Tag: Nuts

Categories
Mains Recipes

Nut Roast

Toasted on the outside and packed to the core with creamy, crunchy nuts, red lentils and softened veg. If you’re looking for a vegetarian mains to grace the centre of your table this winter, this delicious, homemade Nut Roast is hard to beat.

Servings

6 adult servings of 2 generous slices each.

Timings

30 mins to prepare and 50 mins to roast in a fan oven at 160C.

You Will Need:

  • 150g chopped mixed nuts
  • 1 onion
  • 2 celery sticks
  • 1/2 a red pepper
  • 1/2 a yellow pepper
  • 6 – 7 chestnut mushrooms
  • oil
  • 1 clove garlic
  • 75g red lentils
  • a good squelch of tomato ketchup
  • 300ml boiling water
  • 1 tbsp vegemite
  • 75g wholemeal breadcrumbs
  • 75g mature cheddar cheese, grated
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • 2 medium eggs

Method

  1. Switch a fan oven on to 160C. Grease a 1 litre loaf dish and line it with baking paper.
  2. Spread the nuts on a baking tray and place in the oven once its reached its temperature.
  3. While the nuts are roasting, place the onion, celery, pepper and mushrooms in a food processor with blade fitted. Blitz to small pieces.
  4. Heat some oil in a large frying pan and crush in the garlic. Add in the blitzed veg and stir. Leave to gently soften.
  5. Once the nuts have roasted for 10 mins, remove from the oven and roughly chop in a food processor with blade fitted. Scrape into a large bowl and set aside.
  6. Chuck the lentils into the frying pan with the veg. Dissolve the vegemite in the boiling water and pour into the pan with the ketchup. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 15mins. The liquid will reduce as the lentils soften.
  7. Add the breadcrumbs and grated cheddar to the nuts and mix in.
  8. Leave the pan of veg and lentils to cool slightly for 5 mins, then add to the bowl with the nuts, breadcrumbs and cheese. Twist in a little sea salt and black pepper to your taste. Crack in the eggs and mix thoroughly.
  9. Spoon the mixture into the prepared loaf dish and compact it down with the back of a spoon. Cover with foil and place in the oven for 30mins. Then remove the foil and leave it in the oven for another 20 mins.
  10. Remove and set aside for 10 – 15 mins before inverting onto a chopping board. The nut loaf should ease out of the upturned dish, and look something like my main photo at the top of the post.
  11. You can cut slices straight away, but it will become progressively easier to cut clean slices as it cools. Slices can be reheated if necessary by microwaving for 30 – 60 seconds.

Customise It!

Try adding in fresh herbs, or shreds of cavalo nero. Swap some or all of the cheddar for crumbled blue cheese.

Serve it with some green veg and a simple sauce made from a can of chopped tomatoes, garlic and chopped onion. If you’d prefer to save on effort, serving with condiments like ketchup or relish is fine.

Exciting musical news this week is that one of my favourite bands has been announced as headliner at next year’s Victorious Festival. I have already seen Queens of the Stone Age live 4 times and am very keen to make it 5. I’ll be hoping a surprise gift ticket may find its way to me under the Christmas Tree this year! I expect they will play this one: Queens of the Stone Age with Sick, Sick, Sick.

Categories
Bakes Recipes

Monkey Nut Biscuits

Credit for this latest bake goes to my wife, Lesley, who refined the recipe and patiently shelled a bag of roasted monkey nuts in the process.

Monkey nuts are peanuts still in their shell, which means the nuts have no salt or anything else added. Combine them with a good quality peanut butter (the one we used has one ingredient: peanuts), and you get biscuits with a fresh, nutty taste. They have a soft textured centre and a crisp outer. You’ll find these are best enjoyed warm and eaten within a day or so.

Servings

This will give 3 batches of dough, each batch making 12 biscuits. You can freeze the mixture or keep it in the fridge for a week. That way you can have a biscuits snack ready in about 20 mins after thinking about it. 

Timings

10 mins to prepare and another 10 mins to bake in a fan oven at 180C.

You Will Need:

  • 120g butter or margarine
  • 150g crunchy peanut butter
  • 50g shelled peanuts, roughly chopped
  • 85g soft brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 350g self-raising flour

Method

  1. Preheat your oven to 180°c . Prepare a flat baking tray with some greaseproof paper.
  2. In a large bowl, cream the butter, peanut butter and sugar together until completely combined. 
  3. Add the egg and mix in.
  4. Sift in the flour. Add the chopped peanuts and mix to make a dough, use your hands at the end to combine into a ball.
  5. Roll the dough into balls (about 1 tbsp of dough per ball) and place onto your baking sheets. Press each ball with  a fork to create a cross pattern which flattens the dough.
  6. Bake in your pre-heated oven for 8-10 minutes until golden.
  7. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, they slide off the baking paper beautifully.

Here’s a great track from The Specials that is right on theme: Monkey Man.

Categories
Bakes Recipes

Banana, Walnut & Dark Choc Muffins

This week I’ve tried changing up a banana muffin recipe a little by introducing some different tastes.

I replaced about a fifth of the flour with oats, and used nearly half and half plain and wholemeal flour for the rest. I toasted some walnuts and then chopped them in the food pro, adding the pieces in with broken up shards of 70% dark chocolate. The final twist was to reduce the sugar by about a quarter, so that all those added ingredients can actually be tasted in the final muffin, rather than being drowned out by sweetness.

I’m pleased with the results and will bake these again. Apart from making for an interesting blend of flavours, the changes also mean less reliance on refined carbs and a higher score on protein, fibre and omega 3.

So you can genuinely feel good about yourself while scoffing these muffins 🙂

Servings

Makes 12 muffins.

Timings

About 10 mins to prepare, and 20 mins in the oven at 160C.

You Will Need:

  • 120g plain flour
  • 100g wholemeal flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp bicarb of soda
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 60g walnuts, toasted and then chopped
  • 40g 70% dark choc, broken into pieces
  • 2 well ripened bananas
  • 90g caster sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 60g oats
  • 90ml semi-skimmed milk
  • 90ml veg oil

Method

  1. Turn on the oven to warm up to 160C. Prepare a muffin tin or mould,
  2. Sieve the flours, baking powder, bicarb and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the nuts and chocolate.
  3. In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and add in the egg, followed by the sugar, milk and oil. Stir in the oats and leave to soak for a few mins.
  4. When the oven is up to temp, pour the wet mix of ingredients into the dry, and stir so that there are no dry ingredients showing. Spoon into the tin or mould and bake for 20 mins or until browned to your desired level.
  5. Remove from the oven and, after 5 – 10 mins, remove the muffins to a wire rack to cool (as shown in my photo at the top of the post).

Customise It!

I chose walnuts as they work well with banana, but you could just as easily use almonds, hazelnuts or pecans if you wish. Whatever nut you choose, toasting it for 5 mins in the oven helps bring out its natural taste.

This week I’ve been listening to 90’s band, Mansun who hail from Chester. This is a great track, so I’m adding it to the ADK Playlist: Wide Open Space. Enjoy (with your muffin).

Categories
Mains Recipes

Brazil Nut Roast

Nut roast is one of my favourite dishes this time of year. I love the taste and the texture, with the contrast between the crunch of the nuts, the crispy toasted shell, and the soft, richness of the roast veg incorporated in the mix.

I didn’t make one over the recent holiday period though – traditional roast turkey and ham took centre stage on the ADK Christmas dinner table. I’ve been keen to make one, therefore, to start the New Year.

I was reading an article about the various health benefits of brazil nuts, and then discovered a special offer in Lidl for packs of them at a very reasonable price. Gradually, the idea for this dish began to form. I found a BBC Good Food recipe as a starting point and developed it from there. Don’t you just love it when a plan comes together?

It’s important to think about the blend of colours you want in the mix, to make it visually interesting and get the tastebuds tingling. You can see from my photos that I’ve included shreds of cavalo nero, fresh herbs and grated carrot – all seasonal and locally grown, by the way. Their green and orange stands out amongst the creamy chopped brazils, and the golden wholemeal breadcrumbs. In some places you will also spot a rich brown which comes from a secret ingredient – the Vegemite I brought back from my trip to Australia this time last year!

In a moment I’ll deal with some options to mix up the ingredients and customise it to your liking. Firstly though, here’s how I made it.

Servings

This will make about 12 generous slices, like the ones in my photo above i.e. 6 adult portions of 2 slices each.

Timings

30 mins to prepare, 30 mins to roast at 180C.

You Will Need

  • a 1.5l loaf dish
  • 1 onion
  • 1 red pepper
  • 200g chestnut mushrooms
  • 1 tbsp olive or rapeseed oil
  • 1 carrot
  • a handful of fresh herbs e.g. thyme, sage, rosemary
  • 100g red lentils
  • 300ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tbsp vegemite (or other yeast extract)
  • 5 – 6 leaves of cavalo nero
  • 100g wholemeal breadcrumbs
  • 150g brazil nuts
  • 2 eggs
  • sea salt and black pepper
  • 400g tin chopped tomatoes
  • a handful of basil leaves

Method

  1. Grease and line the loaf dish. I find that using baking paper for this really helps with removing the cooked nut roast from the dish, at the end.
  2. Finely chop the onion, red pepper and mushrooms. I find that doing this in a food processor, with blade fitted, gets the veg to the right size pieces to meld together in a nut roast.
  3. Put the oil in a wok on the hob. When the oil is hot, crush in the garlic clove, followed by the finely chopped onions, pepper and mushrooms. Let it sweat for a few minutes, stirring from time to time (leave the food processor bowl and blade to one side, with no need to wash it out – you will be using it again in a moment).
  4. Grate in the carrot and tear in the herbs.
  5. Pour in the stock and tip in the lentils. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 15 mins so that the lentils soften and the mix thickens. Dip in the spoon of vegemite, so that it slips off the spoon into the hot liquid and dissolves into the mix.
  6. For the last few mins of simmering, add in the cavalo nero, cut into fine shreds.
  7. After 15 mins, switch off and transfer the mix to a plate. Set aside to cool for 10 mins.
  8. Switch the oven on at 180C. Spread the brazil nuts on a tray and place them in the oven to toast while it’s heating up.
  9. Put the slices of wholemeal bread into the food processor, still with blade fitted, and blitz to breadcrumbs. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
  10. After 5 mins, remove the nuts from the oven and blitz to small pieces in the food processor. Don’t obliterate them to a powder, however – you want to retain an element of crunch!
  11. Add the nuts to the breadcrumbs. Then add in the slightly cooled veg and lentil mix. Finally, crack in the eggs. Give it all a really good stir so that it is fully combined. Give it a good seasoning with a grinding of sea salt and black pepper.
  12. Spoon the mix into the loaf dish and level the top by pressing down with the back of a spoon. Place in the oven for 30 mins.
  13. Remove and leave to cool for 5 mins, then invert it on to a chopping board to cool completely. It should look like my photo at the top of the post. When cool, it can be sliced with a bread knife, as shown in my other photo.
  14. Serve with a very simple tomato sauce, made by heating the chopped tomatoes in a saucepan, with the basil leaves torn in, until the tomatoes reduce and thicken. Grind in a few twists of black pepper.

Customise It!

Feel free to swap in other veg that is in season and/or that you have to hand. A couple of celery sticks chopped will go well, for example. You can add a combination of mixed nuts, instead of the brazils, if you wish. I’m a big fan of Vegemite, and think it adds a lot to the taste of a nut roast. I recognise, however, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, so leave it out if you wish. A few shakes of Worcester Sauce would not go amiss in its place.

According to my Spotify Unwrapped for 2023, one of my most played bands in the last year has been Leftfield. I was not terribly surprised about that, as their This Is What We Do album, that came out in late 2022, has been played a lot in the ADK Kitchen. I’ve already featured a couple of tracks from it in other posts, and here is another. This is Leftfield with Pulse.

Categories
Recipes Snacks

Fruit and Nut Booster Balls

Ever find yourself tempted to snack between meals, and picking up a packet of biscuits or something else sweet-loaded to give you a quick sugar rush? Mmm, yes – me too. Try these energy booster balls as a healthier, tastier and ultimately more satisfying alternative.

The recipe is based on one originating from Sainsbury’s Magazine and (as with most things on the ADK blog) has been developed and customised through trial, experience and error.

Servings

This should make around 12 energy balls.

Timings

15 mins to make. They can then be eaten straight away but will taste better eaten cold from the fridge.

You Will Need

  • 100g mix of cashews and pistachio nuts
  • 150g mix of pitted dates and dried apricots
  • a sprinkling of cacao nibs
  • a few drops of orange essence
  • 4 tablespoons of desiccated coconut

Method

  1. Finely chop the nuts and the dried fruit. This is better done by hand rather than the food processor, as bitter experience shows the dried fruit makes a real mess of the blade!
  2. Put the chopped nuts and fruit in a bowl and add the cacao nibs and orange essence. Mix it all together into a sticky paste.
  3. Pull off a tea spoon sized piece of the mix and roll between your palms into a ball. Roll it then on a plate on which you’ve sprinkled the desiccated coconut, till it’s covered all over, then set aside. Repeat until all the mixture has been used, and you have around a dozen energy balls.
  4. Place in a sealed container and store in the fridge. Eat within 3 – 4 days.

Customise it!

You can try mixing in other types of nuts or dried fruits. Seeds also go well – the smaller the better so maybe sunflower or chia seeds. Omit the cacao nibs if you wish, and switch the orange essence for another flavour. Rolling in coconut isn’t compulsory, though it adds presentationally and stops the ball sticking to your fingers! Try covering half in coconut and half without. Cocoa powder is another option for a coating, and (with imagination) can help give the illusion that you are eating a truffle.

Categories
Breakfast Recipes

Blueberry and Apricot Muesli

This breakfast dish looks and tastes great – the bright blue and orange combination making for a lively, satisfying and healthy start to your day.

Servings

Makes one bowl for immediate consumption!

Timings

5 mins to prepare

You Will Need

  • 4 – 5 dessert spoonfuls of rolled oats
  • 1 dessert spoonful of pumpkin seeds
  • 1 dessert spoonful of sunflower seeds
  • 1 dessert spoonful of mixed dried fruit
  • a handful of fresh blueberries
  • 1 fresh apricot, chopped
  • a few dessert spoonfuls of natural yoghurt
  • 1 dessert spoonful of chopped nuts

Method

  1. Combine all the ingredients, other than the yoghurt and nuts, in a breakfast bowl. Reserve 2 – 3 blueberries and apricot pieces.
  2. Top with the yoghurt, sprinkle over the chopped nuts, and add the reserved blueberries and apricot to garnish. Enjoy.

Customise It!

Keep to the core ingredients of oats, seeds, fruit and nuts, otherwise swap in whatever is fresh and seasonal or whatever you have to hand. Raspberries or strawberries work well, and later in the summer I will be using freshly picked blackberries. Add milk in place of yoghurt, and add a swirl of honey if that’s your thing.

Categories
Recipes Sides

Crunchy Fruit and Nut Pilaff

Subtly spiced with cinnamon, gently coloured with saffron, and packed with fruit, nuts and seeds, this summer pilaff will bring a crunch and a zing to your outdoor eating. Serve it as a side to barbecued food, quiche or as part of a picnic.

Servings

Up to six people as a side dish

Timings

Preparation 10 mins, cooking time 10 mins, final touches 5 mins

You will need:

  • a tablespoon of oil
  • 175g basmati rice
  • a few threads of saffron
  • a few grains of sea salt
  • one cinnamon stick
  • 300 ml vegetable or chicken stock
  • a handful of cashew nuts
  • a handful of pumpkin seeds, toasted
  • a small pack of pomegranate seeds
  • a handful of chopped flat parsley, or other fresh garden herbs

Method

  1. Heat the oil in a saucepan for a few moments, then chuck in the cinnamon stick. Give it a good shake so that it is gently coated in the oil and is giving off a sizzle.
  2. Pound the saffron and salt in a pestle and mortar till it forms a bright yellowy powder. Add it to the cinnamon with the rice. Pour in the stock and bring it to the boil. Reduce to a simmer and leave the lid on. It should take about 10 – 12 minutes for the rice to absorb the stock.
  3. While the rice is cooking, fetch the other ingredients. The only one that requires any preparation is the pumplin seeds – spread these out on a baking tray and toast them in the oven at 180c for about 5 mins max. This will give them an extra degree of crunch, but do keep your eye on them as they will burn if left too long!
  4. Turn off the heat under the rice and let it cool in the pan. Then fluff it up with a fork and add the seeds, cashews, pomegranate seeds and herbs. Transfer to a serving dish, cover and refrigerate till it’s time to serve.

Customise it!

Go freestyle and play around with the ingredients, while keeping within the fruit, nut and crunch theme. A teaspoon of turmeric can be used in place of the saffron if you wish – it will produce the same vivid colour. Substitute other unsalted nuts for the cashews if you prefer or have them to hand. Add sunflower or other seeds if you wish. The first time I made this I used chopped fresh apricots as they were in season and fairly cheap in the shops, along with dried cranberries, before replacing both with the pomegra,nate seeds, which give it a glisten, great colour and have their own special crunch. Chopped spring onions are another useful addition. Squeeze half a lemon over it just before serving, or add a favourite dressing if you wish. Let your creativity flow! Feel free to post a note below as I would love to hear of any other variations you try.