Slap ya Mammy Vegan Squash Casserole

Hip Hip Hooray for comfort food!  I am in the most delightful mood today.  I am totally giddy and not sure why.  I always relate being in a great mood to the memory of laying in my bed in the apartment I shared with my grandmother in college (odd, I know... but my grandma happens to be the coolest woman I know).  I wake up to the sound of her clanging around in the kitchen, the smell of biscuits baking, and the crackling and popping of bacon on the stove.  The house is nice and cool, and the t.v. in the living room is at a low lull, as to not disturb the sleeping baby (me), on the weather channel of course, and the fan urges me to hide under the sheets.  Not an issue in the world could ruin that moment.  No matter the difficulties life threw, there was something about those days that just brought peace and comfort.  The inability to revisit that scenario is the hardest thing about being a vegan.  My grandmother is alive and well, but lacks the initiative to revamp her famous recipes.  I however, am on a mission to provide those memorable morning moments to my children and grandchildren, with vegan versions.  So this dear friends is a pretty amazing replication of her squash casserole. Not many ingredients to boast of, just the simplicity of yellow squash, salt balance, and a little "cheese", really.  I hope you enjoy this "Slap ya Mammy, A.K.A. Grandma Retha's, squash casserole" as much as we do.

(GF) To make this dish gluten free, use a gluten free cracker instead of the Ritz crackers (like Glutino brand, which can be found in walmart), and make sure your vegan butter is gluten free too.  The one listed is gluten free, and so is this particular "cheese".

Ingredients:

6 medium sized squash cut into 1 inch chunks

2.5 Cups of Crushed ritz crackers 
1.5 Cups of Cheddar Daiyah cheese (or half Cheddar, half Mozzarella)

3/4 stick of vegan margarine or 1/4 cup vegan butter (I use Earth Balance Coconut spread)

3/4 onion, uncooked and chopped (I have used purple and yellow, both work)

3/4 Cup almond milk (original, not vanilla)

1.5 tsp. Salt (add or subtract to your needs)
2 Tbs. flax seed or 3 flax meal

Directions:

Boil squash til tender, drain off water
Grind your flax seed into meal with a coffee grinder and mix with 6 tablespoons of water in a separate bowl (Or if you used pre-ground flax meal, skip the grinding) This is going to set your casserole like eggs would.

Mix all ingredients in the pot, except 1/2 of the cheese and 1/2 of the crackers (those will be used on top)

Dump into a large, oiled casserole dish and bake 40 min. on 350.
Remove from oven and sprinkle remaining cheese, and then remaining crackers on top

Turn oven OFF

Return to oven for a couple of minutes to help melt the cheese underneath the crackers

Remove and cool for at least 15 minutes to allow casserole to set (longer is better, even if you have to reheat).

Just enough water to cover the squash.

Mix it all in the pot!

In the dish, ready to bake!

Yummers!

Chicken not-pie

Oooh I remember those sundays when my mom would throw a few chicken pot pies in the oven, and put on a good disney movie, and we'd all pile up in one bed and well..... just eat!  It seems like every good memory has a food involved.  I suppose that's why we're all so familiar with the term "comfort food".  This is definitely a comfort food for me.  I'm so happy to offer my children a vegan version with all of the creamy richness, and awesome cuddling to go with it!  This is no robust or eccentric casserole, it's a basic creamy pot pie, minus the chicken, that can be tweaked how you like.  The trick to the perfect pot pie is to get the salt balance right.  This recipe makes two casseroles.  One for now, and one to freeze.  I'm all about time management.  If you only want one, divide each ingredient in half and keep in mind you'll only need one pot/dish to complete.  Get ready to cuddle.   ♨ = ♥

(GF) Gluten Free Variation:  To make this dish gluten free, you can easily leave off the pizza dough, and bake for 45 minutes to set.  Or you can find gluten free pizza dough mix at your grocer or health food store (such as Arrowhead Mills) follow the directions, and simply place your dough on top, instead of the canned dough.  Also, make sure your meat substitute is gluten free, like "Butler's soy curls", or leave it out.

Ingredients:

8 cups of the vegetables of your choice, potatoes and carrots are important for this nostalgic dish (use 2 bags of Vegetable soup/stew mix found in the freezer aisle, if you don’t have time to chop veggies)

(cubed potatoes, carrots, diced onion, peas, corn...etc. Be creative!)

2 cups of Rice

2 tsp. salt

2 Tbs. olive oil (or coconut)

2 “pizza crusts” (they come in canisters, I use Pillsbury “thin” crust)

1/5 Cup of  shredded “Daiyah” Vegan Chedder cheese (OPTIONAL)

1 Cup of meat substitute (Morning star chickn strips cubed, TVP, soy curls, I use whatever I have on hand)(OPTIONAL)

1/4 stick Vegan Margarine (such as “Earth Balance”)(OPTIONAL, just makes it creamier)

4 Cups of “Cream sauce”

To Make Cream sauce blend the following on high for 2 minutes until smooth (rub between thumb and finger to test grity-ness) Blend with just 2 cups of water to start with, then add 2 after a minute (helps smooth faster)

1 Cup of cashews (raw or roasted)

2 Tbs. Chicken-like seasoning ( I use “Country Life”, but you can purchase any type at a health-food store, or there are recipes to make your own all over the internet)

1 tsp. salt (or more to taste)

1.5 tsp. garlic powder

4 tsp. onion powder

2 Tbs. cornstarch (thickens the cream)

3.5 Cups (total) water (Your liquid in the blender should equal 4 Cups after blending

Directions:

~Get out two large pots.  Boil your vegetables and alternative meat with 1 Tbs. salt in one pot.  Boil your rice with 2 Tbs. olive oil and 1 Tbs. salt in the other.

~Once both are soft,(about 25 minutes) drain excess water off, and combine all in one of the pots

~If you choose to use the optional “Daiyah cheese” and the margarine, mix in now along with your blended Cream Sauce until thoroughly mixed, and margarine is melted

~Spray two large casserole dishes with oil (I use a misto-sprayer with organic olive oil)(don't forget to use a freezable/disposable dish for the one you're going to freeze)

~Taste your mixture to see if you need more salt (add by half tsp.s if it’s too bland)[THIS WILL MAKE OR BREAK the dish!]

~Pour half the mixture into one dish, and half into the other dish

~Bake both for 20 minutes on 350 degrees to set the mixture

~Remove from oven and roll out your “pizza crust” over the top of each casserole (CAREFUL it’s hot!)

~ Cut a few slits in dough with a knife, and finish baking according to the pizza crust directions (usually 13 minutes on 425 degrees)

~Remove from oven when crust is tan and crispy! Serve warm and gooey, or freeze for later. (reheat after thawed on 350, covered for 20 minutes)

Sicilian Lasagna

There's nothing more inviting than the smell of a lasagna baking in the oven.  This is a wonderful dish to treat your guest to, serve at church potluck, or be greedy and keep all to yourself :) You can change the amounts of each vegetable to your own liking.  I never measure, so I'm sure it's quite different each time, yet, the combination of these vegetables always turns out a magnificent product!
I always serve my lasagna with a nice crispy salad, a baked potato, some sort of bean, and garlic bread... but that's because my husband is like a garbage disposal when he's in "beast mode" from the gym.  It's serves up nicely right by itself.

(GF) Gluten Free Variation:  Use "Tinkyada" Gluten free lasagna noodles instead of the regular.  They are outstanding.  Also, replace the quick oats in the vegan mozzarella with cooked rice, grits, or millet.  "Daiyah" is made from tapioca starch and is gluten free.

Lasagna right before it's baked

First Layer (Spinach, Mushrooms, Veggie Burger, onions, sauce)

Second layer (Vegan mozzarella first)

Second layer (Squash and Zucchini on top of Moz.)

Top Layer with optional Daiyah cheese (before adding Marinara, and Sun dried tomatoes)

                     

• Ingredients:
  
  
  

  Sicilian lasagna noodles (very thin/ and you don't have to pre-boil them) or "oven Ready" lasagna
  2 handfuls of Baby spinach
  1/5 of a zucchini (sliced)
  1/5 of a squash (sliced)
  1 small box of baby portabellas sliced

  
  

  1 Cup of veggie burger crumbles
  1/2 of a large purple onion (diced)
  1 recipe "vegan mozzarella sauce" Or a cup of your favorite vegan moz. Cheese
  2 jars of "Barilla" marinara (I like the herb and basil kind)
  1/2 Cup of "California" Sun dried tomatoes

  
  

  
  First, you're going to make the vegan mozzarella,  so it can be thickening on the stove. The Recipe is listed below the directions.
  
  Directions:
  
  
  

  ~In a large casserole dish, spread about 3 Tbs of marinara, so that your noodles don't stick and burn.
  Then you layer the following:
  ~1st layer of noodles (cover the bottom of the dish)
  one layer of spinach (about 2 handfuls/however much you like)
  one layer of sliced mushrooms
  sprinkle veggie burger over mushrooms
  sprinkle diced onion
  drizzle about a half cup of marinara over all, and spread even with the back of a spoon
  ~2nd layer of noodles
  Spread all moz. cheese evenly across noodles
  layer sliced zucchini and squash (overlapping is okay)
  ~3rd layer of noodles
  Sprinkle a little shredded mozzarella (or daiyah [vegan] cheese on top (optional, because you already have one thick layer of cheese)

  
  

  Pour marinara over, about a 1/4 inch thick, and spread evenly with the back of a spoon
  ~Take half cup of sun dried tomatoes and spread them out evenly on top of marinara
  ~Bake 1 hour covered, then 30 minutes uncovered on 350 degrees. Enjoy!
  
  Vegan Mozzarella:
  2 Tbs. Tahini Butter (peanut butter aisle)
  1/4 Cup Nutritional Yeast flakes (healthfood store)
  3 Tbs. Quick oats
  2 Tbs. Lemon Juice
  1 tsp. garlic powder
  1.5 tsp. onion powder
  1.5 tsp. salt
  1 Tbs. Cornstarch
  1 Cup of water
  
  Blend smooth, and thicken on low heat. stir every few minutes, and use immediately or freeze for later.  After it is frozen, it can easily be shredded with a grater, if you need it for pizza, or other recipes.  You don't have to do that for this.  Use all of it for this lasagna.