It’s important to have at least one good nut roast recipe in your repertoire. It’s something that’s very good for making a good dish out of odds and ends that are in your house, and done well, it’s not only filling and nutritious, but a tasty treat too. Done badly, everyone knows the results can be unfortunate… Making this the perfect way to show off your skills!

You will need

• 1 cup walnuts
• ½ cup almonds
• ¼ cup whole mixed seeds (chia, pumpkin, & poppy are great)
• ¼ cup ground flax (also called flax meal)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 4 oz dried apricots, chopped
• 3 oz mushrooms, chopped
• 1 oz dried goji berries
• ½ bulb garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp fresh sage, chopped
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tsp dried rosemary
• 2 tsp dried thyme
• 2 tsp black pepper, coarse ground
• 1 tsp yeast extract (even if you don’t like it; trust us; it will work) dissolved in ¼ cup hot water
• ½ tsp MSG or 1 tsp low-sodium salt
• Extra virgin olive oil

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Preheat the oven to 350℉ / 180℃, and line a 2 lb loaf tin with baking paper.

2) Heat some oil in a skillet over a moderate heat, and fry the onion for a few minutes until translucent. Add the garlic, carrot, and mushrooms, cooking for another 5 minutes, stirring well. Set aside to cool a little once done.

3) Process the nuts in a food processor, pulsing until they are well-chopped but not so much that they turn into flour.

4) Combine the nuts, vegetables, and all the other ingredients in a big bowl, and mix thoroughly. If it doesn’t have enough structural integrity to be thick and sticky and somewhat standing up by itself if you shape it, add more ground flax. If it is too dry, add a little water but be sparing.

5) Spoon the mixture into the loaf tin, press down well (or else it will break upon removal), cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil, and bake for a further 15 minutes, until firm and golden. When done, allow it to rest in the tin for a further 15 minutes, before turning it out.

6) Serve, as part of a roast dinner (roast potatoes, vegetables, gravy, etc).

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Why You Should Diversify Your Nuts!
• Chia Seeds vs Pumpkin Seeds – Which is Healthier?
• Apricots vs Peaches – Which is Healthier?
• Goji Berries: Which Benefits Do They Really Have?
• Ergothioneine: “The Longevity Vitamin” (That’s Not A Vitamin)

Take care!

So-called for its gut-healthy ingredients, and its flavor profile being from the Maghreb (“Sunset”) region, the western half of the N. African coast.

You will need

• 1 can chickpeas (do not drain)
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable stock
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 carrot, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp sauerkraut, drained and chopped (yes, it is already chopped, but we want it chopped smaller so it can disperse evenly in the soup)
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tbsp harissa paste (adjust per your heat preference)
• 1 tbsp ras el-hanout
• ¼ bulb garlic, crushed
• Juice of ½ lemon
• ¼ tsp MSG or ½ tsp low-sodium salt
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Optional: herb garnish; we recommend cilantro or flat-leaf parsley

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Heat a little oil in a sauté pan or similar (something suitable for combination cooking, as we’ll be frying first and then adding liquids), and fry the onion and carrot until the onion is soft and translucent; about 5 minutes.

2) Stir in the garlic, tomato paste, harissa paste, and ras el-hanout, and fry for a further 1 minute.

3) Add the remaining ingredients* except the lemon juice. Bring to the boil and then simmer for 5 minutes.

*So yes, this includes adding the “chickpea water” also called “aquafaba”; it adds flavor and also gut-healthy fiber in the form of oligosaccharides and resistant starches, which your gut microbiota can use to make short-chain fatty acids, which improve immune function and benefit the health in more ways than we can reasonably mention as a by-the-way in a recipe.

4) Stir in the lemon juice, and serve, adding a herb garnish if you wish.

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Our Top 5 Spices: How Much Is Enough For Benefits? ← today’s recipe scored 5/5 of these, plus quite a few more! Remember that ras el-hanout is a spice blend, so if you’re thinking “wait, where’s the…?” then it’s in the ras el-hanout 😉
• Making Friends With Your Gut (You Can Thank Us Later)
• Lycopene’s Benefits For The Gut, Heart, Brain, & More ← not to be underestimated!

Take care!

When it comes to “eating the rainbow”, in principle green should be the easiest color to get in, unless we live in a serious food desert (or serious food poverty). In practice, however, a lot of meals could do with a dash more green. This “supergreen superfood salad slaw” is remarkably versatile, and can be enjoyed as a very worthy accompaniment to almost any main.

You will need

For the bits:

• ½ small green cabbage, finely diced
• 7 oz tenderstem broccoli, finely chopped
• 2 stalks celery, finely chopped (if allergic, simply omit)
• ½ cucumber, diced into small cubes
• 2 oz kale, finely shredded
• 4 green (spring) onions, thinly sliced

For the dressing:

• 1 cup cashews (if allergic, substitute 1 cup roasted chickpeas)
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 oz baby spinach
• 1 oz basil leaves
• 1 oz chives
• ¼ bulb garlic
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 tbsp chia seeds
• Juice of two limes

Method

(we suggest you read everything at least once before doing anything)

1) Combine the ingredients from the “bits” category in a bowl large enough to accommodate them comfortably

2) Blend the ingredients from the “dressing” category in a blender until very smooth (the crux here is you do not want any stringy bits of spinach remaining)

3) Pour the dressing onto the bits, and mix well to combine. Refrigerate, ideally covered, until ready to serve.

Enjoy!

Want to learn more?

For those interested in some of the science of what we have going on today:

• Level-Up Your Fiber Intake! (Without Difficulty Or Discomfort)
• Spinach vs Kale – Which is Healthier?
• Brain Food? The Eyes Have It!

Take care!