With the cost of food skyrocketing, I thought it may be a good opportunity to share some of my more affordable and nutritious recipes. These are recipes I have cooked over the years and still love.  If you’re a meat lover, you may want to occasionally substitute your expensive meat meal for this far more affordable Nut Loaf with Tomato Basil Passata

NUT LOAF WITH TOMATO BASIL PASSATA (Vegan and Gluten Free)

Serves 4 people

Approximate cost per serve $5.00 

Ingredients:

2 tbsp Absolute Organic Australian Extra Virgin Olive Oil,  1 finely chopped large brown onion, 2 finely chopped sticks of celery, 2 finely chopped garlic cloves, 1 finely diced green capsicum, 1 grated large carrot, 1 tsp dried oregano, 100g Lotus Red Lentils, 2 tbsp Absolute Organic Tomato Passata Puree, 300ml water, 1 Naturata Organic Gluten Free Stock Cube, 150g roughly chopped Australian walnuts, 3 large lightly beaten eggs, 1 cup Natural Road Savoury Yeast Flakes.

Method:

Heat oven to 180C and line loaf tin with baking paper. Heat olive oil in pan and cook onion, garlic, capsicum and celery sticks for 5 mins. Stir in carrot and oregano cooking for 1 minute.  Add red lentils, tomato basil passata, water and crumbled stock cube, simmering over low heat for approx. 25 minutes until liquid has been absorbed and mixture is reasonably dry.  Cool then stir in chopped nuts, eggs and savoury yeast flakes.  Mix well.  If mixture is too moist, add extra savoury yeast flakes. Spoon mixture into baking tin, pressing down the surface.  Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes before removing foil and baking for a further 20 mins. Allow loaf to cool, then turn onto chopping board and cut into slices.  Spoon over Tomato Basil Passata when serving.  Serve with broccolini or your favourite greens. 

Tomato Basil Passata
Lightly fry 1 chopped brown onion in olive oil, adding 1 tsp dried basil.  Add 1 cup Absolute Organic Tomato Passata Puree and simmer for 15 minutes.