• 1/4 cup plus 3 Tbs. cracked wheat or brown rice
• 2/3 cup plus 3 Tbs. water
• 1-1/3 cups almonds
• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1/4 cup onion, chopped
• 3/4 large carrots, grated
• 3/4 celery rib, finely chopped
• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. parsley, minced
• 1-3/4 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. all purpose flour
• 3/4 tsp. ground coriander
• 2/3 cup milk
• 1/8 tsp. salt (optional)
• 1/8 tsp. salt (optional), or to taste
• 1/2 lb. orzo or other small pasta

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. Heat oil in a heavy nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Sauté onion, carrots, celery and parsley about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Add 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. Combine all ingredients, except orzo, and spread mixture evenly in a deep buttered baking dish. Bake 40-50 minutes until mixture is just golden and set. While nut loaf is baking, cook orzo in boiling salted water about 6 minutes, or until al dente. Drain. Serve nut loaf over orzo with mushroom gravy.

Per serving: calories 631, fat 33.4g, 46% calories from fat, cholesterol 19mg, protein 20.0g, carbohydrates 68.1g, fiber 9.8g, sugar 7.9g, sodium 75mg, diet points 13.9.

Dietary Exchanges: Milk: 0.2, Vegetable: 0.6, Fruit: 0.0, Bread: 3.3, Lean meat: 1.3, Fat: 6.1, Sugar: 0.0, Very lean meat protein: 0.0

  view detailed nutritional information

The recommended wines are: White Zinfandel, Merlot, or Chablis.