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Mushroom-Walnut Spread

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Totally retro, we’re taking you on a trip back in time with this tasty spread. You don’t need to serve it from a hostess trolley with Demis Roussos records playing in the background, but we won’t judge you if you do.

Ingredients

1 leek, sliced
1 small red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
300g button mushrooms, chopped
20g dried shiitake mushrooms, reconstituted; save the soaking water
Pinch nutmeg
Pinch ground cloves
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp thyme
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp chopped, fresh parsley
1 tbsp yellow miso
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted

Method

1. Heat a nonstick pan over a medium low heat. Add the leeks and red onion, and sauté until just starting to colour.
2. Add both kinds of mushrooms and the soaking water, nutmeg, cloves, paprika, thyme, salt and pepper, and cook until the mushrooms are soft and the liquid has evaporated.
3. Transfer to a blender or food processor with the rest of the ingredients and process until smooth, stopping occasionally to scrape down the sides.
4. Transfer to a ramekin and refrigerate for a couple of hours or until set.

Sweet and Crunchy Speedy Walnut Salad

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Who says salads have to be boring? With lots of interesting, complementary textures, plenty of sweetness, and a hint of acidity to balance it all out, this one is most certainly not. This recipe serves four, and is perfect for those who insist that they can’t cook.

Ingredients

1/2 cup plain all-plant yoghurt
3 tbsp parsley, chopped
Zest and juice 1 small lemon
1 tsp maple syrup
2 apples, cored and chopped
4 stalks celery, diced
24 seedless grapes (any colour or a mix), halved
1/4 cup golden raisins
20 walnut halves, toasted and chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Method

1. In a small bowl, mix the yoghurt, parsley, lemon zest, and maple syrup. Season to taste.
2. In a large bowl, toss the apples in the lemon juice. Add all other ingredients apart from the walnuts, and toss.
3. Mix the dressing through the salad. Top with walnuts and serve.

Curry-spiced red lentils and oats with spinach, raisins, and walnuts

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Spicy, savoury, with a touch of sweetness, this is a great way to add greens to your breakfast.

Ingredients

For the lentils and oats
1 1/3 cup water
1 ‘sprig’ dried kombu (about 1″)
1/4 cup red lentils
1/4 cup rolled, large flake oats
2T scallions, minced (reserve 2″ – 3″ green for garnish)
1/2T curry powder
1/4t dried, ground turmeric (or to taste — I add 1/2t)
Coarse sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the spinach
1T water
1 cup packed spinach, minced
1/4t coarse sea salt
1T nutritional yeast
Coarse sea salt to taste

For the garnish
1T chopped walnuts
2T raisins (thompson or sultana are equally good)
3-4 grape tomatoes, quartered
Scallion green sliced on a angle (as noted above)

Optional: Switch out the oats for amaranth for something more nutrient dense (reduce the water to 1 cup if you do, and add the amaranth about 10 minutes in). You can save yourself time (and a pan) by adding the spinach and raisins to the oats for the last 5 minutes, but your presentation won’t be as nice. You can also add some flavour by toasting the oats and curry spices in the frying pan before adding them. Replace the walnuts with a tablespoon cashew butter (added to the oats at the end) for a creamier texture.

Method

Bring the water to a boil in a small pan with a lid. Add the red lentils and kombu. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the oats, cover and simmer for another 5 minutes. Remove the kombu. Add the scallion, curry powder and turmeric. Stir to combine. Simmer another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand to cool.