To celebrate Pride, enjoy this traditional staple of lesbian cuisine — a vegetarian dish closely tied to a women’s music festival that took place in Michigan for more than 40 years. The festival itself was not without controversy (if you’re really curious, a Google search should bring up some results). But one thing they did really well was feed thousands of people a different vegetarian dinner every night for one week of the year.

Tuesday night was Nutloaf night, something virtually everyone looked forward to. It may not be shaped like a loaf, but it’s hearty and made to feed 7,000 people (no, I’m not kidding). This article by Bonnie J. Morris breaks down the original recipe:

275 pounds of yams, 275 pounds of carrots, 300 pounds of Spanish onions, 220 pounds of mushrooms, 250 pounds of brown rice, 45 pounds of walnuts, 45 pounds of peanuts, 65 pounds of sunflower seeds, 250 pounds of shredded cheddar cheese, 275 pounds of tofu cut into 1-inch cubes, 2-½ gallons of oil, 10 pounds of garlic, and 1 pound each of parsley, sage, marjoram, and thyme.

Since we don’t have an army of fifty women to make this on just any occasion, this version is pared down to a recipe for eight. It’s based on a version that circulated on social media maybe 15 years ago, and unfortunately I no longer have a record of who created it to give them credit. I’ve made a couple adjustments based on my attempt and what I think works well with the smaller proportions.

It’s delicious and filling as is, so enjoy!

1 c. cooked brown rice
1 medium onion, chopped
6 oz. mushrooms, chopped
3 medium carrots, chopped
1 yam, chopped
1/2 c. chopped parsley
2/3 bulb garlic, chopped
7 oz. extra firm tofu (half a package), diced
1 1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. marjoram
2 tsp. sage
1 oz. walnuts (about 1/3 c.)
1 oz. peanuts (about 1/3 c.)
2 oz. sunflower seeds (about 1/3 c.)
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
3 oz. grated cheddar cheese (about 1/2 c.)
1 tbsp. liquid smoke

Roast the nuts in light oil, stirring constantly. Set aside.

Sautee the onions, then add carrots, then yams, then mushrooms. Add the garlic, salt, herbs, and liquid smoke, and stir thoroughly. Add the tofu then, bring to a low simmer.

Add the nuts, rice, and grated cheese. Cook just long enough to incorporate everything and melt the cheese, then remove from heat.

Serve with pita bread and tortilla chips.