Asparagus and Walnut Lasagna

Here is a very simple and elegant lasagna based on a recipe found in the tiny gem of a cookbook: “Vegan…Made Simple.” I have mentioned this book before and I can’t recommend it enough. (As I write this, I see there are used copies on amazon.com for $.01…..no kidding!)

Check out how simple the ingredient list is. The method is equally simple. The result is very sophisticated.

Here’s What You Need:

1 pound of fresh asparagus
2 T olive oil
2 T non-dairy butter
½ C minced onion
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
¼ C flour
4 C soy milk
1 T soy sauce
1 T Worcestershire sauce (optional because this is not a vegan ingredient)
1 C chopped walnuts, divided
8 lasagna noodles

Here’s What You Do:

Prepare the lasagna noodles as directed on the package. Set aside.

Use a vegetable peeler to remove the tough ends of the asparagus. Lightly steam it. Set aside.

Sautee the onion and garlic in the oil and butter until they are very soft, but not brown. 

Add in the flour and incorporate it into the melted fats. Add the milk, a bit at a time, whisking it thoroughly. When the milk has all been added, continue to cook over medium high heat until it thickens. Season with soy and optional Worcestershire.

Layer ½ of the asparagus, ½ of the walnuts and 1/3 of the sauce in the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish. Arrange 4 of the lasagna noodles over the sauce. Make another layer, ending with sauce. Sprinkle 1 few table spoons of walnuts on the top of the casserole. Bake for about 20-30 minutes until warm and bubbly.

Allow to cook for at least 5 minutes before cutting and serving. 

Creamy Chickpea Casserole

I served this delicious casserole with grilled corn 'off the cob,' and roasted asparagus. 

What Satisfies

harmony
students who play guitar
11 bell ringers
being a character in someone’s fiction
mulching all by myself
clean windows
new white bed sheets
sleeping dogs
creamy casseroles
a white peony 

One easy meal that I have missed making and eating since becoming vegan, is the classic casserole. Protein and veggies swimming in creamy sauces satisfy the palate. Plus, they’re a cinch to make ahead and serve to a crowd. A few years ago, I hosted a party and made a Cheesy Chicken Casserole, (find that recipe here), and I made my own vegan portion by swapping mushrooms for the chicken, and ate it without anyone knowing the difference. I guess, looking back, I felt embarrassed, for whatever reason, to serve the mushroom version to my guests. Times have changed.

This excellent Creamy Chickpea Casserole is based on a classic from my childhood – in fact, I like it so much, I have featured it twice already here on my blog: once with chicken and dairy cheese and once as a chickpea vegan variety.

Today’s post is the almost perfected version – except for the horrible photos. Which means that I’ll have to post about this again in the future. It’s worth it.

Creamy Chickpea Casserole-Take Two

Make a batch of vegan cream of chicken soup by blending the following:

1 pound firm tofu
2 t vegan chicken base / seasoning
2-3 t curry
1 ½ t onion powder
1 ½ t garlic powder
½ t turmeric
¼ C milk or water

For the casserole
Saute a few stalks of celery until they are soft but not brown. Place in a large bowl and add a can of drained and rinsed chickpeas, some toasted sliced almonds, the correct amount of soup base, some mayo (1/2 C or so), and lemon juice to taste. Oh, also add some cooked rice, but not too much! The last time I made this I added too much and it totally dried out. Keep it satisfyingly saucy.

Mix well. Pour into casserole. Grate cheddar over the top. Bake till warm. 

Potato, Broccoli, and Peanut Casserole

Potato, Broccoli, and Peanut Casserole

If you can imagine the classic coconut peanut sauce (which you have  probably poured over noodles) then you can imagine this casserole. You can see from the photo that it makes a great presentation. Underneath that layer of potatoes is a whole bunch of broccoli, which make this a double whammy in the veg department.

This recipe comes from the tiny book "Vegan...Made Simple" published by Love Food. I have mentioned it here on my blog more than a few times because every single thing I've made from it has been great. The book was a gift from my mom (thanks Mom!) and at first glance it appears to be the type of book from the 'dollar' shelf at the back of the book store. But seriously, the pages are FULL of treasures. I love this book! 

Here's what you need: 

1 pound new potatoes, sliced

1 T olive oil

1/2 small onion, diced

1 3/4 C coconut milk

1/2 C chunky peanut butter

1 T soy sauce

2 t sugar

1/2 t crushed red pepper

3 C broccoli florets

1/2 C unsalted peanuts

2 t non-dairy butter, melted

salt and pepper

Here's what you do:

Drop the potato slices in boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside. Saute the onions in a bit of oil until they are soft, stir in the milk, peanut butter, soy sauce, sugar and red pepper flakes. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Steam the broccoli until tender (don't over cook it) 

Stir the broccoli and peanuts into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into a greased baking dish. Arrange the potatoes over the sauce and drizzle with melted butter. Bake 20 minutes or so in 375 oven. 

Eggplant Rollatini

 

Day 22: Make a dish using all seasonal produce. 

Living in the great state of Michigan is such a luxury! We have it all, including as many fresh veggies and farm grown food as a person can handle. My little garden it still producing lots of veg - I have some gorgeous eggplants still tucked away. I'm thinking I'll make eggplant bacon - yes, bacon. I tried it last year and it was killer on a BLT. 

Basically, for these little bundles of garlicky goodness, I sliced eggplants very thin, roasted them, smeared them with some vegan ricotta, smothered them in sauce and finished them off with some pine nuts. Can you say, "Luscious"?

Gourmet Chickpea Casserole

Eating this was like a blast from my past, only better. 

Vegan Month of Food Day 20: Veganize an old family favorite.

You know how sometimes you're just in the mood for a good old fashioned casserole, dripping with cans of creamed soup and mayo? Yeah, me neither.....BUT I do crave comfort food and I do love casseroles and actually I am a mayo freak....so I got to thinking about today's Vegan Month of Food prompt: Veganize an old family favorite. 

It was pretty easy to decide to veganize one of my mom's best casseroles : Gourmet Chicken Casserole. You can find a non-vegan version right HERE  . What I really loved about veganizing this classic (besides ditching the chickens), is the most delicious chicken-like cream soup that I found on the INTERNET of all places! (ha ha) You can peek at that recipe HERE. 

This was completely delish...You can see we almost polished it off. My son loved it too! I always have the habit of adding too much rice to stuff and drying out the lovely sauces I have prepared. I am going to perfect this recipe and next time, more sauce and less rice. 

Macaroni and Cauliflower Cheese

Iceberg is also very retro. 

Day 9: Most retro recipe.

To me, retro means comfort. Old jeans, 10 year old shoes that are only for the garden these days, hair parted down the middle, church clothes, martinis at 5:00. Total comfort.

Retro also brings to mind a feeling of comfort in the kitchen also. Ease. Home. Warmth. Casseroles. Carbs.

Today I present my very own version of mac and cheese.

Here's what you need:

1 small head of cauliflower broken into small bits

2 large carrots, peeled and cut in the same size and the cauliflower pieces

1 roasted red pepper (not a marinated one)

1/3 C olive oil

1/2 C nutritional yeast

2 T lemon juice

1/4 C almond milk or other plant milk

1/2 C water from the vegetables

salt

pepper

hot sauce

3/4 - 1 pound of elbow macaroni (this depends on how large your cauliflower is. Make your best guess and don't fret about it.)

Panko bread crumbs

This amount of sauce was good for 1 pound of pasta.
Half for this casserole and half for the freezer. 

Prepare your pasta according to the package and set aside.

Boil the cauliflower and carrots until very soft. Save some of the water.

Blend all the sauce ingredients in a high speed blender.

Pour over pasta.

Sprinkle Panko generously over the top and place under the broiler to toast the crumbs. Serve immediately. 

Mushroom Lasagna with Cashew Ricotta

Get in the kitchen – but first go buy some mushrooms. This recipe is my creation, and it’s a keeper. I was in the mood for mushrooms and lasagna, and this is what I came up with. This recipe goes down in history - good for company but better for a Monday night at home with your family.

Here’s what you need:

16 oz sliced white mushrooms

8 oz sliced shitake mushrooms – make sure no stems are hiding in the package- they’re tough and chewy. Cut them off and search the pile to be sure none are hiding.

16 oz sliced portabella mushrooms – gills removed – use a small spoon to scrape them away.

1 oz dried porcini mushrooms – soaked in 1 ½ C boiling water for one hour. KEEP that water!

3 cloves garlic, minced

10 oz cherry tomatoes

12 lasagna noodles

1 t cornstarch

1 T Earth Balance butter

½ C dry white wine

Dried basil

1 recipe cashew ricotta

(1 ½ C raw cashews soaked in water for one hour. Drain off water. Place in blender with ½ C  fresh water, 2 T lemon juice, 1 clove garlic, 2 T Nutritional yeast {optional, but adds a nice cheesy taste}, dash of onion powder. High speed, scraping down sides as needed, until creamy and fluffy.)

Here’s what you do:

Clean all the mushrooms and chop the larger pieces in about ½ inch chunks. Cut the soggy porcinis in smaller pieces too.  Sautee them all in a large pan in about 1 T olive oil.  Be patient. It takes about 12-15 minutes to get them browned on most sides.

Add another 1 T olive oil and drop in the minced garlic. Cook the garlic in the puddle of oil until it is fragrant – do not brown it! Even if you have to turn off the heat and let it just warm, that’s OK. Mix the garlic and mushrooms together.

At the same time that the mushrooms are cooking, reduce the soaking water from the porcinis. I added ½ C of dry white wine, some salt and pepper and simmered the liquid for about 10 – 15 minutes. You want about ½ C liquid.  When reduced, add 1 T Earth Balance butter and thicken it with about 1 t cornstarch. Instead of adding the cornstarch directly into the warm liquid, remove  ¼ of liquid to a small bowl, sprinkle the cornstarch over it and whisk until totally dissolved. At this time, you can drizzle the slurry directly into the hot liquid – no lumps! Works like a charm every time. Heat until thick and glossy. The small amount of butter adds nice body and gloss. Pour the sauce over the mushrooms.

At the same time that all this is going on, sauté some cherry tomatoes by heating them in ½ T of olive oil. When they seem ready to ‘burst’, prick them with a sharp knife to release some juice and pressure. Continue to sauté them until they are nicely wilted and deglaze the pan with some more wine. Remove from heat and set aside. You want it to be a bit juicy.

At the same time this is all going on, boil the lasagna noodles according to the box.

Assemble the lasagna as follows: spray an 8 or 9 inch square pan and place about 10 tomatoes in the bottom of the pan to keep the pasta from sticking. Create layers of pasta, mushrooms, cashew ricotta until everything is used up. Leave some pasta for the top layer and pour the remaining tomatoes over the top, tucking any stray corners of pasta down. I drizzled some more wine over the top to prevent dryness. Sprinkle with dried basil. Bake 350 degrees until heated through – about 30 minutes.

(printable recipe)

Easy Cheesy Chicken Casserole

Let’s revisit the classics, shall we? I’m talkin’ super simple and full-on comfort. Check out those ingredients, but DO NOT be put-off by their simplicity! This baby never fails, plus it freezes like a dream. (in full disclosure, I have posted this recipe years ago here on this blog, but classics deserve a second look.) 

I served this at my recent Valentine’s Day dinner party and no one seemed to mind that the food  on their plate was creamy and cheesy and from the classic 9 X 13 casserole. I made another smaller casserole semi-veg by swapping out the chicken for sautéed mushrooms. It was heavenly!  

Speaking of classics, here are some killer love quotes I scattered about my house and dinner table as decorations at the party.

"In vain I have struggled. It will not do. My feelings will not be repressed. You must allow me to tell you how ardently I admire and love you."  (spoken by Mr. Darcy in “Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen)

 “Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”  (Spoken by Catherine [or maybe Heathcliff??] in “Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

“To love or have loved, that is enough. Ask nothing further. There is no other pearl to be found in the folds of life.” (Spoken by Jean Valjean  in “Les Miserables, by Victor Hugo)

For my entire Valentine’s Day menu, click here.

This is a horrible photo. You can't even see the green peppers in there! That's the best part of this casserole! Please disregard and use your imagination. 

Here’s what you need:

12 ounces wide noodles, cooked

8 ounces cream cheese (vegan is fine)

1 ½ C cottage cheese – large curd

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

1 Cup whole milk (non-dairy is fine)

½ - 1 thinly sliced green pepper

½ - 1 thinly sliced sweet onion

Some fresh parsley

4 C cubed or shredded chicken breast meat (or equal amounts of roasted or sautéed portabello mushrooms)

Mix it all together and bake. You could put the cheeses in a Cuisinart to get them totally creamy, or just use a wooden spoon and elbow grease. Maybe add some black pepper. Buttered bread crumbs on the top if you are feeling up to it. I’m telling you, classics are good. 

Vegetable Lasagna with Basil Cashew Cheese

I give this recipe all the best superlatives. It originally comes from  Oh She Glows blog , which is loaded with excellent food and photos. I tweaked it a bit by adding hot pepper flakes. Killer. !! I am going to put this outstanding Basil Cheese on a pizza soon….. dreaming and drooling. Double Killer!! 

Here’s what you need:

Olive oil

3 cloves garlic

1 onion, diced

2 zucchini, cubed

8 oz. baby bella mushrooms

1 large red bell pepper, diced

1 large handful spinach

Salt and pepper

Crushed red pepper flakes to taste

1 ½ jars marinara sauce

1 box oven ready lasagna noodles (no boil type of noodle…. I love Barilla brand)

1 recipe Basil Cashew Cheese (see below)

1 ½ C non-dairy cheese (Daiya Shreds or Go Veggie Cheese)

Here’s what you need for the Basil Cashew Cheese:

1 c raw cashews, soaked in water for at least 30 minutes

¼ C vegetable broth or water (or more as needed)

¼ C lemon juice

½ C nutritional yeast

Salt and pepper

1 T Dijon mustard

2 garlic cloves

1 ½ C fresh basil, loosely packed

Here’s what you do:

Soak the cashews in water for at least 30 minutes. Drain them. Place all the ingredients for the Lemon Basil Cheese in a high powered blender (like a Vitamix) and watch what happens! Amazing! I had to add a bit of water to help it along. Set aside.

Saute the onions in a bit of oil until soft but not brown. Add the garlic, zucchini, mushrooms, red pepper and red pepper flakes. Saute the huge amount of veggies till nice and tender. Be sure to season them liberally with salt and pepper. When they are ready, add a big handful of fresh spinach and cook for about 5 more minutes.

I split my lasagna into two pans: one for dinner and one for the freezer. 

To assemble the lasagna: Pour about ½ C sauce in the bottom of a 9 x 13 pan. Layer uncooked noodles over sauce. Spread basil cashew cheese over the noodles. Spoon ½ of veggie mixture over noodles. Pour more sauce over veggies. Repeat, being sure to end with sauce. Make sure the sauce is tucked down in and around the noodles.  End with a layer of non-dairy cheese. I used Go Veggie brand and it was super.

Cover with foil, make a few vents in the foil with a sharp knife, bake for 40-45 minutes in a 400 degree oven.  Remove foil and broil for a few minutes, watching carefully. Allow to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before slicing.

(printable recipe) 

Vegetable Bake with Crispy Topping

You may recall that I made it through MoFo2012…...that’s Vegan Month of Food, for those of you ‘not-in-the-know.’ I powdered through 30 days of complete vegan foods and only cheated a few times…mostly because of my love affair with feta cheese. There is not a Greek salad on earth that stands a chance with me in the room.

I also am happy to say that I followed the MoFo (that’s ‘Month of Food’) rule to post 20 times during the month. Let me tell you, it was difficult! I work two part-time jobs, still have a kid at home, have a husband who works a demanding job and also travels….meaning, I have a LIFE! But I did it! You can read all about my vegan journey by clicking over on the October 2012 link in the right hand margin. The recipes there are excellent, plus I share what it was like to ‘go vegan’ from a carnivore’s point of view.

Have I become a vegan? Well, probably not. But I have become super aware of the food on my plate. I just wondered what it would feel like to get the beef off of my buns, so to speak. Plus, my cholesterol is sky high……I am at the point of doing whatever it takes (besides meds… I refuse at this point…. I am probably labeled “uncooperative” in the file at my doctor…. Sigh…. )

Let me stop rambling about cholesterol and share a very interesting recipe I found during my MoFo (that’s ‘Month of Food’) experience. See here for the original recipe.

Here’s what you need:

4 C cooked vegetables (cauliflower, broccoli, frozen peas)

1 C soy milk

6 T Nutritional yeast (found in health food stores. Gives food a cheesy flavor)

1 T Earth Balance non-dairy butter

1 ½ T cornstarch

2 t Dijon mustard

¼ t garlic powder

½ t salt

½ C mashed chick peas

½ C oats

1 t dried herbs (like basil, oregano)

2 T Nutritional yeast

2 T crushed walnuts

Here’s what you do:

Steam the veggies till tender. Set aside. To make the sauce: melt the butter. Whisk in the milk, 6 T nutritional yeast, cornstarch, Dijon, garlic powder and salt. Stir till thick and pour over veg.

To make the crumbly topping: Mix the chick peas, oats, herbs, 2 T nutritional yeast and nuts. Sprinkle over vegetables. Bake at 350 until brown, maybe 20-30 minutes. Broil for just a minute if you want a crispier top.

(printable recipe)

Turkey Tetrazzini – Party Classic

My Christmas dinner.... not the best photo, but a darn good meal!

You can NEVER go wrong with a huge, cheesy, delicious, make-ahead, crowd pleasin’ casserole. And the leftovers are the BEST!

This recipe is from the ancient days of my cooking, passed down from my mom and her friends. It’s very classy and totally party worthy.  It freezes great and reheats perfectly.

Caution: this make a lot!

Here’s what you need:

Lots of cooked turkey  - leftover turkey breast from Thanksgiving is perfect for this dish. (you could use chicken breast in place of the turkey)

½ lb spaghetti, broken into thirds

¼ lb butter

2 green peppers, sliced

4 T flour

2 C whole milk

2 cans cream of mushroom soup

8 oz cans sliced mushrooms or more to taste, or fresh mushrooms if desired

1-2 cloves garlic, chopped

1 t Worcestershire  sauce (or more to taste)

2 small jars pimentos

½ C dry white wine

¾ C grated Parmesan cheese

4 C grated cheddar cheese

½ C shaved almonds

Here’s what you do:

Cook the turkey. (Sometimes, I cook a half turkey breast in the crock pot. This meat is perfect for this casserole) Cut meat in large bite size pieces. Place in a large mixing bowl.  Cook spaghetti and add to the big bowl.  Sautee peppers and mushrooms. Add flour and cook for a few minutes. Add milk and remaining ingredients except for ½ C cheddar and almonds.  

Cook till thick. Pour sauce over turkey and spaghetti and mix well. Pour into a greased casserole. Sprinkle remaining cheddar and almonds over the top of the casserole. Bake till bubbly. You can also wrap the casserole well and freeze it. 

(printable recipe) 

One Year Ago: Bavarian Meatballs 

Gourmet Chicken Casserole

I'm not sure what makes this gourmet…. Almonds?....Celery?..... Canned Cream of Chicken Soup?..... Maybe it’s the obligatory layer of cheese on top?

Well, whatever the mystery gourmet element might be, this flash from my past is a total home run.

I treasure this old recipe card because it reminds me of when I was first married and learning how to cook (with canned soup and mayonnaise). This casserole was something I turned to many, many times when having company or attending a potluck. It comes to me from a friend of my mom’s, Mrs. Knaus. Can you imagine how fun it must have been back in the day when couples got together to have drinks and dinner together. Make a big casserole. Maybe play cards for the evening. That's the kind of friends they were and still are to this day. In fact, as I write this, a bunch of their group is in Hilton Head enjoying time together and eating great food too, I am sure of it.  (Mrs. Knaus, are you out there….anyone from the West Racquet Club? – Hello!)

Here’s what you need: I doubled the recipe – one to eat, one to freeze

2 C cooked chicken breast, diced

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 C diced celery – sautéed

1 C rice

½ C slivered almonds – toasted

½ C mayonnaise

1 T lemon juice – (Ah Ha! Gourmet element revealed! )

(maybe some chicken stock to loosen the mass a bit)

Cheddar for the top

Here’s what you do:

There is really only one way in my opinion to make great chicken breasts. Start with bone in and skin on. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with lots of salt and pepper. Bake for about 30-35 minutes depending on the size of the breast. They are done when a knife inserts easily and all juices run clear. Cool for about 20 minute, remove and discard skin, dice meat and use bones for broth. (Thank you Ina Garten!)

Cook the rice. Toast the almonds. Saute the celery in a bit of oil and maybe some water till crisp tender.

Mix it all together. I did loosen the whole affair a bit today with some chicken stock. Cover with shredded cheddar. Bake until bubbly and glorious.

Set the table, light some candles, turn off the TV and eat together. You can see it's not fancy at our house: casserole, roasted carrots and garlic toast.  Just do it. 

(printable recipe)

One Year Ago: My Maple Nut Snack Mix

One Year Ago: Breakfast Braid