Category: Nuts

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts · Vegan

Squash, chestnut and hazelnut nut roast wreath

Belinda

If you’re after a fantastic centre piece for your festive feast – look no further!
I know that nut roasts are pretty old school but they’re tasty and this one is packed with flavor. The squash adds some sweetness to the mix and when combined with hazelnuts and chestnuts its really delicious. Plus lots of extra veg and seeds for flavor and crunch – seriously tasty.
I decided to cook it in a bundt mould to create a fun, Holiday wreath. I think it looks pretty special, but feel free to cook it in a loaf tin if you don’t have a bundt mould – just as delicious.
Great served with all the festive trimmings…

Recipe from food blog “Rebel Recipes”

10-12 servings

2 large onions, roughly chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small squash or 1/2 butter nut, peeled and cut into small cubes
100g mushrooms, finely chopped
2 big handfuls of kale
300g hazelnuts
4 tbsp pine nuts toasted or pumpkin seeds if preferred
4 tbsp sunflower seeds toasted
180g chestnuts, chopped up
2 tbsp tamari
4 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp vegan Worcester sauce
1 tbsp whole grain mustard
1 tsp sea salt
Zest 1 lemon
Black pepper
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp fresh thyme chopped up
3 tbsp olive oil

Pre- heat your oven to 350F/180C

Add the onion and oil to a medium pan and fry gently on a low heat for around 10 minutes until soft and browning.
Add the garlic and fry for a further minute.
Next add the squash and mushrooms and fry for 10 minutes until soft. Stir in the kale and. Turn off the heat when wilted.
Toast the hazelnuts, sunflower seeds and pine nuts in a dry pan until slightly golden. Add them to a food processor. Pulse a few times.
Add them to the pan along with the remaining ingredients. Stir to combine.
Chop the chestnuts roughly and add them to the pan.
Stir everything to combine.
Transfer the mix to a medium greased bunt tin of choice – I used a silicone one as its easier to remove the nut roast.
Press the mix down firmly into the bunt tin.
Bake for 40 minutes – the nut roast should be a little brown on top.
Allow to cool then carefully flip onto a plate.
Top with vegetable crips, herbs etc

Do-ahead · Grains · Holiday Food · Nuts · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

Feta-stuffed cannellini bean nut roast

Belinda

Revamp the nut roast with this Middle-Eastern inspired version. It’s packed with flavor and has an irresistible herby, cheesy filling. A great vegetarian alternative to turkey!

Recipe by Esther Clark

Serves 6

3 tbsp olive oil, plus extra for the tin and for drizzling
1 celery stick, finely chopped
2 leeks , halved and sliced
400g can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
100g pistachios, finely chopped
50g sun-dried tomatoes in oil, drained and roughly chopped
80g parmesan, grated
100g cooked quinoa
3 tbsp za’atar
50g fresh breadcrumbs
2 large eggs, beaten
50g plain flour
½ small bunch of parsley , finely chopped
1 tbsp toasted mixed seeds
For the stuffing
100g feta, crumbled
2 tbsp mascarpone
1 tbsp finely chopped chives
1 tbsp finely chopped dill , plus a few fronds to serve
1 lemon, zested
For the broccoli
300g purple sprouting broccoli
½ tbsp coriander seeds , crushed
1 tbsp rose harissa

Oil the base and sides of a roughly 18cm loaf tin and line with baking parchment. Heat 1½ tbsp oil in a frying pan, tip in the celery and leek, and fry for 10 mins, or until both are softened and translucent.

Roughly mash the cannellini beans in a large bowl. Stir through the fried celery and leek, pistachios, sundried tomatoes, parmesan, quinoa, za’atar, breadcrumbs, eggs, flour and parsley. Season well.

For the stuffing, roughly mash the feta with a fork, then stir in the mascarpone, chives, dill and lemon zest. Season.

Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Sprinkle the mixed seeds over the bottom of your lined loaf tin. Pat half the bean and nut mixture into the tin and use a spoon to press out a channel along the middle, roughly 2cm wide. Spoon the feta mixture into the channel, then pat down the remaining bean and nut mixture over the top and around the sides. Cover in foil and bake for 50 mins or up to 1 hr until firm to the touch.

Toss the broccoli in a baking tray with the coriander seeds, harissa and remaining 1½ tbsp oil. Season and roast on the lower shelf of the oven for the last 20 mins of the cooking time, or until crisp at the edges.

Serve the nut roast on a platter alongside the broccoli. Drizzle with olive oil and top with the dill fronds.

Baking · Chocolate · Do-ahead · Nuts

Flourless, fudgey walnut brownies

Belinda

Flour is the difference between a fudgy brownie and a cakey brownie—the more you add, the cakier it gets. So what would happen if you didn’t add any flour? And what is flour, anyway? While the default used to be all-purpose flour, nowadays there is a truckload of non-wheat ingredients calling themselves flour, from nuts (like almonds) to grains (like oats) to legumes (like chickpeas). These come in handy if you have a wheat allergy or intolerance—or if you want a super-fudgy brownie.

With this recipe we take advantage of walnuts. Some get toasted and stirred into the batter. Others are left raw, for a wheat-ish subtleness, and whooshed in a food processor. Thanks to the walnuts’ buttery fat and zero gluten, the result is rich, crackly, and halfway to chocolate ganache.
Recipe by Emma Laperruque

2/3 cup plus ¾ cup (170 grams) chopped walnuts
1/2 cup (115 grams) unsalted butter
1 cup (80 grams) cocoa powder
1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 tsp kosher salt
2 large eggs

Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line an 8-inch (20-centimeter) square baking dish with parchment, with overhang on two sides to lift out the baked brownies.
Place ⅔ cup (80 grams) of the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 7 to 10 minutes, until fragrant and golden brown.
While those cool, add the remaining ¾ cup (90 grams) walnuts to a food processor and pulse in short bursts until a crumbly meal forms. (Don’t take it too far, or you’ll end up with walnut butter.)

Add the butter to a medium saucepan and set over low heat. When that’s melted, remove from the heat and use a wooden spoon to stir in the cocoa powder, then the sugar and salt. Add the eggs one at a time, stirring after each addition until incorporated. Set a timer and mix for 2 minutes, until the batter is smooth and glossy.
Stir in the walnut flour, then the toasted walnuts.

Bake for about 25 minutes, until puffed around the edges with a glossy-crackly top and a toothpick inserted near a corner comes out mostly clean. Let cool until room temperature, then remove from the pan and cut into squares.

Dairy-free · Grains · Nuts · Salad · Vegan · Vegetable sides

Green couscous with broad beans, dill and pistachios

Belinda1 Comment

Middle Eastern cuisine hits all the right notes with this healthy, tasty side.
Recipe by Jill Dupleix

1 cup (200g) couscous
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
2 tsp ground ginger
8oz (200g) podded fresh or frozen broad beans
1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 avocado, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
2 tbsp thinly sliced scallions
2 tbsp lemon juice, plus wedges to serve
1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
1 garlic clove, crushed
2 tbsp pistachio kernels, roughly chopped
1/2 bunch watercress, leaves picked

Toss the couscous, onion and ginger in a heatproof bowl. Stir in 200ml (about 7 fl oz) boiling water. Cover and stand for 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook the beans in boiling salted water for 3 minutes. Drain, refresh under cold water, then discard tough outer skins.
Fluff the couscous with a fork, then add the beans, bell pepper, avocado, dill and scallions.
Whisk together the juice, oil and garlic, then toss with the couscous.
Scatter with the pistachios and serve with watercress and lemon wedges.

Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Grains · Holiday Food · Nuts · Rice · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related

The BEST vegetarian/gluten-free meatloaf

Belinda

This is one of the the best things I’ve tasted in a long time. I made this for our vegetarian son for Christmas and we all preferred it to the meat. Don’t be put off by the ingredients, it’s still pretty easy.

Recipe from food blog, “A couple cooks”

Every now and then you come across a recipe that is a cut above the rest – one that makes everything you’ve made before pale in comparison.
We present: our Vegetarian Meatloaf recipe! This vegetarian meatloaf is made entirely of nuts, rice, mushrooms, onions, herbs, and cheese. Somehow, it all melds into an appearance and texture just like a meatloaf. And it tastes AMAZING. As in, better than the meat version. It’s perfect for dinner parties, as a vegetarian Thanksgiving main dish or for Christmas dinner.
This vegetarian meatloaf is hearty and pleases even the most passionate of meat eaters! It’s a family favorite dinner party recipe.

1 1/2 cups cooked brown rice. (I made 1 cup brown basmati rice cooked in vegetable stock, and had leftover rice)
1 1/2 cups walnuts
1/2 cup cashews
1 good-sized onion
3 cloves garlic
6 oz chestnut/baby bella mushrooms
2 tbsp chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried sage
4 large eggs
1 cup full-fat cottage cheese
12 oz Gruyere cheese, grated
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Cook the rice in a broth for more flavor, according the the package instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Place 1 1/2 cup walnuts and 1/2 cup cashews on a baking sheet and toast for 8-10 minutes, until lightly browned. Allow to cool.

Meanwhile, finely chop 1 onion and mince 3 cloves garlic. Clean and finely chop the mushrooms. Finely chop the 2 tablespoons fresh parsley. When the nuts have cooled, finely chop them, ether by hand or in a food processor.

In a large skillet, heat about 2 tablespoons olive oil. Add the onion and garlic and cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms, 1 teaspoon marjoram, 1 teaspoon thyme, and 1 teaspoon sage. Cook about 5 minutes, until the mushrooms are golden. Transfer to a large bowl.

In a small bowl, lightly beat together 4 eggs.

In the large bowl, combine the onion and mushroom mixture with the toasted walnuts and cashews, parsley, 1 1/2 cups cooked rice, 1 cup cottage cheese, 12 ounces Swiss cheese, beaten eggs, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper.

Butter a 9-inch loaf pan, line the bottom with parchment paper, and butter it again. Pour the mixture from the bowl into the pan.

Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown. (Bake longer if not golden brown)
Let cool in pan for 20 minutes, then invert loaf and remove from pan. Slice into pieces and serve warm. Leftovers can be stored for a few day in the refrigerator or a few months in the freezer (cut into pieces).
Reheat in a 350F oven

Baking · Do-ahead · Fruit · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts

Cranberry curd tart

Belinda2 Comments

Creamy and bright cranberry curd filling inside a gluten-free oat and nut-based tart crust makes a stunningly delicious and easy Holiday dessert.
Recipe from the food blog, “Running to the Kitchen”

Serves 8-10

FOR THE TART CRUST
1 1/2 cup rolled oats
1 cup walnuts
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
5 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cubed

FOR THE CRANBERRY CURD FILLING
12 oz fresh cranberries
zest of 1 lemon
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp sugar, divided
1/4 cup water
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 large eggs
2 large egg yolks
4 tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a tart pan with a removeable bottom with butter or baking spray making sure to pay attention to the sides.

Combine the oats, walnuts, brown sugar and spices in a food processor. Process until finely chopped then pulse in the cubes of cold butter one by one until the mixture starts to come together.
Turn the ingredients out into the prepared tart pan and press evenly into the bottom of the pan and up the sides.
Place the crust in the refrigerator for 15 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator, place the tart pan on a baking sheet and bake the crust for 15 minutes.
Remove from the oven, gently press down the middle if it’s puffed up a bit from baking and let cool while you make the curd.

Combine the cranberries, lemon zest, 3/4 cup sugar and water in a sauce pot. Bring to a simmer then lower the heat and cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally to help break down the cranberries.
Turn off the heat and let cool for 5 minutes then transfer the mixture to a blender and blend until smooth.
Return the mixture to the sauce pot over medium-low heat.

One by one add the remaining ingredients including the leftover 2 tablespoons of sugar to the pot whisking constantly as you go.
Once all ingredients are added to the pot, continue cooking for 10 minutes whisking constantly until the mixture has thickened.

Strain the cranberry curd over a large bowl through a fine mesh strainer using a spatula to push the curd through.
Pour the strained filling into the cooled tart crust and refrigerate for at least 3 hours until set.
Keep refrigerated until serving.
Garnish with sugared cranberries or candied lemon slices.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts · Vegetable sides · Vegetable-related · Whole30 compliant

Leeks in Vinaigrette with Walnuts and Tarragon

Belinda

Recipe from Bon Appetite

Cutting the leeks into rounds is an update on the classic presentation—and makes them easier to serve to a crowd.I adore leeks and this is a super recipe that’s not as rich as creamed leeks

1 cup walnuts
½ cup extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
6 large leeks, tough outer layer removed
1 garlic clove, finely grated
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tbsp plus 1 tsp whole grain mustard
⅓ cup coarsely chopped tarragon
Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 350°. Toast walnuts on a rimmed baking sheet, tossing once, until golden brown, 6–8 minutes. Let cool, then coarsely chop. Transfer to a small bowl and toss with oil; season with salt.

Trim root ends of leeks and 1″ from the dark green tops. Cut leeks into ½”-thick rounds (the dark green parts won’t be rounds, but that’s okay). Rinse well.

Cook leeks in a large pot of boiling salted water until meltingly tender, 12–15 minutes. Transfer to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain and pat dry.

Whisk garlic, vinegar, and Dijon and whole grain mustards in a small bowl; season vinaigrette with salt.

Arrange leeks on a platter; drizzle with vinaigrette and let sit at least 10 minutes (the longer, the better).

Just before serving, scatter walnut mixture over leeks and top with tarragon and lots of pepper.

Do Ahead: Leeks (without walnut mixture and tarragon) can be marinated 1 day ahead. Cover and chill. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Accompaniments · Chocolate · Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Nuts · Vegan

Homemade Healthy Nutella

Belinda

From Food Blog “The Toasted Pine Nut”

Swap your store-bought chocolate hazelnut spread with a healthy, homemade version!
Put it in a crepe or just use a spoon, it’s vegan + refined sugar free!

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3 cups peeled hazelnuts
1/2 cup coconut sugar
splash of good vanilla essence
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/3 cup cocoa powder

Preheat oven to 300F.

Lay your hazelnuts out on a baking sheet and roast for 10 minutes.
Place the peeled and roasted hazelnuts in your food processor along with the coconut sugar, vanilla, sea salt, and cocoa powder.
Turn the food processor on and forget about it for about 3 minutes.
Turn it off, scrape down the sides with a rubber spatula and then turn it on for another 7 – 10 minutes.
Once the mixture is smoooooth and the consistency you like, transfer the chocolate hazelnut mixture to an air-tight container and store in the fridge until you’re ready to eat!

Appetizers · Baking · Holiday Food · Meat · Nuts

Stilton, date and walnut sausage rolls

Belinda

These cook-from-frozen sausage rolls make entertaining a breeze. Love the combination of salty sausage meat and stilton with sweet dates. Give them a go and watch them disappear in seconds.
Recipe c/o Delicious Magazine

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Makes 24
2oz (50g) walnut halves
18 oz (500g) puff pastry, chilled
Plain flour for dusting
1lb (350g-400g) pork sausage meat or 6 good quality free-range pork sausages, skins removed
(5oz)150g stilton cheese, rind removed and crumbled
3.5oz (100g) (about 5) pitted Medjool dates, coarsely chopped
2 tbsp freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
1 medium free-range egg, lightly beaten
Butter for greasing

Heat the oven to 400F/200°C/180°C fan/gas 6.
Spread the walnuts out on a baking tray and toast for 6 minutes. Remove and leave to cool, then coarsely chop.
Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface to a 16″ (40cm) x 11″ (26cm) rectangle, then cut in half lengthways to make two long strips.
Put the pork sausage meat, walnuts, stilton, dates and parsley in a mixing bowl, then mix together with your hands until well combined. Divide the mixture in half and shape each half on a sheet of cling film to make 2 long sausage shapes the same length as your pastry.
Lay one sausage down the centre of each piece of pastry, brush 1 edge of the pastry with a little beaten egg, fold over the pastry and press the edges together to seal. Mark along the edge with the tines of a fork. Cut each strip across to make 12 rolls (see Make Ahead) or chill, spaced slightly apart, on buttered baking sheets, loosely covered with cling film, until ready to bake.
Brush with a little more beaten egg and bake for 15-20 minutes until puffed and golden brown. Serve warm.

Make ahead
Layer the unbaked sausage rolls in lidded freezer-proof boxes, separated with pieces of non-stick baking paper, and freeze for up to 1 month. To cook from frozen, brush with lightly beaten egg and bake on lined baking trays for 25-30 minutes until golden and puffed.

Dairy-free · Do-ahead · Gluten Free · Holiday Food · Nuts · Vegan · Vegetable sides · Whole30 compliant

Butternut “squashed”

Belinda

Fabulous recipe from Jamie Oliver
“This is the easiest method for cooking squash. All the flavor is added at the last minute when you smash it in. Don’t panic if you’re tight for hob or oven space and the squash isn’t piping hot by the time you serve – it’s just as good warm. ”

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2 butternut squash
2oz (50g) pine nuts
a few sprigs of fresh sage
extra virgin olive oil
½ fresh red chili
7oz (200g) vacuum-packed chestnuts
½ tsp ground cinnamon
balsamic vinegar, optional

Preheat the oven to 350F/180C/350F/gas 4.
Wash and dry the whole squash, then place on a baking tray. Pierce once or twice with the tip of a sharp knife, then bake in the oven for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until golden and very soft.
Scatter the pine nuts on a baking tray and toast them in the oven at the same time – they will only need a couple of minutes to turn golden, so make sure you keep an eye on them to prevent them burning.
Add a lug of oil to a frying pan, then pick in the sage leaves and fry until crisp. Remove to piece of kitchen paper to drain, reserving the oil.
Lay the cooked squash on a board, remove the stalks and, using a knife and tongs, carefully slice the squash lengthways, down the middle. Scoop out and discard the seeds.
Finely chop the chili and crumble the chestnuts, then sprinkle over the squash halves with the cinnamon and a good pinch of black pepper. Really mash and chop all the lovely toppings into the squash with your knife, so all the flavors go right through.
Serve the squash halves topped with the crisp sage, the toasted pine nuts, a drizzle of the reserved sage oil and a little balsamic vinegar (if using).