I like to experiment with everything and the day has come to experiment with hemp seed. I’ve used hemp protein powder for quite a while now and I’ve been fascinated with hemp in general for a long time. It’s an incredible versatile plant and the hulled seeds are delicious and nutritious. They even have all the essential amino acids just like meat and that makes them markedly different from other plant proteins.
Up until recently I’d only tried them in specialty shops and they were very expensive and roasted and flavored. Recently as I look for other forms of protein to try to limit my use of animals I bought a large 3 lb bag of raw hulled hemp seeds. They arrived in the mail and they are very very tiny and taste a wee bit like sunflower seeds. I like them plain just fine, but they are so tiny it’s not like eating other seeds or nuts. They would be yummy in a salad just nice and raw like that and I’ll be thinking about what else I might do with them now too.
Today, though I made a lentil/hemp loaf. I’ve made vegetarian nut loafs for my husband a number of times. Apparently they are popular in Britain and he grew up there. I’d never had or made one until I married him, and so the idea comes from the nut loaves I’ve made. They are essentially a vegetarian variant on meat loaf.
Ingredients:
2 cups cooked lentils
1 cup hemp seeds
3/4 cup pecorino cheese
3/4 cup oats soaked in plain kefir for a couple of hours (enough kefir to just cover the oats — you can use milk too)
1 large onion diced
5 cloves garlic
1/2 cup pesto
4 eggs
1 tbls red chili flakes
Salt to taste
Saute onions and garlic and then combine all the above ingredients and mix well. Put into a loaf pan or small casserole dish. I don’t currently have a loaf pan so I’ve been using a small casserole dish for my loafs, meat or veggie. I have to get a loaf pan!
So I wrote the above while the loaf was cooking. I, again, failed to notice how long it took but it simply ended nice and golden brown like the picture and the texture was nice too. Not heavy or wet or anything. I was not initially thrilled with the taste. My husband’s comment was, “It tastes like nut loaf.” I topped mine with some hot sauce and by the time I was finished eating my piece I was thoroughly enjoying it! I suppose if I make it again and I imagine I will, I will put more thought into spicing it up somehow, but really it wasn’t bad at all and I will enjoy the leftovers.
Well, this has grown on me. I thought leftovers would be tomorrow, but I had a second helping tonight. It’s good.
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#1 by Bob - October 21st, 2009 at 11:15
Interesting, I’ve never seen a loaf of that stripe before. Sounds tasty though, especially with some hot sauce.
Heh, I had a buddy who was wicked into hemp seeds for a while when we were teenagers. Until he found out they were sterilized before they sold them.
#2 by monicajane - October 21st, 2009 at 11:25
that’s funny…the thing is though they are sterilized, they hardly need to be as industrial hemp is a different plant than marijuana that is used for getting high…this is a point lost on way too many people since hemp cannot make you high and it could conceivably make a significant impact in a positive way on our environmental issues…
if Americans in general understood what a major cash crop hemp is and the FACT that is cannot be smoked effectively things would be very different..
instead we have a bunch of hysterical anti-drug people keeping us from being able to grow hemp in this country. there are very low levels of THC in hemp but it’s simply not what people grow to smoke and it won’t get you high. (though it may make you fail a drug test)
#3 by Deliciously Organic - October 21st, 2009 at 12:03
This looks yummy! I love using hemp seeds also, for extra protein before workouts. I’ll have to give this recipe a try!
#4 by Bob - October 21st, 2009 at 12:50
Ugh, don’t even get me started on the ridiculousness that is the anti-hemp lobby in the US. Hemp is a wonder plant, between it and bamboo we could massively cut down on logging. But since it seems you agree with me I will spare you my tirade.
#5 by monicajane - October 21st, 2009 at 13:01
Welcome Delicious! good to see you here. How do you use your hemp seeds prior to working out? Just as they are?
#6 by megan - October 24th, 2009 at 18:37
hmm…not sure I would try this one.
But i definitely admire your creativity and experimentation! I found your blog through foodieblogroll, and you’ve given me a lot to aspire to in the world of healthy cooking 
#7 by monicajane - October 24th, 2009 at 18:46
good to have you here Megan. My food may be mostly whole and healthy but it never skimps on flavor! Hope you come back. And I’m not afraid of fat at all!
#8 by monicajane - October 24th, 2009 at 18:58
I just made a dessert and posted it–healthy, yes, but very pretty!