Meat-Free Monday: Vegan Love Casserole Recipe

(VEGAN RECIPE) Try this week’s Meat Free Monday Challenge recipe: the Love Casserole. Not only is this a delicious meat-free feast, but the Love Casserole will spread joy to all who see it. Happy eating! — Global Animal

Legally Blissful, E

Love Casserole

(serves four very hungry girls, plus some leftovers)

INGREDIENTS:

(measurements are very, very approximate. Basically, this should fill up your casserole dish)

-3 1/2 cups cooked quinoa

-1 1/2 cups broccoli (in retrospect, I would have added more)

-1 bag prewashed spinach

-1/2 cup sundried tomatoes

-1/2 large white onlion, chopped

-about 1 cup slivered almonds, lightly toasted

-1 bag shredded nondairy cheese (I used Trader Joe’s brand, but I’m sure Daiya — or regular cheese — would work well)

-1 handful fresh basil leaves, lightly torn up

-1/2 cup sundried tomatoes

-olive oil for sauteeing

-salt and seasoning (we used a nice paprika blend) to taste

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350 F. Heat the olive oil in a nice, large pan and saute the onions until they become translucent. Add the broccoli, and cook, seasoning gradually, until it begins to flush bright green. Add spinach and 3 tsp water, stir, cover and cook until spinach is wilted. Remove from heat, and in a large casserole dish, combine the green veggies with the almonds, quinoa, basil, extra seasoning and vegan cheese, covering the top as completely as possible with a layer of the cheese. (If I do this again, I will probably add some of the sun dried tomatoes to the initial casserole mixture). Very important: arrange sun dried tomatoes on top into a heart! Bake for about 15 minutes, and once the vegan cheese shows signs of melting, turn on the broiler for about 5 minutes (watch it carefully! Unfortunately, I didn’t yesterday and some of the tomatoes got a little burnt.)

More Legally Blissful: http://legallyblissful.wordpress.com/2011/07/06/love-casserole/