SWEET POTATO CASSEROLE

SERVES 8 PORTIONS

CASSEROLE

4lb (64oz) sweet potatoes or yams, peeled and roughly chopped

Vegan cooking spray (soy-free if necessary)

1/3 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy-free if necessary)

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/4 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

3 tbsp. vegan butter (soy-free if necessary; or coconut oil), melted

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tbsp. nutritional yeast, optional

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

TOPPING

1 1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free if necessary)

1 cup vegan cornflakes (certified gluten-free if necessary)

1/3 cup oat flour (certified gluten-free if necessary)

1/4 cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

4 tbsp. vegan butter (soy-free if necessary; or coconut oil), melted

1 tbsp. maple syrup

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories: 210kcal
Fat: 6.5g (1.3g S.Fat)
Carbs: 15.6g
Protein: 16g
Sugar: 1.5g
Sodium: 263mg

METHOD

To make the casserole: Cover the sweet potatoes with water in a large pot. Bring to a boil and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender. Remove from the heat and set aside to drain. Place aside.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Coat a 9 x 13-inch baking dish lightly with cooking spray.

Place the sweet potatoes in a large mixing bowl. Combine the milk, maple syrup, sugar, butter, lemon juice, nutritional yeast (if using), cinnamon, ginger, salt, and nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Mash and combine the mixture with a fork until mostly smooth. Place in the prepared baking dish.

To make the topping: Combine the pecans, oats, cornflakes, oat flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a mixing bowl. Pour the melted butter and maple syrup over the top and mix well. Cover the casserole with the topping.

Bake for 20 minutes, or until the topping is crispy and the casserole is thoroughly heated. Serve right away. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

VARIATION

Instead of boiling the sweet potatoes, roast them whole for 1 hour at 400°F (180°C, or gas mark 4) for a richer flavor. Allow them to cool before removing the flesh from the skins.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE WITH CRISPY ONION TOPPING

SERVES 6 TO 8 PORTIONS

Olive oil spray

1lb (16oz). fresh green beans, trimmed

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 tbsp. vegan butter (soy-free if necessary)

1 sweet onion, quartered and thinly sliced

3/4 cup vegan panko bread crumbs (gluten-free if necessary)

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

3 tbsp. nutritional yeast, optional

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories: 71kcal
Fat: 2.7g (0.6g S.Fat)
Carbs: 9.8g
Protein: 3.6g
Sugar: 2g
Sodium: 289mg

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6). Lightly spray a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with olive oil.

Cover the green beans in a steamer basket set over a pot of boiling water. After 5 minutes, transfer to a large mixing bowl. Pour the soup into the bowl and mix well. Place aside.

While the green beans are steaming, in a large frying pan over medium heat, melt half of the butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft and golden, 5 to 7 minutes. Place the onions in a medium mixing bowl. (Don't bother cleaning the pan.) In the frying pan, melt the remaining butter and add the bread crumbs. Cook until the crumbs are crispy, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the garlic powder and salt. Combine the nutritional yeast with the onions (if using). To combine, stir everything together.

Fill the baking dish halfway with the green bean mixture. Cover the top with the onion mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the topping has crisped and the casserole has risen. Serve right away. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

RECIPE NOTES

To make ahead of time, bake the casserole without the topping for 25 minutes. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Prepare the onion topping, spread it on top, and bake the casserole for 15 to 20 minutes, or until heated through, at 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6).

NOT-TUNA CASSEROLE

SERVES 6 TO 8 PORTIONS

Olive oil spray

1lb (16oz) pasta (gluten-free if necessary)

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 yellow onion, diced

1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas (or one 15 oz. can, rinsed and drained)

One 14 to 15 oz. can artichoke hearts, rinsed, drained, and quartered if whole

1 tsp. dried thyme

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Salt and black pepper to taste

Cream of Mushroom Soup

2 cups lightly crushed plain kettle-style potato chips, optional

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories: 309kcal
Fat: 4.3g (0.5g S.Fat)
Carbs: 54.6g
Protein: 13.8g
Sugar: 4.3g
Sodium: 24mg

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C, or gas mark 4). Lightly spray a 9 × 13-inch baking dish with olive oil.

Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente according to package directions. Rinse with cold water after draining.

In a large shallow saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil while the pasta is cooking. Sauté the onion until it is translucent. Cook for 5 minutes after adding the chickpeas and artichokes, using a spatula to tear apart the artichokes as they cook. Combine the thyme and garlic powder in a mixing bowl.

Gently mash the chickpeas and artichokes with a potato masher until just slightly mashed with chunks. Stir in the soup and pasta until well combined. Season with salt and pepper.

Remove from the heat and place in the prepared baking dish for 15 minutes. Bake for 5 minutes more after adding the potato chips (if using). Serve right away. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

LAZY VEGAN CHILE RELLENO CASSEROLE

SERVES 3 TO 4 PORTIONS

Olive oil spray

6 canned whole green chiles (from three 4 oz. cans or the equivalent), rinsed and drained

1 corn tortilla, plus more for serving

One 397g (14oz) block extra firm tofu, drained

1/4 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk

1 tbsp. olive oil

1/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour (or gluten-free flour blend)

2 tbsp. cornmeal (certified gluten- free if necessary)

1 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1 tsp. ground coriander

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

Basic Cashew or Pepper jack

Cheese Sauce

Chopped fresh cilantro, optional Salsa, optional

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories: 105kcal
Fat: 4.3g (0.6g S.Fat)
Carbs: 15.6g
Protein: 2.1g
Sugar: 0.5g
Sodium: 298mg

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5). Lightly spray a 10-inch round pan with olive oil.

Cut the chiles in half lengthwise and remove any remaining seeds. Cut the halves in half lengthwise, then cut each strip in half crosswise. Place aside.

Using a sharp knife, cut the tortilla in half. then cut each half into approximately twelve strips Place aside.

In a food processor, combine the tofu, milk, and olive oil and process until smooth.

Whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, cumin, coriander, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large mixing bowl. Stir in the pureed tofu until well combined. Combine the chiles and tortilla strips in a mixing bowl.

Spread the mixture in the prepared pan and drizzle with the cheese sauce (as much or as little as you like). Bake for 35 minutes, or until the mixture is firm. Remove from oven and set aside for 10 minutes before serving. Serve with cilantro and salsa (if using), as well as cooked corn tortillas (see the directions under Beer-Marinated Portobello Tacos with Avocado-Corn Salsa). Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.

SAVORY BREAKFAST CASSEROLE

SERVES 10 TO 12 PORTIONS

Olive oil spray

One 397g (14oz) block extra firm tofu

3 cups unsweetened non-dairy milk (nut-free if necessary)

2 1/2 cups chickpea flour

2 tbsp. lemon juice

2 tbsp. nutritional yeast

1 1/2 tsp. black salt (kala namak; or regular salt)

1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1 tsp. mustard powder

3/4 tsp. ground turmeric

Black pepper to taste

1 tsp. olive oil

1/2 medium yellow onion, diced

1 red bell pepper, diced

One 454g (16oz) bag frozen hash browns

Quick Bacon Crumbles

4 green onions, chopped (green and white parts)

NUTRITIONAL VALUES

Calories: 172kcal
Fat: 3.2g (0.4g S.Fat)
Carbs: 28.1g
Protein: 9.2g
Sugar: 5.4g
Sodium: 304mg

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6). Spray a 9 x 13-inch baking dish lightly with olive oil.

Squeeze the tofu gently over the sink to remove any excess water. In a blender, combine the tofu, milk, chickpea flour, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, salt, garlic powder, mustard powder, turmeric, and pepper. Pour into the largest bowl you have.

In a large frying pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil. Sauté the onion and bell pepper until they are just tender. Return the pan to the stove and pour them into the bowl. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the hash browns are thawed and golden in color. Take the pan off the heat and pour it into the bowl.

Stir in the bacon crumbles until evenly distributed. Pour into the prepared baking dish and top with the green onions. Bake for 35 minutes, or until the center is firm and a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside for 5 to 10 minutes to rest before serving. Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.