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Holiday Recipe: Nut Loaf Wrapped In Pastry
Nut, Grain & Veggie Mixture Baked In Pastry Shell, Lacto-Veg or Vegan
This holiday nut loaf recipe was contributed by renowned Fairfield IA cook, Olivia Sinton. It's lacto vegetarian, with vegan options. We made it vegan, and it worked well. We also made 1/3 the recipe for a single loaf, with 4 generous servings.
This nut loaf is a more elaborate recipe than usual for us, but well worth making for a vegetarian or vegan Thanksgiving or Christmas instead of turkey. It's delicious served with Cashew Gravy, Cranberry Orange Sauce, and baked butternut squash.
10 - 12 Servings: This nut loaf recipe makes 3 loaves, enough for 10-12 people. Once assembled, it bakes in 40 - 50 minutes. Prepare pastry dough first and chill it in the refrigerator while you prepare the filling.
Time Saver Tip: Make the filling and pastry the day before and store well-wrapped in the fridge (divide pastry into 3 parts). Take out the pastry and filling to warm up about an hour or two before assembling.
Printable Recipe: Click the printer icon on your browser - you'll get just the recipe
Pastry Ingredients For Three Loaves:
- 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour
- 2 cups unbleached white flour
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) butter, room temperature
- 4 Tbsp water
- Vegan Option: Use our vegan pie crust recipe and TRIPLE THE RECIPE
Pastry Directions:
- Cream butter or veggie spread with water and 2/3 of flour
- Add remaining flour to form a firm dough
- Knead until smooth and silky
- Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap (a plastic produce bag will do) and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour
- When the filling is ready, divide dough into 3 portions and roll out into rectangles
Nut Loaf Filling Ingredients:
- 3 cups roasted nuts finely ground - blanched almonds, hazelnuts or a mixture of the two. Use a small food processor, or blender to grind the nuts. A coffee or spice grinder will work, in small batches
- 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
- 1/2 cup dry bulgur
- 1/4 cup quinoa
- 1/4 cup amaranth
- 2 cups water
- 1 cup grated carrot
- 1 cup celery, finely chopped
- 1 tsp dried thyme leaf
- 1 tsp dried basil leaf
- 1 tsp dried oregano leaf
- 2 Tbsp olive oil or ghee
- 8 oz. cream cheese OR 8 oz silken tofu + 1 Tbsp lemon juice OR 8 oz vegan sour cream
- 1 cup vegetable soup stock OR 1 cup water + 1 veggie bouillon cube
- 1 tsp salt or to taste
- 1 tsp fresh gr pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos or Tamari Soy Sauce
- Optional: 2 - 4 cloves fresh minced garlic. Olivia doesn't use garlic, but add if you like
Filling Directions:
- Roast nuts on a shallow roasting pan at 300 degrees for 15 minutes.
- Use a small food processor, or blender to grind the nuts. A coffee or spice grinder will work, in small batches
- Add bulgur, quinoa and amaranth to water in a 1 - 2 qt saucepan. Bring to boil, cover & simmer 15 minutes.
- Combine cooked grains with nuts and bread crumbs in a large bowl. Mix well.
- Heat the oil in a frying pan on medium low
- If you're using garlic, add and sauté for 5 minutes
- Add the veggies and sauté 5 minutes or until softened
- Combine with grains, nuts, veggie stock, and other seasonings
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees
- Roll out the chilled dough into three 10 x 13 inch rectangles
- Place 1/3 of filling in center of each pastry rectangle, leaving 2 - 3 inches of dough all round
- Fold pastry around filling, wet the edges, press together and fold over to seal
- Place loaves on a baking sheet, seam side down, and make shallow slits on the top
- Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes, then 375 degrees until golden - another 30-45 minutes