LIVING AN EXCEPTIONAL LIFE #81

By Rhonda Jones

In 2012, I was part of the first graduating class of the Main Street Vegan Academy, located in New York City. It was an intense five days of training where we learned about all aspects of veganism, and I became certified as a Vegan Lifestyle Coach and Educator.

I attended two more sessions and earned my masters in Vegan Lifestyle Coaching. Later, I wanted to teach clients about healthy eating through a whole food plant-based diet and took Dr. T. Colin Campbell’s course on plant-based nutrition at Cornell University.

I later got my coaching certification from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and then took a year-long, intensive course offered by Dr. Michael Klaper on plant-based nutrition.

In 2017, the Main Street Vegan Academy cookbook was published. I was honored to have two recipes in the cookbook. One of them is a recipe I invented around the holidays, recalling the broccoli-rice casserole that was a mainstay at Thanksgiving dinner. It was the only dish I had to double, and I had very little left over.

I really missed that casserole and decided to make a Vegan version, and after several attempts, I came up with the recipe in the cookbook. It really evolved into a totally different recipe but still reminded me of the one I loved so much. Here is the recipe. (I do have copies of the book, too, if you want one.)

Creamy Crucifer Casserole

Serves 10 to 12

2 cups broccoli florets

1 cup halved Brussels sprouts

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1 cup raw cashews

1 cup water

¼ cup fresh lemon juice

¼ cup almond oil or mild-flavored oil

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

2 garlic cloves roasted (wrap garlic head in foil, roast at 350 for 30 minutes until soft)

1 ½ teaspoons salt

1 pinch cayenne pepper

½ cup diced yellow onion

½ cup chopped celery

½ cup chopped carrots

1 teaspoon onion powder

½ teaspoon garlic powder

½ cup mushroom broth

2 to 3 cups cooked brown rice

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Spread the Brussels sprouts and broccoli florets on a baking sheet. If desired, spray them with a bit of nonstick baking spray and sprinkle with smoked paprika. Roast for about 30 minutes until they are crisp on the outside.

While the vegetables are roasting, make the sauce. In a blender, combine the cashews, water, lemon juice, oil, nutritional yeast, flaxseed, garlic, salt, 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Blend until smooth and creamy, and set aside.

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, heat a small amount of almond oil over medium heat and sauté the onion, celery, and carrot until the onion is translucent and the celery and carrot are getting tender. Add the onion powder and garlic powder and cook for about a minute to bring out the flavor of the spices.

Add the mushroom broth and continue cooking until most of the broth has evaporated. Add the roasted broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and 2 cups of rice to the pan. Stir well, then add the sauce.

Add more rice if there’s more liquid than you would like, but keep in mind the sauce will reduce in the oven.

Transfer the mixture to a casserole dish and bake for 30 minutes or until warmed through and brown on top. Sprinkle some paprika on top for color.

(NOTE: The vegetables can be sautéed with mushroom broth instead of oil. Feel free to use less oil and salt to make the dish healthier.)