Oven Delights

Food for the Holiday Feast

Oven Delights

written by matthew brady photography by shana smith

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Casseroles are a favorite dish to bring to holiday gatherings, and one of the most popular types is the green bean casserole, which has been gracing American tables since the 1950s. This vegan version features fresh ingredients that guests will crave.

Ingredients
Creamy Soup
  • 1 head cauliflower, chopped
  • 1½ cups unsweetened almond milk or soy milk
  • 2 tablespoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons Himalayan salt
  • 1½ tablespoons onion powder
  • ½ tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 2 tablespoons coconut oil, or cooking oil of choice
  • ½ medium-sized white or Spanish onion, finely chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 16 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped

Fried–Onion Topping
  • 2 large white or Spanish onions, thinly sliced
  • 1½ cups soy milk
  • 1½ cups flour
  • 1 teaspoon dried sage
  • 2 teaspoons Himalayan salt
  • 2–4 cups vegetable oil, for frying
  • 1 teaspoon paprika
  • 1 pound fresh green beans, rinsed, trimmed, and halved

Print Recipe
    Soup and fried–onion topping:
  1. Place chopped cauliflower in a large heavy-bottom pan with almond milk, garlic powder, salt, onion powder, and black pepper. Cook until cauliflower is soft. Once soft, blend in a blender until creamy.
  2. Transfer into a large saucepan. In the large pan, heat up coconut oil, and sauté the onions, garlic, and mushrooms until the mushrooms start to lose some of their liquid, about 10 minutes. Once the mushrooms are cooked, add them to the large pot with the cauliflower soup, and simmer on low.
  3. For the onion topping, soak the onions in the milk for a few minutes.
  4. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, sage, and salt.
  5. Heat the oil in a deep pan or deep fryer. Then coat the sliced onions in the flour mixture. Fry the onions in small batches until they are crunchy.
  6. Drain on a towel, and season with paprika.
    7. Green beans and the casserole:
  7. Preheat oven to 475°F.
  8. Bring a large saucepan of water and 1 teaspoon of salt to a boil. Add in the beans, and blanch for 3 minutes. Drain, and set aside to allow to completely dry.
  9. Add the green beans and half of the fried onions to the cauliflower soup mixture, and stir to combine.
  10. Transfer to a large casserole dish, and bake for 15 minutes, or until bubbling.
  11. Remove, top with remaining fried onions, and serve immediately.

Try your hand at this easy vegan casserole, and be sure to post photos of your side dish on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #ALMbites.

Spaghetti Squash Bake

Because of its color, taste, and prevalence, spaghetti squash is a favorite fall vegetable. With this recipe, you can easily turn it into a delicious dish packed with fresh veggies—making it a standout meal for your Thanksgiving holiday.

Ingredients
  • 1 medium spaghetti squash
  • Olive oil
  • Salt and pepper
  • ½ medium onion, diced
  • 2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
  • 1 red pepper, diced
  • 1 tomato, diced
  • 1 cup baby spinach, finely chopped
  • 2 cups pasta sauce
  • Oregano or basil
  • 1 cup mozzarella cheese
  • Parmesan cheese, grated (optional)

Print Recipe
  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F.
  2. Cut the squash in half lengthwise, and remove the seeds. Brush with oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place halves flesh side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 30–45 minutes, or until the flesh starts pulling away.
  3. Drizzle oil into a sauté pan, add onions, garlic, peppers, and tomatoes, and sauté over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until vegetables turn soft, about 10-15 minutes.
  4. Add spinach to pan, and cook for 1 minute, making sure the spinach doesn’t start to wilt.
  5. Remove squash from oven, and let cool. Scoop out the squash strands with a fork, and combine with vegetable mixture and pasta sauce in a bowl. Add mixture to a casserole dish lightly greased with oil. Add spices, if desired.
  6. Top with mozzarella cheese, sprinkle Parmesan on top, if desired, and bake for another 15–20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Try this take on a bake, and be sure to post photos of your culinary creation on Facebook and Instagram using the hashtag #ALMbites.

For more easy-to-make recipe ideas, visit americanlifestylemag.com/recipes.

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Posted in Article, Issue 86 Vol 1, Recipe on Sep 06, 2017