WW Purple nut roast

We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.
But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple. 

From 'Warning: When I am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple'
by Jenny Joseph

I'd like to tell you that when I am an old woman I shall eat purple nut roast.  Maybe I will.  I am not waiting to find out.  I am already eating it.  This is nut roast for feminists, goths, witches and all other lovers of purple. 

The purple carrot and stripey beetroot came from the Preston Farmers Market.  You could make it with just regular beetroot if you don't have such heirloom gems.  But purple carrots are so much fun.  Buy them if you get the chance.  Make purple nut roast to amuse yourself.  Bake purple bread so your sandwiches glow.

This nut roast is easy enough to make at the start of the day while the family sleeps.  It is a restful way to start the day before chaos descends.  I enjoyed the morning light playing on the purple hues.  Maybe too early to remember garlic.  Enough peace and quiet to find inspiration in chia seeds.  An excellent way to bind a nut roast.  One I will use again.

My brother Dave was making a roast dinner.  I took along the purple nut roast and chocolate caramel slice.  I loved the nut roast.  Smoky, tasty, seedy and even slightly sweet.  Everyone else preferred the slice.  Families!

I am sending this nut roast to Ricki of Diet Dessert and Dogs for her Wellness Weekends event that is full of wholesome recipe ideas.

Previously on Green Gourmet Giraffe
This time last year: Healthy Blueberry Muffins
This time two years ago: Nicki’s Nana’s Chulent
This time three years ago: Tahini Silverbeet and Chickpea Salad

Purple Nut Roast
an original recipe
serves about 4

1 tsp olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 purple carrot, peeled and grated
1 stripey beetroot, peeled and grated
3/4 cup water
2 tbsp chia seeds
1 tsp promite (or other yeast extract or tamari)
3/4 cup ground almonds
1/2 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp mustard powder
1/4 tsp salt
lots of freshly ground black pepper

Fry red onion in oil for about 5 minutes - or enough time to admire, photograph and grate the beetroot and carrot.  Fry for about 10 minutes.  The mixture will be as dark and unfathomable as a shadow.  You can't see if it is cooked.  When your eyes are of no help, use your nose. 

While the vegetables are frying, soak the chia seeds in the water for about 5-10 minutes.  Mix promite in the water.  Stir in the purple vegetable mixture and the remaining ingredients.  Check and adjust seasoning.

Spread mixture into silicone loaf tin.  (If your tin is not silicone, grease and line it.)  Mine was a bit small for my loaf tin so I just shaped it to fill about 3/4 of the pan.  It is that sort of stodgy mixture that holds it shape.  It doesn't spread and run. Cook for about 40 minutes at 180 C.

NB: I used a silicone loaf tin so it could go back in the oven to reheat.  The leftovers kept a few days in the fridge, wrapped in foil.

On the Stereo:
A Pocketful of Dreams: Tiny Tim

This post is part of Vegan Month of Food October 2011.  Go to my Vegan MoFo list for more Vegan MoFo posts.