Very Vegetable Nut Loaf

The best things about this vegetable nut loaf is its sheer simplicity and the fact that it can also be ‘messed with’ to create a bunch of other things. I like that. Form into balls and dehydrate for 3 or 4 hours and you’ve got meatballs that are just looking for some veggie noodles and a simple sauce to make a hearty raw meal. Alternately crumble into salads. Or serve on raw bread for a filling sandwich or in lettuce with a sprinkle of other veggies as a lettuce wrap. There are so many possibilities, the mind reels. It’s a playful little loaf, for sure.

You may also substitute one veggie for another.

We’ve harvested such an overabundance of peppers here that I’ve made a loaf thats mushroom, onion and three types of peppers. Two types are chile peppers, both varying in ‘heat’. Sometimes you’ll get a bite that’ll clear your sinuses right out. (Chiles are funny that way: you just never know. It’s always a case of being prepared and having a good water source close by.) I guess you could say that this one is less of a vegetable nut loaf and more of a fruit nut loaf when it boils right down to it. But that sounds too much like a Christmas cake and that’s certainly not what it tastes like at all. In this case I subbed cilantro for the oregano… an instinctive choice and a nod to all that South of the Border chile flavor. It tastes great with guacamole, salsa and a squeeze of lime.

This vegetable loaf is a wonderful thing to have on hand when you want something a little more filling. It’s a great choice for people who are transitioning to a raw diet. Because warm it up in the dehydrator and that smattering of mushrooms will trick into believing this might actually be something more than just nuts and vegetables. Fruit, of course, would never even enter anyboy’s mind!

RAW VEGAN RECIPE: Very Vegetable Nut Loaf

1/2 cup each, raw walnuts and raw almonds, soaked 6-8 hours or overnight

1/2 cup each: chopped carrots, minced potabello mushrooms, chopped celery, minced onion and sun-dried tomatoes, soaked in 1/2 cup water for 30 minutes or more with soaking water

1/4 cup raw pine nuts

2 Tbsp. almond butter

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 Tbsp. each: white miso, Nama Shoyu and fresh oregano

1 teaspoon each: dried thyme and chile powder

First, strain nuts and put in food processor.

Strain sun dried tomatoes, reserving soaking water – just in case.

Put all ingredients in food processor and process to combine, Stop before mixture is completely smooth. Texture should be chunky.

Line a loaf pan with plastic wrap and mold mixture in the pan, Refrigerate overnight.

Using the plastic wrap, lift loaf from pan and place it on the cutting board. Cut it into smaller loaves. Wrap each in plastic individually.

Loaves may be refrigerated or even frozen. To serve, slice each loaf into 3/4 inch servings. I like to heat sliced in dehydrator at 115 degrees Fahrenheit for up to 1 and a half hours before serving.

Serve with ketchup, onion, tomato, avocado, pickles… whatever turns your tastebuds on!

MAKES 1 LARGE LOAF or 3 SMALL LOAVES. Serves 4