200C/Gas 6.
Cook the red lentils with the vegetable bouillon powder and water, until soft, drain and set aside.
Roast the olives, leeks, garlic and sage leaves in the olive oil for 20 minutes or until soft.
Blend the roasted vegetables in a food processor to a rough paste consistency.
Place the oatmeal and oats on a baking tray in the pre-heated oven and toast for 7 minutes, until golden.
Mix together the roasted vegetables, the cooked red lentils and the toasted oat mix.
Add the Tabasco, tamari, sundried tomato paste and parsley. Season well.
Shape into eight sausages, lightly roll in cornmeal and chill for 20 minutes before frying.
Shallow fry in sunflower oil until crisp and lightly browned.
Serve as part of a veggie breakfast or with mash and gravy!

Let us know what you think about this recipe, veggie sausages, winter eating, or anything on your mind in the comments below or on Facebook and Twitter!