Ditch the Turkey and celebrate the season in true style with our all plant-based, Agni-supportive, dosha balancing nut roast! We got everything you need to create your very own recipe.
Plant-powered party time
We finally made it to December! And this year is almost over! I call that a cause for celebration :) With Christmas less than 2 days away, preparations for our festive feast are well under way and, although the table will only be set for 3 this year, we are super excited to be donning our best aprons and cooking up a storm that will delight the senses and soften even the most sombre scrooge. In an ode to the unsavoury origins of 2020's petulant virus we have decided that this year our Yule dinner will be entirely meat free! That's right, it's out with the turkey and in with the tofu, sayonara to the sausage and salut to seeds, bye bye to the bacon and bonjour to the brazils! In fact, barring dessert the entire meal will be 100 % plant based and our main event will be a, crunchy, crumbly, 6 taste-packed, popping party piece - Nut roast ala AyurLife!
Tis the season to get nutty
But why nut roast? Well - normally - with winter being a kapha-increasing season, we'd go for something a bit lighter like tofu meatloaf, but this year, with so much madness, misery and mind-melting melancholy stunting our festive cheer, we thought nuts - nature's favourite brain boosters - needed to play a STARRING ROLE this year! Nuts, being a perfect combo of fats, fibre and protein are naturally high in both mono and poly-unsaturated fats (including both omega 3 and 6) which are vital for healthy brain function, the perfect pick me up to Tier 4 blues. Also, each ingredient nut boasts its very own benefits helping make your choice of nut roast champ a little easier:
Almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, if you've been battling lockdown dryness and want to embrace ensuring smooth radiant skin this Christmas this might be the nut for you.
Brazils, boasting a satisfying score of selenium help boost to your immune system, perfect if you're worried about bumping into any super spreaders at Sainsburys!
The lovable cashew (the star of any good vegan cheese), being high in zinc and iron, has been found to boost memory and recall. If lockdown stress is making your memory drop off faster than your germ-anxious delivery driver than we highly recommend this one!
The pudding-perfect pecan, being rich in antioxidants, helps reduce the risk of festive fatigue and prevents the formation of cholesterol plaques in the arteries.
Now even the best 3 bird roast can't boast those benefits!
Pimp your own Nut Roast - Choose your ingredients
When we think of making something like a nut roast, its so easy to anxiously and desperately cling to the idea of working with a tried and tested recipe! But where's the fun in that? Also when you learn about the ingredients and hand-select them for yours and your families dosha you are orchestrating the perfect, delicious and harmonious meal. So set aside the cook books, have a read up of the ingredients and be bold and create something new! We've given you a template to get started which will include 1 or 2 types of nuts, 1 carbohydrate/grain, 1-3 vegetables, optional dried fruit and - most importantly as these are your key players for flavour balance and maximum digestibility of the nuts and grains - your delicious herbs and spices! When creating your perfect nut roast you will be looking to make something which is suited to your own constitution . In this article, we have broken down each suggestion, not only by ingredient but also by constitutional types (you can work yours our here) so you can really start to build the perfect roast for you - let the feast begin!
Choose your protein (30-50g per person)
Proteins for vata - sweet and oily
All nuts - almonds, brazil nuts, cashew nuts, coconut, hazel nuts, pine nuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, walnuts.
Proteins for Pitta - sweet and astringent
Almonds (soaked and peeled), coconut, flax seed, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds. Pea protein and hemp protein. Also you can add chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans or tofu.
Proteins for Kapha - light and astringent
A small portion of Almonds with flaxseed, chia, pumpkin seeds, and sunflower seeds. Soy and pea protein. You can also add any type of beans or tofu.
Choose your grain/grain-like seed (30 - 50g per person)
Vata types in Autumn - Sweet and grounding
Grains
Rice, Bulgur wheat, Couscous, Semolina Spelt, Wheat
Grain-like seeds for Vata
Chia, Quinoa and Buckwheat
Pitta types in Autumn - sweet and dry
Grains
Barley, Couscous, Rice, Semolina, Tapioca, Wheat, Wheat bran
Grain-like seeds
Amaranth, Quinoa and Chia
Kapha types in Autumn - Hot, slightly drier
Grains
Rye bread, Barley, Buckwheat, Corn, Millet, Brown Rice, Tapioca, Wheat bran
Grain-like seeds for Kapha
Quinoa, Amaranth and Buckwheat
Dried fruits
Although Ayurvedic food combining rules say that uncooked or raw fruit should not be added to other foods, when cooked together, the qualities of the foods themselves change and become more compatible and digestible. This is specifically true for dried fruits (which are suitable for your dosha) which are cooked with the roast. Agni must always be considered though, and if digestion is weak, it is best to leave out the fruit.
Dried fruits for Vata
Dates, raisins, currants, apples, and ripe bananas
Dried fruits for Pitta
Apples, dates, raisins, mango and figs
Dried fruits for Kapha
Apples, apricots, cranberries, and raisins
Choose your Agni-boosting and warming spices - 1/4-1/2 tsp per person
Herbs and spices for Vata types in Autumn
Ajwain, allspice, anise, asafoetida (hing), basil, black pepper, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, marjoram, mint, mustard seeds, nutmeg, orange peel, oregano, paprika, parsley, peppermint, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, salt, spearmint, tarragon, thyme, turmeric.
Herbs and spices for pitta - not too hot
Basil (fresh), caraway, cardamom, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, dill, fennel, ginger (fresh), mint, parsley, saffron, spearmint, tarragon, turmeric, vanilla.
Herbs and spices for vata for kapha - slightly spicier and hot
Ajwain, allspice, anise, asafoetida (hing), bay leaf, black pepper, caraway, cardamom, cumin, coriander, dill, fennel, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, mace, marjoram, mint, mustard seeds, nutmeg, orange peel, oregano, paprika, parsley, peppermint, poppy seeds, rosemary, saffron, salt, spearmint, tarragon, thyme, turmeric, .
Choose your colourful, seasonal vegetables!
Vegetables for Vata types in Autumn
Cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, courgette, fennel, green beans, leafy greens, leeks, okra, onions, pumpkin, peas (cooked), sweet potato, spinach, squash.
Fruits and Vegetables for Pitta types in Autumn
Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, celeriac, coriander leaves, fennel, green beans, kale, leafy greens, leeks, lettuce, mushrooms, okra, olives (black), peas, potatoes (sweet), pumpkin, radishes, sprouts, watercress.
Fruits and Vegetables for Kapha types in Autumn
Broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, celeriac, corn, fennel, green beans, green chillies, horseradish Jerusalem artichoke, kale, leafy greens, leeks, mustard greens, onions, peas, peppers, potato (white), radish, spinach, swedes, squash, tomatoes , turnip greens, turnips.
Fragrant, Fruity, Festive Almond Nut Roast
(Almond, Cranberry, Orange, Squash, Rosemary and Rye Nut Roast)
Instructions (and advice on how to make our roast above)
Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees C
Pre-cook your chosen grain as per their instructions and leave to cook (we used rye bread for a kapha balancing roast with crunch! 1/2 a slice per person)
Soak, blanche and peel your chosen nuts and seeds where needed then toast until golden brown in a dry frying pan (we used blanched and peeled almonds)
Put the nuts into a blender and pulse until they become a mixture of flour and chunky nut bits
Pre-cook your chosen vegetables and leave to cool (we used butternut squash)
Chop and fresh herbs and spices (we used fresh garlic and fresh rosemary and parsley)
Put the cooled grains, vegetables, nuts, seeds, herbs and spices into a bowl and add you chosen fruit (we used dried orange peel and dried cranberry's)
Mix together thoroughly
Finally add a little milk and flour of your choice (50ml per person of milk/water and 20g flour per person) and mix thoroughly again (we used soy milk and chick pea flour)
Put the mixture into a greased loaf tin or casserole dish and cook for 30-40 minutes or until the top is golden brown
Serve with a rainbow seasonal vegetables, potatoes and delicious gravy made from your vegetable water!
Why is our recipe so darn good? Because an Ayurvedic meal like this feels truly satisfying as it contains all 6 tastes- sweet grains and nuts, sour fruits, salt, pungent spices and bitter and astringent herbs!
Wishing you a very merry, nutty Christmas!
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EATING Ayurveda: 🎃Need inspiration on what to cook in Winter? Check out our Autumn Recipes here
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