Vegetarian – Page 2 – Synfully Vegan

The casserole is a French dish cooked with an ensemble of vegetables or meat (just vegetables or cheese), in a deep pan called “Casserole Pan” or “casserole dish”. Though most of the traditional recipes has rice in them, the more recently popular recipes are similar to mac and cheese, with some added ingredients like meat, egg, vegetables, cheese, etc., depending on the flavor. Traditional Easter Foods are filled with quite a few non-vegetarian dishes, like butter lamb or Easter ham. Made using, the remaining chicken, bacon, or beef, you can pull off a hearty and filling meal by making a casserole. There are a plethora of recipes available for these casseroles, but extremely difficult to find vegetarian casserole ones. Hence, we bring you a scrumptious vegetarian cauliflower casserole recipe, which you are bound to fall in love with. There are a few relished Casserole recipes like cauliflower and broccoli, cauliflower and mashed potatoes, butternut squash and spinach casserole, baked ziti, sweet potato and quinoa casserole, corn casserole, etc., that are popular Easter dishes. All of them are equally good vegetarian recipes. However the one which stands out is the Cheesy Cauliflower and Potato Casserole, which is not only easy to make but tastes much better than many non-vegetarian ones too. Filled with the goodness of vegetables, this loaded casserole is a must-try. Now not just Easter, you have the perfect delicious vegetarian casserole for all your holidays. Ingredients (serves 5 to 6 people) Two cups of shredded hash brown potatoes, (frozen)½ medium green pepper 1 spring onion, finely choppedOne cup of cheddar cheese, shreddedOne cup of milkOne pound of cauliflowerThree tablespoons of butter5 ounces of sour cream¼ tablespoon of salt½ tablespoon of garlic powder Instructions Chop the cauliflower into bite-sized florets and place them in a microwave-safe heat resistant bowl. Baking the cauliflower first before cooking it, makes it tastier as they absorb the flavours easily. They also reduce the carbohydrate content in the dish. Add about three tablespoons of water to the bowl, and cover the bowl with a foil. Steam the cauliflower in your microwave oven for about five to eight minutes, till it is soft and tender. You can follow the usual way of steaming the cauliflower by boiling it in water, but later, make sure you drain out the excess water from the container. Note: Roasting is a better way to cook the cauliflower first, as it gives a nice and crispy texture to it, but be more cautious during this process, lest you might end up overcooking it. Remove the bowl from the oven and transfer its contents into a food processor. Add at least 3 to 4 tablespoons of butter and five ounces of sour cream into the mix. The quantity can be varied depending on how creamy you would like your casserole to be.Add the garlic powder, spring onions and the green pepper into the food processor along with the creamy cauliflower mixture, and process all the ingredients till they look like mashed potato in terms of consistency.Steam two cups of frozen hash brown potatoes and then place them in the casserole dish. (Any dish smaller than two litres in volume is sufficient). An alternative to potatoes, you can use various other vegetarian options like broccoli. Finely grate the broccoli and add them to the food processor along with the cauliflower and the seasonings. Pour the contents of the food processor into the casserole. Add the cup of milk and mix the mashed potato (or broccoli, whichever is being used).Add some salt and pepper for seasoning. (Note: since you have already added some green pepper before, be wary of how much you add the second time, as it shouldn’t be too spicy)Spread the contents of the dish uniformly. Layer a generous amount of cheddar cheese on top of the casserole dish, and flatten the mixture gently. Place the casserole dish into the microwave oven at about 450 degrees Fahrenheit for roughly 20 minutes.The cheese would have melted and formed a rich creamy mixture with the other ingredients. You can sprinkle a little more cheese on top of the casserole. You don’t need to heat the dish again, as the cheese sprinkled on top will melt on its own within a couple of minutes due to the heat. Tips To Make Your Cauliflower Casserole Better If you do not like to use onions or spring onions, a great alternative to make casserole are chives. Although they come from the same family of plants, chives are closer to being herb than a vegetable. They are narrower and are less pungent than spring onions, making them an ideal choice to use as garnishing, especially in soups, baked potatoes, and especially our cauliflower casserole. Another advantage of using chives is, it is nutritionally richer, but the spring onions give a denser flavor to the dish. Cauliflowers are the ideal choice due to its low-calorie content. Among the hash brown mashed potato and the broccoli, the choice varies from person to person. Both compliment the cauliflower’s flavor in the casserole surprisingly well. Broccoli is more nutrient-rich, whereas mashed potato, makes up for a tastier and more filling meal. As the cheese melts, it is going to make your dish a touch saltier. So, restrict the amount of salt you add to taste, to a bare minimum. You can also make a loaded casserole by adding in other vegetables such as carrots, beans, peas, bell peppers, etc., along with cheese and cream. You can sprinkle some herbs for added flavour. Nutritional Benefits of Vegetarian Cauliflower Easter Casserole Cauliflower has extremely low carbohydrate content. It is also rich in fiber content than many other vegetables. Hence eating this is going to make you feel fuller for a longer duration and is a great vegetable to incorporate into your meal.Broccoli has a rich dose of micronutrients such as potassium, iron and vitamins C and K. This crunchy vegetable is also consumable raw as well as cooked. So, there is no danger of under-cooking this healthy vegetable. It's mere presence in this dish is going to shoot up the nutritional benefits of the dish. It also releases folic acid, which is very helpful in weight reduction.Potatoes are rich in vitamins, fiber content and potassium and have extremely low sodium levels. These are also a healthy source of vitamin B6, which regulates the enzymes controlling the metabolism of the body. Contrary to popular belief, potatoes are a healthy vegetable to consume. The unhealthy aspect of the potato dishes comes into picture because many of the potato-based foods are fried or deep fried in oil (which is not needed in the casserole).The butter, sour cream, milk and cheese provide you with all the goodness of consuming dairy, like calcium content, micronutrients, proteins, etc. This also increases the fat content in the dish. The creamier the dish, the tastier it will be, but it comes with a cost - higher cholesterol and fat levels. This can be curbed by using alternative plant-based products. Make sure to have a look at my article on top milk alternatives! Since most of these products are processed in factories, they have a stronger grip on the amount of cholesterol, fat and other unwanted nutrients in them.Traditional Casserole has bacon strips or bits, which is extremely unhealthy and also poses a threat to your cardiovascular system over the long run. This is true for most alternative red meats they use to make this dish, due to their high fat content. Cauliflower is available throughout the year, which also means that your vegetarian cauliflower casserole can be prepared any time and for any occasion, not just Easter. Casseroles have always been a popular dish world over. What’s new is that there are vegetarian and vegan alternatives that have been gaining popularity. For those who are looking at vegetarian diet as a new way of life, these alternative recipes fit in just right. They do not compromise on taste, flavor or nutrition.