This is my go to Christmas dinner these days instead of the traditional turkey and ham staple. Even back when I was eating meat morning, noon and night, I would still find this one very filling and wholesome.

I found this one in Gaz Oakleys Vegan 100 superb cook book.

I have modified it slightly so it’s not 100% vegan as I have added eggs. I just found the eggs bind the mixture better so am using them instead. For vegan, just use flax eggs.

Here’s how you smash it together in no time at all.

Shopping

• 1 red onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 1 red pepper, chopped
• 200g butternut squash, diced
• 75g chestnut mushroom, chopped
• 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
• 0.5 tsp cayenne pepper
• 0.25 tsp ground cinnamon
• handful of fresh rosemary
• handful of fresh sage
• salt + pepper
• zest of 1 lemon
• 75g mixed nuts
• 50g breadcrumbs
• 50g dried cranberries, chopped
• 50g dried apricots, chopped
• 50g sun dried tomatoes
• 3 eggs

Method

1. Heat oven to 180 degrees
2. Heat some olive oil or water in a large saucepan over a medium heat
3. Add the onions, garlic, pepper, squash and mushrooms and fry for 3m
4. Add the spices, herbs, zest, salt and pepper
5. Simmer on a lower heat for about 10m
6. While the veg are cooking off here, blitz your nuts to a breadcrumb like texture in a food processor
7. Add the blitzed nuts to a large mixing bowl and add in the breadcrumbs, cranberries, apricots and sun dried tomatoes
8. Mix them all together well
9. Once the veg are done, add them to the mixing bowl too
10. Crack the eggs into the bowl and gently fold the mixture together
11. Grab a 2lb loaf tin, line it with baking paper and pour the mixture in to line the tin, pressing down gently to remove any air pockets in the mixture
12. I always do a line of pecan nuts down the centre of the mixture, it looks cool when its cooked
13. Bake in the over for 40m, leave to rest for a bit before slicing to serve

Yours in health and happiness,

JP