Preheat oven to 190 C degrees.

Grease a 450g/1lb bread loaf tin with vegan butter or coconut oil, and line with baking paper.

Prick sweet potato with fork and wrap in foil. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until soft enough to mash. Alternatively, microwave for 5-6 minutes until soft. Peel when cooled.

Core and rough chop parsnips into 2cm chunks.

Peel and rough chop carrots into 2cm chunks.

Bring a medium saucepan of water to the boil and cook carrots for 5 minutes, then add parsnips. Cook for a further 10 minutes or until carrots are just soft enough to mash, then remove from heat and drain.

Meanwhile, finely chop mushrooms and shallots and gently fry in a medium frying pan with a knob of vegan butter or teaspoon of coconut oil until just beginning to soften. Leave to cool.

Use a pestle and mortar or end of a rolling pin to crush cashews, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and almonds so that no whole pieces remain - keep chunks for a good texture.

Add cooked carrots, parsnips, sweet potato to a bowl and lightly mash together.

Add cooked mushrooms, shallots (and mushroom and butter liquid) and all nuts and seeds to bowl.

Add nutritional yeast (if using), breadcrumbs, seasonings and salt & pepper to taste.

Mix well using stick blender, spoon or hands. It should hold its shape. If too wet, add more breadcrumbs or oats.

Press well into tin and smooth over top.

Bake in oven for 30-40 minutes, rotating half way through, or until a crust has formed on top and edges are brown and crispy. If you like a firmer 'loaf', cover with foil and bake for another 10 mins.

Remove from tin and leave to cool slightly before slicing. Keeps well for up to five days in the fridge, and can be frozen too.

**Optional extras***

- Lightly toast almonds and cashews in a frying pan before crushing
- Add dried cranberries and/or chopped apricots before baking for a fruitier version
- Add 1 tbsp peanut butter or cashew butter for a nuttier version, or as a substitute for one or more of the nuts above
- Add 1 tbsp of maple syrup or agave nectar for a sweeter version