Vegan "Cheesy" Winter Vegetable Bake

3/27/2019

If you've followed any of my previous recipes, you know from time to time I grocery shop in my pantry and refrigerator to concoct various recipes. Although spring is officially here, I rummaged through my fridge and noticed some odds and ends. A little bit of broccoli. A few strips of kale. A bit of carrot. I had various unused veggies, and realized some form of a cheesy bake could be the next creation.

I am advocate of reducing food waste as much as possible. Because of living in Europe, the European lifestyle differs from America. European grocery items are smaller and their cities are more dense, meaning they shop for what they need either that day or for a couple of days. In America, we are car dependent and our bulk shopping culture means that buying more for less often leads to food waste.

To reduce the waste I mixed a bunch of winter vegetables together in a bowl and followed the sauce recipe I created for my Vegan Macaroni + Cheese. Mix the veggies, make the sauce, stir together, bake and voila - a perfect side dish or main meal! Hearty and healthy, this bake balances macronutrients in a clean, refined-carbohydrate way.

Vegan "Cheesy" Winter Vegetable Bake
Prep Time: 5-10 minutes
Bake Time: 50 minutes

Ingredients:
2 cups (14 oz.) cauliflower rice
1 small carrot, diced
1 small head of brocolli, chopped
1 small leek, chopped
2 cups kale, finely chopped
Sauce from the Mac and cheese recipe

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Chop vegetables and mix into a bowl. Make the Mac-and-cheese sauce.

Sauce:
In a pan, sautée the garlic and onion in butter or oil for 3-5 minutes. Add the cornstarch and mix. Next add the milk and cook for 2-3 minutes. Take the liquid and put it with the remaining ingredients into a blender. Blend until smooth. (To make it quicker, after sautéing the onions and garlic, add everything to the blender, blend until smooth and then mix with the vegetables.

Pour the sauce over the vegetables and mix until combined. Pour into a greased baking pan (11x7 or 9x13). Bake for 50 minutes.

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