• 1-1/3 cups cracked wheat or brown rice
• 2-1/2 cups water
• 4 cups almonds
• 3/4 cup vegetable stock or water
• 3/4 cup onion, chopped
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 2 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup parsley, minced
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. all purpose flour
• 2 tsp. ground coriander
• 2 cups 2% milk
• 2 cups half and half
• 1 cup Gruyère cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 350°F. Combine cracked wheat and water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low. Cover saucepan and simmer 30-40 minutes or until grain is tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and set aside. Place almonds in a baking pan. Toast in oven 7-8 minutes, shaking pan occasionally, or until almonds just begin to turn brown. Remove from heat and let cool. Transfer almonds to a food processor or blender and chop. Set aside. Combine stock, onion, carrots, celery and parsley in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sauté about 5 minutes, or until liquid is evaporated and vegetables are tender. Remove from heat and set aside.

Combine wheat, almonds and vegetable mixture in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Melt half the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Add 3 Tbs. flour and coriander and whisk constantly 1-2 minutes or until mixture just begins to turn golden. Very gradually whisk in milk. Simmer, whisking constantly 3-4 minutes or until mixture is thickened. (Do not boil.) Remove from heat and season with salt to taste. Stir into wheat-vegetable mixture and spread evenly in a deep buttered baking dish. Bake 40-50 minutes until mixture is golden and set. Serve with mushroom gravy.

Melt remaining butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. When bubbly, stir in remaining flour to combine. Gradually stir in half and half. Cook 4-5 minutes, stirring constantly until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in cheese and salt and pepper to taste until cheese is melted. 15 minutes prior to end of baking nut loaf, pour cheese sauce over nut loaf.

This recipe serves 12 people. Due to the nature of this recipe, it adjusts the number of servings in multiples of 12 only.

Per serving: calories 542, fat 42.9g, 68% calories from fat, cholesterol 59mg, protein 16.7g, carbohydrates 28.8g, fiber 7.4g, sugar 7.9g, sodium 113mg, diet points 13.4.

Dietary Exchanges: Milk: 0.3, Vegetable: 0.6, Fruit: 0.0, Bread: 0.8, Lean meat: 1.6, Fat: 7.9, Sugar: 0.0, Very lean meat protein: 0.0

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