Christmas Nut Loaf

Description
This nut loaf can be served hot or cold with a Spicy Cranberry Sauce for a vegetarian Christmas.

Ingredients

 * 2 cups of nuts - any variety - try a mixture of walnuts, macadamias, and cashews
 * 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
 * 3 cups of fresh breadcrumbs (see instructions below)
 * 2 tablespoons butter
 * 5 eggs
 * Vegetables
 * 5 carrots (or 3 cups when chopped)
 * 2 onions
 * 2 cups of mushrooms - any variety - try a mixture of different types such as portobello and shitake
 * 1/2 capsicum (green pepper)
 * one bunch of celery (or 1 1/2 cups when chopped)
 * Herbs and seasoning
 * 1/2 teaspoon salt
 * 1 tablespoon fresh sage, chopped
 * 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, chopped
 * 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
 * 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
 * 1/2 teaspoon pepper
 * 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation
A food processor is strongly recommended as a lot of chopping is involved!


 * Chop the mushrooms and celery.
 * Finely chop the onion and green pepper.
 * Chop most of the nuts finely, but leave 1/4 roughly chopped for texture.
 * Peel and grate the carrots.
 * Beat the eggs.

You can create the breadcrumbs by adding torn up slices of wholemeal bread to the food processor. Either use slightly stale bread or dry the bread out a little in a low temperature oven.

Grease 2 loaf tins and line them with baking paper.

Cooking directions

 * 1) Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
 * 2) Sauté onions and mushrooms in butter for 5 minutes. Season with basil, oregano, salt & pepper.
 * 3) In a very large bowl, add the mushroom mixture to the nuts and vegetables (green pepper, nuts, seeds, carrots, celery).
 * 4) Stir to cool it down, and then add the beaten eggs.
 * 5) Stir in 3 cups of bread crumbs.
 * 6) Fill the prepared loaf tins with the mixture.
 * 7) Bake at 180°C (350°F) for at least 50 minutes. Check the bottom of the loaf. If it is still liquidy, return to the oven. It may take 90 minutes to complete cooking.

Freezing
Can be prepared in advance and frozen. Defrost for 24 hours in the refrigerator. Reheat or eat cold.