Tomato Mini Nut Loafs

27. November, 2009

These are lovely little loafs/patties which are perfect on your Christmas table if you are a vegetarian. They also look quite festive if you team them with a nice, green salad. The taste is quite mild and in fact perfect for the whole family. The mini nut loafs are packed with protein, healthy fats and antioxidants. Note that if you are vegan or lactose intolerant you can use vegan alternatives to the cheese I use.

You will need a food processor to make this recipe.

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Mild and nice little nut loafs

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This recipe is:

Egg free
Gluten free

This recipe is easy to make:

Lactose (dairy) free
Vegan

Tomato Mini Nut Loafs

Makes 10-12 mini nut loafs

Ingredients

For the Nut Loafs:

150 grams (5 oz) sun dried tomatoes, chopped coarsely
150 grams (5 oz) chick peas, drained (weight measured after draining)
150 grams (5 oz) tofu
150 grams (5 oz) low fat mozzarella or Gouda, grated
15 grams (0.5 oz) parmesan, grated
150 grams (5 oz) nuts such as cashews, Brazil nuts, hazelnuts and almonds, ground finely
10 grams (1/4 oz) sesame seeds (optional)
3 tablespoons organic tomato sauce
2 tablespoons tomato paste (puree)
1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (or tabasco sauce)
Pinch of salt (Himalaya or sea salt) and pepper (black)
Handful fresh herbs such as coriander, basil, thyme, parsley (whatever you like). You can also use dried herbs.

For the Tahini Dressing:

Makes 150 millilitres (5 oz)

4 tablespoons tahini (sesame paste)
100 millilitres (3 1/2 oz) orange juice
2 tablespoons tamari sauce
2 teaspoons tabasco sauce (or hot pepper sauce). Start with a couple of drops and then add more
2 teaspoons rice vinegar (optional)

Preparation

Nut Loafs-Method:

Pat any excess oil off the 150 grams sun dried tomatoes and chop coarsely.
Drain the 150 grams chickpeas.
Pat any excess water off the 150 grams tofu.
Grate the 150 grams low fat cheese and 15 grams parmesan.
First add the 150 grams nuts to the food processor and mix for 10 seconds.
Combine sun dried tomatoes, chick peas, tofu, 150 grams grated cheese, 15 grams parmesan, 10 grams sesame seeds, pinch of salt and pepper and a handful of herbs in the food processor. Mix for 20 seconds.
Add the 3 tablespoons tomato sauce, 2 tablespoons tomato paste and 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix for 20 seconds. Transfer to a medium bowl.
Place baking parchment on a large baking tray.
Mould mini nut loafs with your hands or use a 8 centimetre (3.15 inches) cookie cutter (or something similar) to mould into desired shape.
Bake at 180 degrees Celsius/400 Fahrenheit/Gas Mark 4, for 25-30 minutes.
Serve with a salad, brown rice and a sauce of your choice. I often serve thim with a simple tahini dressing.

Tahini Dressing-Method:

In a small bowl, mix together 4 tablespoons tahini, 100 millilitres orange juice, 2 tablespoons tamari sauce and 2 teaspoons rice vinegar. Stir for a few minutes or until well combined. Add a couple of drops of tabasco sauce or add as much as you prefer.
Serve at room temperature.

Tips

If you prefer, you can roast the nuts (it brings out their flavour). To do this, place the chopped nuts on a baking sheet and toast them in 200 degrees Celsius/400 degrees Fahrenheit/Gas Mark 6 oven for 5 minutes; it's important to use a timer since it is extremely easy to forget the nuts in the oven!
You can use vegan cheese in the recipe if you are vegan or lactose intolerant.
You can omit the nuts if you are allergic. You might want to use mushrooms, celery and other vegetables instead.
You can freeze the mini nut loafs and re-heat later. They are also delicious served cold.
You can use soy sauce instead of the tamari sauce (note: soy sauce contains wheat).