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Pearl Barley And Roasted Almond Patties

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I love making and eating nut roasts and vegetarian patties. I have cooked and baked several types. The base for most of them is any kind of grain, spices, herbs, nuts and vegetables.

Great-tasting vegetarian patties are easy to make and more healthfully prepared when you use your own wholesome ingredients. Patties tend to be delicious things you make for a picnic or for a grill party or just for a simple lunch or dinner with a big bowl of salad and yum sauce.

Pearl barley is nutritious and chewy (although its outer husk and bran layers have been removed not like with hulled barley). I didn’t have to use an egg to “stick” the ingredients together so these cute little patties are vegan.

Pearl Barley and Roasted Almond Patties

Ingredients (makes about 20 but it depends on the patties’ size)

– 200 g pearl barley
– 150 g potatoes, peeled and cubed
– 80 g almond, roasted and chopped
– 1 onion, chopped
– 2 cloves garlic, chopped
– 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
– salt, pepper
– whole wheat breadcrumbs
– olive oil for cooking

Method

Roast the almonds in a dry non-stick pan for 6-8 minutes, chop them and set aside to cool.

Cook the pearl barley according to the instructions on the packet (usually 2 times more water than barley, a little bit of salt, boil in a pot, reduce heat and simmer for about 15-20 minutes). Set aside to cool.

In a small pan cook the potato until tender. Drain and mash it with a fork. Set aside to cool.

In a bowl mix together: roasted almonds, chopped onion, garlic and parsley. Add mashed potato and cooked barley. Season with salt and pepper and mix until everything combined.

Form pingpong ball sized balls from the mixture, flatten them with your palm or a spoon. Transfer the patties to a place of breadcrumbs and press them firmly to coat on both sides (this breadcrumb coating becomes golden and crisp when they’re baked or cooked). Place the formed patties on a tray. Heat 3-4 teaspoons olive oil in a pan, add patties and cook for about 7-10 minutes until golden brown. Flip the patties and cook them on their other side until golden. Cook the remaining patties too. (Instead of cooking you can also bake them on a baking sheet in the oven at 170-180C ~ 338-356F for about 25-30 minutes. Don’t forget to sprinkle them with olive oil and turn the patties to their other sides at half time!)

Best Of 2012

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I’m sharing my favourite top 12 recipes from 2012. Some of them were very popular – according to statistics – but I loved these 12 the most. I really enjoyed looking back at all of these vegetarian or vegan meals I cooked or baked over the past year.All in all I shared more sweet recipes than savory. Of course it doesn’t mean we only eat sweets, I just somehow like taking photos of these delicious yuminess!

I’m excited for the new year and all it will bring! I hope you’ll still be here reading my short stories, commenting and enjoying my recipes. You inspire me to make this blog better and better day by day. See you in 2013!

Let’s see the favourites of 2012…

January

This month I really loved cocoa, chocolate and walnut cookies! I bet you did too! Also shakshuka was a new way for me to poach eggs in herby tomato sauce. Yum!

February

In February we challenged ourselves. We were planning to do a 29 day sugar-free (no cakes, no chocolates, no sweet fruits only apple, lemon, orange and mandarin sometimes) vegan challenge but we ended it on the 25th day. 25 days were enough. We enjoyed it, we had ups and downs but we couldn’t bear not to eat anything sweet anymore.

As a result of the challenge this month only brought savory recipes. One of my favourites is this spring roll with citrus soy sauce but I also loved the udon noodles with creamy tahini sauce, roasted kale and tofu.

March

This month it’s unequivocal that the best recipe was the raw chocolate ganache cake. This has been one of the most popular recipes on the blog.

April

In April I shared the first recipe from the cookbook, Veg Every Day. I could cook and bake all the recipes from the book because all of them are vegetarian or vegan. With over 200 recipes and vibrant photography, River Cottage Veg Every Day is a timely eulogy to the glorious green stuff. This kale and mushroom lasagne was a big hit.

May

The biggest challenge in May was making strawberry leather or you can call it the healthy version of gummy candy. This leather thing is exciting not only for children, for adults too. It’s very easy to make (and a few hours) but don’t miss it.

June

Another sweet favourite in June: vegan chocolate popsicles with roasted almonds. They are creamy, thick chocolate-y vegan popsicles to enjoy! Yum! I also loved making and eating this raw zucchini spagetthi with creamy tahini sauce.

July

I love nut roasts and vegetarian/vegan patties. I made these yum quinoa patties for a picnic.

August

From the end of the summer my favourite recipe is this milk pie I baked with my recently deceased grandmother. This is actually a thick pancake baked in the oven. It is not too sweet but moist and soft.

September

Imagine little sweet indigo-coloured berries and little sweetish yellow corn kernels in soft, moist muffins with a bit of crispness from the cornmeal. You got it? These vegan corn blueberry muffins are just like I described.

October

I love cooking pancakes. I used carrot to make this soft, vegan and sugar-free pancakes. You can use  honey, agave, rice or maple syrup to pour over the pancakes. A real autumn Sunday indulgence…

November

I added pumpkin purée to this oatmeal that’s why its colour looks bright yellow. With a bit of maple syrup and spices it is one of the best comfort food breakfast during winter time. It is a small bowl of harmony in terms of its colour and taste.

December

This month was one of the busiest with 11 recipes I shared. It’s difficult to choose one of them so I let you make this decision. 🙂

Mashed Parsnip Potatoes With Thyme

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When I posted the glazed walnut lentil roast I promised to share more vegetarian recipe ideas for Christmas. Last year I cooked/baked more side dishes than ever before to go with the cranberry and pistachio nut roast. It was a new way for me to serve many delicious, scrumptious new tastes. We loved it so much. It’s going to be a tradition in our household!

This year I’m planning to make this mashed parsnip potatoes, baked carrots in a bag, cranberry chutney, roasted brussel sprouts with orange juice and vegan stuffing. Make sensational sides that will complete your Christmas meal, no matter where or what you’re having.

Parsnip is a root vegetable related to the carrot and parsley root but it has a sweeter taste, especially when cooked. Parsnip is rich in potassium and it is a good source of dietary fiber. It is wonderful in soups and stews as well as roasted or mashed like potatoes.

If you want to make this vegan use soy sour cream and Earth Balance spread (instead of sour cream and butter) to make mash creamier.

Mashed Parsnip Potatoes With Thyme

Ingredients (serves 2-3)

– 200 g parsnips, peeled, diced
– 330 g potatoes, peeled, diced
– 100 ml sour cream
– 20 g butter
– 2-3 sprigs of thyme
– salt, pepper

Method

In a large sauce pan cover potatoes and parsnips with water. Bring to boil and simmer until vegetables are tender, 25-30 minutes. Drain potatoes and parsnips. Mash with a potato masher, mixer or immersion blender. Add sour cream and butter to thin a bit and make mash creamier. Season with salt, pepper and thyme.

Serve it warm with a nut roast.

Glazed Walnut Green Lentil Loaf

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Before Christmas I’m trying to share more vegetarian Christmas meals recipes. Whether you are having a vegetarian (vegan) Christmas or you need a veggie recipe to serve a guest, these recipe ideas might be helpful for you. These meals are so delicious so believe it or not meat-eaters will be jealous!

I think a vegetarian Christmas dinner’s centerpiece should be a nut roast, like last year’s cranberry and pistachio nut one or Mrs. Myrtleberry’s walnut roast with lots of yum side dishes. Plan the menu in time, make preparations, buy good quality ingredients and the success will be guaranteed at the Christmas dinner table.

This nut roast is rich in lentils (high in protein, vitamin B1 and minerals), walnuts, hazelnuts, cashew so it’s not only delicious it is a nutritious, healthy meal.

Glazed Walnut Green Lentil Loaf
(Recipe inspiration: Oh She Glows)

Ingredients (serves 6-8)

For the loaf
– 190 g (1 cup) green lentils
– 100 g (1 cup) walnuts
– 60 g (1/2 cup) hazelnuts and cashew nuts
– 3 ground flax seeds + 6 tablespoons water
– 2 big onions, chopped
– 3 cloves garlic, chopped
– 120 g (1 cup) carrot, chopped
– 1 medium apple, peeled and grated
– 40 g (1/2 cup) oat flour
– 60 g (3/4 cup) whole wheat breadcrumbs
– 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, chopped
– 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, chopped
– 1 teaspoon chili flakes (optional)
– 1/2 bunch parsley, chopped
– salt, pepper

For the balsamic glaze
– 60 ml (1/4 cup) ketchup
– 1 tablespoon maple syrup
– 2 tablespoons unsweetened apple sauce
– 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

Method

Place lentils into a pan with 750 ml (3 cups) of water, season with salt, then bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer for at least 40-50 minutes (add more water if needed) until lentils are cooked. Set aside.

In a small bowl mix ground flax with water and set aside.

In a dry non-stick pan toast walnuts, hazelnuts and cashew for 6-8 minutes and set aside.

Use a kitchen blender to grind toasted walnuts, hazelnuts and cashew. Place the grinded nuts into a large mixing bowl. Using the kitchen blender chop onion, garlic, pasley and carrots, then add to the grinded nuts. Add grated apple, rosemary, thyme, chili flakes, oat flour and breadcrumbs. Mix all ingredients together. Using the blender again, purée the cooked green lentils until smooth (or mash lentils with a spoon). Add lentils also to the mixture and adjust seasonings to taste.

Preheat the oven to 180C (356F). Meanwhile in a small bowl mix together the glaze’s ingredients.

Grease a 23 cm (9 inch or a bit longer) long loaf pan with olive oil and spoon the 2/3 of the glaze into the loaf pan and spread evenly (reserve the rest for serving). Pile the walnut green lentils mixture in the tin and pack it down with the back of a spoon.

Bake at 180C (356F) for 50-60 minutes until golden brown. Cool in the tin for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve with the remaining glaze on top.