Savory Spanish Rice & Beans Gratin

My mother would always make us Rice-A-Roni Spanish Rice or Chicken with our dinners growing up. Actually, she started with that "San Francisco Treat" but eventually started to make her own, superior versions of our favorite side dish. She would just add a can of diced tomatoes to the rice and it would give it just that little kick to bring the Spanish flavor! She basically inspired me to get creative when trying to imitate my favorite foods and thus, I created a casserole from one of my childhood side dishes. 

Ingredients:

• 2 servings rice                              ($0.75)
• 1 can petite diced tomatoes        ($0.62)
• ½ green pepper, diced                 ($0.35)
• ½ red pepper, diced                     ($0.99)
• 1 can mixed vegetables               ($0.65)
• 1 can black beans                        ($0.99)
• ½ jar fried onions                         ($0.42)

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. I use a wonderful rice cooker from Japan by the brand Zojirushi that cooks wonderful fluffy rice. I just added a can of diced tomatoes to the cooker and made sure the liquid measurements were correct and it cooked beautifully! If you are using a pan and the stove, just cook the rice as per usual and stir in a can of diced tomatoes after it has finished. Layer the rice in the bottom of a casserole dish. Drain a can of mixed vegetables and pour over the rice. Dice the peppers and toss on top of the rice as well. Drain and rinse the black beans and again, add on top. Finally, top with fried onions and throw it in the oven for 20-25 minutes or until browned and crispy! Let cool for 5 minutes before slicing and plating. 

Cooking rice with diced tomatoes adds a richness and tangy depth

This dish is very colorful and vitamin packed!

Avocado is my most FAVORITE food ever. I will seriously add
it to any food ever. Ever. So naturally, I added avocado here
AND IT WAS DELICIOUS!!!

There you have it, folks. A European twist on the casserole that will be sure to satisfy. Let me know what you guys think in the comments! I hope to hear from some of you. 

Broccoli Cheddar Rice Casserole

Everybody loves the flavor combination of Broccoli and Cheddar. That may or may not be because cheese makes everything better and cheddar is one of the best cheeses. I admit it; I am a vegan who still discusses how amazing some cheeses are! I love cheese. I will always love cheese. I have come to terms with the facts and cheese is bad for animals and the human body, but otherwise, I would literally consume cheese with every meal. With cheddar, the sharper the better! I want to feel the bit from the cheddar on my whole tongue. Anyway, getting back to the recipe... I created this casserole when we needed a hearty, wintery meal that involved cheese (vegan, obviously). Easy, inexpensive and delightfully tasteful, this vegan broccoli cheese casserole kills zero animals and contains zero cholesterol! 

Ingredients:

• 2 heads broccoli                                ($0.99)
• 2 cloves garlic, minced                      ($0.25)
• 1 cup brown rice                                ($0.20)
• 1 cup mushrooms, sliced                  ($0.99)
• 4 tbsp. soy sauce                             ($0.15)
• 1 cup vegetable broth                       ($0.30)
• 2 tbsp. corn starch                             ($0.10)
• 1 cup vegan cheddar cheese           ($2.99)

Preparation:

Cook the rice according to your preferred method of cooking. I use a wonderful Japanese rice cooker that smart senses when the rice is cooked; it takes about two hours but cooking on the stove is completely acceptable. Steam the broccoli for 15 minutes. Feel free to drink one glass of red wine while the broccoli cooks. Mince the garlic and slice the mushrooms. Sauté the mushrooms and garlic for approximately 6 minutes or until the mushrooms soften. Mix in a bowl the soy sauce, broth, and corn starch. Add this to the mushrooms and garlic. This should create a broth-like "cream of mushroom soup" consistency. Turn the heat off. Add the broccoli. Stir well. Place into a casserole pan and top with the vegan cheddar cheese. Daiya makes two types of vegan cheddar cheese. The cheddar-style shreds are oily when heated, but the cheddar-style wedge melts marvelously for a great topping to this casserole. I recommend the block of cheddar, which yields  a more crunchy topping; the shreds will yield a very fine stringy, cheesy, gooey, melty casserole. Preference is important. At this point, you should probably consume one more glass of red wine (make sure it is vegan). Bake in the oven for 20 mins on 350°F. TADA! Broccoli and cheese have come together perfectly in this vegan casserole!

Try not to overcook the broccoli
It will continue to cook in the casserole

Rice cookers do an amazing job of producing fluffy rice
Stove cooked rice will do just fine

Stuffed Mac & Cheese Casserole!

I was waiting to write this recipe until I had posted the Mac & Cheeze blog because it uses the same cheese sauce. This is seriously one of the best casseroles I have ever consumed! And I made up the crazy recipe on accident! After Thanksgiving, I had a bunch of stuffing leftover and did not want it to spoil. I also happen to have leftover Mac & Cheeze. It was a divine intervention! I thought, "Why not combine two of my most favorite things into a casserole!" And perfection was born. I do not want to know how many calories are in it; being vegan, it does not really matter! Make this cheesy casserole the next time you need to warm up! 

Ingredients:

1 unit Mac & Cheeze - recipe here      ($4.03)

1 box vegan stuffing                            ($0.99)

1 jar french fried onions                       ($0.75)

Preparation:

Make the Mac & Cheeze according to the recipe. Prepare the stuffing according to the directions on the package. Place a layer of the stuffing on the bottom of a casserole dish. Put a layer of Mac & Cheeze on the stuffing. Add another layer of stuffing and the last of the Mac & Cheeze. Top with the fried onions and bake for 20 minutes on 350°F. Crunch and munch and then relish the deliciousness of cheesy stuffing casserole! 

For the stuffing, I melted vegan butter in some water

Once boiling, I removed it from heat and covered for 5 minutes

The stuffing is made!

Herbes de Provence makes for a delightfully tasty stuffing

Cheesy goodness! The excess sauce drips down
and saturates the stuffing in cheeeeeeese!

For added texture, add a layer of fried onions in between
each layer of stuffing and cheese

ALL THE CARBS but it is so delicious and so vegan
that you do not have to feel any guilt at all!

Green Bean Casserole

Fall means chilly mornings with steaming hot coffee. Fall means blankets and pajamas and cuddling up watching scary movies. Fall also means warm, home cooked meals that warm the body and the soul. It is most definitely casserole season. I love casseroles; in fact, I could probably manage and run a blog solely dedicated to casserole recipes. For now, here is just a plain-old green bean casserole that is anything but plain-old tasting. Let's go.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans of green beans             ($0.98)
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced       ($0.05)
• 5 large mushrooms                 ($0.16)
• 2 tbsp. (vegan) butter              ($0.12)
• 4 tbsp. soy sauce                    ($0.02)
• 2 cup unsweet almond milk    ($0.20)
• 6 tbsp. whole wheat flour       ($0.02)
• ¼ cup french fried onions       ($0.10)
• 2 tbsp. garlic powder              ($0.08)

Seriously, this casserole costs $1.73 for two generous servings. During these cold nights, I dare you to resist making this casserole and curling up by the fire.

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mince the garlic and slice the mushrooms. Melt the butter in a saucepan with the soy sauce on medium. Sauté the mushrooms for a few minutes. Add the almond milk, garlic powder, and whole wheat flour. Stir until it thickens. This is basically vegan gravy. It is deliciously salty without the animal products! Open the green beans and add to the gravy mix, along with the minced garlic. Cook for 5 minutes. Add this mixture to an oven safe baking dish and add the fried onions on top. I am very generous with this step. The crispy fried onions will only meld with the casserole filling to create a savory crunch sensation when baked. Bake for 20 minutes or until crispy. Let cool 5 minutes before serving. 

I used button mushrooms but for a more chewy texture
use shiitake mushrooms

Earth Balance Buttery Spread in action again!
It is exactly like dairy butter, only VEGAN!

The soy sauce stands in for the chicken broth and
by adding the whole wheat flour, this mixture
thickens for a nice gravy

I have learned many things since starting this blog but my favorite
tip is probably: invest in stainless steel! It will endure the rough
and tough of everyday cooking while still looking fabulous! 

Incorporating all of the ingredients, the sauce should thicken nicely
and the mixture should be warmed through

This recipe serves two impoverished vegans or
four portion-controlled adults

These are the secret ingredient in ANY casserole
Once baked, these french fried onions crete a tasty layer of
crunchy goodness that compliments the thick and creamy
casserole filling

Next time I am going to pour these crispy french fried onions into
the sautéing skillet right before I add it to the oven-safe
baking dish. This will double the amount of crispy goodness!

I added one can of peas to the mix for an earthy flavor

This basic recipe is very versatile. I have some asparagus I am dying to try in a casserole. Feel free to submit your own suggestions for casseroles or how you liked or hated this one!