Step 1

Preheat oven to 350F/175C. Add coconut oil, onion, garlic, carrot, sea salt to a small frying pan. Cook until softened (10 mins).

Step 2

In a food processor with the S-shape blade, pulse oats until flour like substance. Add cooked onion/carrot medley, 1 cup of french lentils, paprika, cumin, sea salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, fresh thyme, and ground flax seeds. Pulse to combine. Then add your liquids: water, tamari, apple cider vinegar and maple syrup. Blend until well combined.

Step 3

Remove S-shape blade and add remaining 3/4 cup lentils (this offers different textures to the loaf). Lightly oil a rectangular baking pan (I used a 9x5 inch) and pour lentil mixture into pan. Spread to even.

Step 4

Make glaze by combining tomato paste, maple syrup, tamari, water, apple cider vinegar and sea salt in a small bowl. Paint lentil loaf with the glaze. Cook lentil loaf in oven for 50 minutes, until the edges start to darken and the loaf is semi-firm to the touch.. (Optional to turn to broil for the last 5 minutes to lightly toast the glaze). Wait 10-15 minutes to cool, then remove from baking pan, cut into slices and serve.