First things first… choose your lentils carefully. Some lentils will make this very crumbly and fall apart. Others help it to stick together. My recommendation is that at least half your lentils are split red lentils (helping the loaf to bind). I like to mix these with mung beans because I like the nutty flavour and it makes the loaf a lovely brown colour. Then I add a third kind of lentil… just to max out my plant varieties. I use dried lentils and soak them the night before. 

Lentils generally expand to twice the size when soaked, for 12 hours or more. I use a half cup to measure them out and mix and match depending on what I have in my cupboards. I put them in an airtight container with double the amount of water volume to the lentils.

Cut some parchment paper to fit a standard sized loaf tin ensuring that you have enough paper at the sides to make “wings” that you can grip to pull the loaf out of the tin. Prepare it by greasing with coconut oil. I put a sprinkling of sesame seeds in the bottom along with a few pumpkin seeds at this stage.

Grate the cheddar. Keep these in separate dishes. The cheddar will be put into the blender and will help the loaf bind, but optional ingredients like the feta will be folded into the mix.

Choose which flavourings you want (I always include Feta cheese). Chop vegetables and fresh herbs into small pieces. 

Olives are our superfood… but don’t necessarily go with everything. I often use onion and red pepper together, but the dill and mint is lovely and fragrant along with half a fennel bulb. Put chopped flavourings, herbs and optional spices to one side.

Measure out all other ingredients for the base loaf mix. They will be thrown in the blender.

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees.

Rinse out your lentils and drain before throwing them in the blender. Add the eggs and yoghurt and blend again. Add cheddar cheese and all other ingredients (except the Mix and Match Optional Flavours). 

Blend well. It should be pourable like pancake mix and a little lumpy when finished. 

Transfer to a large mixing bowl. 

Add the chopped feta or goats cheese and fold in your flavourings of choice.

Pour bread mix into the lined loaf tin. Sprinkle with seeds (its nice if they are different sizes). I also like to add a teaspoon of melted coconut oil and an extra sprinkle of salt - but that is optional.

Place the loaf tin on top of a baking tray and place in the oven. Cooking time will vary depending on how liquid the loaf is and what flavourings you added. 

Leave in oven at 150 degrees for about 30 minutes. Check with a knife to see how well it has cooked. If it is still quite liquid raise leave it a little longer. 

If it feels solid enough to keep its shape, use the parchment paper to pull the loaf out of the tin. Put the loaf onto the baking tray and place back in the oven. Bake until the underside of the loaf is dry and spongey.

When the underside is dry and spongy it is ready to take out the oven.

Place on a wire rack. Leave to cool. 

If you try to cut it too early it will crumble. When cooled use a very sharp bread knife to cut it into 10 portions.

Eat with batched dips or have on its own with salad or greens. It is delicious!