Vegan Cheezy Brown Rice & Greens Casserole

This is comfort food at its best. This really is my new favorite dish - a retake of a childhood favorite, my mom's chicken, broccoli, rice casserole.

3 c. uncooked brown rice
1 bunch green veggies (i.e., kale, chard, collards, broccoli)

Cheezy Sauce
2/3 c. raw, unsalted cashews
1/4 c. vegan butter (like Earth Balance)
1/4 c. flour
2 c. vegetable broth
1/4 c. nutritional yeast
1/2 c. vegan cheese (I'm a Daiya loyalist)

Tofu
1 package extra firm tofu, cubed
1 tsp paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
dash of pepper

Step 1: Cook up some fluffy brown rice. About 3 cups, dry.

Step 2: Soak 2/3 cup of cashews in purified warm water for cashew cream. You can also buy cashew cream at some natural foods stores, but don't count on it.

Step 3: Go pick some greens (if you happen to be so lucky to have a winter garden tended by an awesome hubby, like I do). If not, buy some! Then wash and ribbon cut them. I'm using lacinato kale because it's my absolute favorite and its ready for picking, but curly kale, chard, collards, and broccoli would work really well too.

Step 4: Cube, season and pan fry your tofu.

Step 5: Toss your rice, greens and tofu together and lay down into large casserole dish

Step 6: Make your cheezy sauce...

...by whisking the seasoned flour into vegan butter in a medium-sized sauce pan on medium heat until browned. Whisk in vegetable broth, nutritional yeast and cashew cream one at a time until creamy. Add vegan cheese and stir until melted.











 







 Step 7: Liberally pour sauce over rice mixture in casserole dish, top with the rest of the "cheese" and bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Potato & Red Chard Gratin

Cold weather is for comfort food. Creamy, hearty, savory things. Last night this gratin did the trick.

6 medium potatoes (any will do, although waxier potatoes like gold yukons will stay together better)
6 oz red chard, washing, dried, and roughly chopped

Vegan Bechamel:
3 tbls vegan butter (like earth balance)
1 tbls olive oil
1/4 c. whole wheat white flour (or unbleached all purpose)
2 c. savory cashew milk**
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
 
2/3 cup of vegan breadcrumbs (seasoned with some paprika & garlic powder)

**To make this cashew milk combine 1/3 c. of raw unsalted cashews in a blender with 2 c. of hot water and one vegan bullion cube (I like the Rapunzel brand). Let soak as you prep the potatoes and chard and then, when you're ready to make the sauce, blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 min (depending on your blender's power). I like using cashew milk for my white sauces because it doesn't give off the funny "vegan" taste that soy and almond milks do.

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Prep the potatoes by washing and slicing thinly, as if you were going to make potato chips. Layer a first layer into a 9-inch baking dish, like a deepish pie pan.

3. Sear chard in a medium frying pan with 1 tbls olive oil. Once wilted, layer chard on top of the first layer of potatoes.

4. In a medium sauce pan, melt butter and olive oil together and add flour and seasonings. Cook for a minute or so, or until the flour is cooked. Stir constantly as you add the savor cashew milk, creating a thick sauce. Thin as needed with hot water.

5. Pour 1/2 the sauce on top of the first layer of potatoes and chard. Layer the rest of the potatoes on top and then the last of the sauce.

6. Top with the seasoned breadcrumbs and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until potatoes are soft.

Good Ol' Fashioned Home Cookin'

As I transition from vegetarianism to veganism, I battle cravings for comfort foods that most would assume off-limits. But I've got skillz and manage to satisfy the cravings sans caving. Here's one of my dude's favorite meals because, well, it includes gravy.

Pan Fried Tofu with Quinoa & Vegan Gravy

1 package extra firm/firm tofu (drained well and blotted with paper towels to remove excess water)

1 1/2 cups quinoa

4 1/2 cups vegetable broth (I'm lazy & cheap and make mine with Rapunzel Vegan Bullion with Sea Salt & Herbs)

1 tbs vegan butter

1tbs unbleached or whole wheat flour

salt & pepper to taste

Chopped herbs (depending on what you're serving it with


Pan fry to tofu in a little olive oil and be sure to use a good non-stick pan. Don't flip until the tofu is nice and crispy on the first side.

Cook the quinoa just like you would rice with a 1:2 grain to veggie broth ratio.

After the tofu is done, remove it from the pan and use the pan to start the gravy. Brown the flour in the butter until toasty in color and whisk in the veggie broth. Whisking constantly is important to prevent lumps. Continue cooking until the gravy thicken - then add salt, pepper & herbs to taste. Add the tofu back into the pan with the gravy and cook together for just another couple of minutes. Serve the tofu & gravy over the quinoa with a seasonal veggie on the side and you have a better version of a classic.