Rinse and drain quinoa. Place the quinoa and 1 cup of water in a small saucepot and cover. Cook the quinoa over medium heat. Once it has reached a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer. The quinoa should be cooked in about 15 minutes, when all the water is absorbed. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
Line a loaf pan with parchment paper. First, cut two pieces of parchment paper– one piece for the length of the loaf pan, from rim-to-rim, and one piece for the width of the loaf pan, rim-to-rim. Spray the loaf pan then place one parchment piece down. Spray the parchment again and lay the other piece of parchment over crosswise, like an x. Spray the parchment again. See here for a demo:
Prepare the flax egg. In a small bowl, combine the flax meal with 6 Tbsp of water, mix and set aside to thicken.
Prepare the faux “meat”. Measure out ¾ cup cooked quinoa (store leftover quinoa in the refrigerator to eat later). Place the quinoa in a food processor with the mushrooms and walnuts, and process until it comes together and resembles the same texture as ground meat.
Place the faux “meat” in a large mixing bowl and add the remaining ingredients to the bowl, including the flax egg. With clean hands, toss all the ingredients until fully combined.
Pour the “meat”loaf mixture into the loaf pan and pat down well, spreading evenly. Flatten the top.
Place the loaf pan in the center of the oven for about 1 1/2 hours.
Make the glaze. Either a Cranberry Glaze or the Traditional Meatloaf Glaze by combining ketchup, vegan Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, and stirring together with a spoon.
minutes prior to removing the loaf from the oven, brush the top of the meatloaf with the glaze, spreading it evenly to coat. If you use the Cranberry Glaze, use only a little over ¼ cup of it to spread. Reserve the rest of the Cranberry Glaze to serve on the side.
Allow the loaf to cool for about 10 minutes prior to cutting.
Serve with a side of steamed broccoli or green beans and/or mashed potatoes.
Notes
This can be made in advance and refrigerated overnight. To reheat, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F and heat for about 25 minutes.