If you’re planning a meat-free Christmas menu for yourself or guests this year then my recipe this week maybe one to consider. Time to post my favourite nut loaf recipe. It is very easy to assemble, can be made in advance, and freezes well. What’s more, you can use any combination of nuts and seeds you fancy – it’s the perfect recipe to use up any nuts or seeds that you have already opened. And above all else, it’s very tasty 🙂

I prefer to use roasted peanuts and cashews if I have them, but pecans and almonds are favourites too. The mixture is bound together with lentils, flax seed “egg” and nut butter – choose whichever cooked pulses or nut butter you fancy to suit your taste. If you fancy some extra crunch, toast a handful of your favourite seeds and add to the mixture when you bind everything together.

When grinding or chopping the nuts, I like to keep some bigger pieces amongst the finer grinds so that the loaf has some texture but you may prefer something smoother.

On with the recipe, and then on with the festive countdown.

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

• 2 tbsp. olive oil + extra to drizzle
• 1 stick celery, trimmed and chopped
• 1 small onion, peeled and chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped
• 115g grated carrot
• 115g cooked green lentils (cooked and mashed cannellini, butter or haricot beans work well too)
• 200g roasted peanuts and cashews (or your favourite nut and seed combination)
• 40g gluten-free sage and onion stuffing mix
• 1 tsp dried sage
• 1 tsp salt
• 125g whole nut peanut or other nut butter, softened
• 1 tbsp. flax seeds
• Chopped parsley to garnish

1. Heat the oil in a small frying pan and add the celery, onion and garlic, mix well, cover, and cook gently for 10 minutes until softened. Cool for 20 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C, 180°C fan oven, gas 6. Line a 1kg loaf tin with a paper liner or baking parchment. Put the remaining ingredients, except the flax seeds and parsley, in a bowl and stir in the softened mixture.
3. Now make the flax egg. Grind the flax seeds until powdery – I use a coffee grinder. Put in a small bowl and mix in 3 tbsp. water. Leave for about 5 minutes to thicken then stir into the nutty vegetable mixture to bind everything together.

   

4. Spoon the loaf mixture into the prepared tin, smooth the top and drizzle with a little olive oil. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes, then remove the foil and bake for a further 25-30 minutes until lightly crusty on top.

   

5. To serve, carefully remove the loaf from the tin. Discard the lining paper and transfer to a warmed serving plate or serving board. Sprinkle with parsley and serve immediately, sliced thickly and accompanied with roasted vegetables and vegetable gravy or a fresh tomato sauce.

   

   I hope you have a good few days  and I look forward to seeing you again just before Christmas!