Cheesy Cauliflower and Potato Bake from The Abundance Diet

The Abundance Diet by Somer McCowen

This has been vegan book season! It seems like many of my friends have books coming out this spring and fall. I wanted to share a recipe for Cheesy Cauliflower and Potato Bake from The Abundance Diet by my friend, Somer McCowan.

Somer runs the blog Vedged Out, and is super creative when it comes to recipe development.  I’ve shared her Kick Ace Extra Sharp Raw Vegan Cheese Ball and I have her new Chocolate Chip Cookies made with aquafaba on my to-make list.

Photo by Ann Oliverio

It was hard to pick just one recipe to share with you. I thought this Cheesy Cauliflower and Potato Bake would be just the thing to take to a summer potluck. It’s a great way to introduce people to making their favorite dishes healthier.

You just cook the potatoes and cauliflower, make the cashew cheesy sauce, then mix everything together and bake.

You could also cook it in the slow cooker, but make sure you try it while you’re at home the first time to get the timing right. Make sure to line the crock with foil or parchment paper so it doesn’t burn and to make cleanup easier.

Photo by Ann Oliverio

Somer’s book is broken down into 4 parts:

1. Getting Started where she talks about her journey to healthy eating and how to get your kitchen set up for success
2. The 28-Day Meal Plan which gives you the meal plans and shopping lists for 4, 2 or 1 person so you don’t even have to do the math!
3. The Recipes section is the most abundant of the book which will come as no surprise. There are over 100 gluten-free recipes for green smoothies, breakfast, salads and dressings, soups and stews, dips and snackage, main dishes, desserts and a juice feast.
4. Fitness and Maintenance is where Some gives you tips about exercising and how to maintain your new healthy way of  eating at the end of the 28 days.

I think The Abundance Diet is a great choice if you are new to eating healthy, need a little help getting back on track, or for anyone looking to add some new tasty recipes into their meal rotation.

I can’t wait to make the Raspberry Lemonade Green Smoothie, Gluten-free Carrot Cake Waffles, Creamy Vegan Ranch Dressing, Nicoise Salad with Smoked Tofu and Creamy Miso Dressing, and the Cherry Garcia Soft-Serve that does not require an ice cream maker!

Photo by Ann Oliverio

5 4

4 reviews

Cheesy Cauliflower and Potato Bake

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Serves 4 servings     adjust servings

This is a lighter and fresher version of an artery-clogging cholesterol-laden casserole made with potatoes, sour cream, cheese, butter, gelatinous cream-of-something soup, cornflakes coated in butter, and more cheese. This satisfying bake doesn’t leave you feeling like you need to take a nap afterwards. (Recipe from The Abundance Diet, © 2015 by Somer McCowan. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press LLC.)

Ingredients

Filling Ingredients

• 2 large russet potatoes (1 pound), peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 1 small head cauliflower, cut into small florets (4 heaped cups)

Sauce Ingredients

• 1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked 4 to 6 hours)
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 3 tablespoons tapioca starch
• 1 tablespoon mellow white miso
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 1 tablespoon dry sherry (optional)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard powder
• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• Dash of cayenne

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large pot, bring 6 to 8 cups of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes and cauliflower, reduce the heat to medium, and boil for 10 minutes. Don’t worry if the vegetables are still slightly firm, as they will continue cooking in the oven.
2. While the vegetables are cooking, make the cheesy sauce: In a blender or food processor, combine the cashews, almond milk, tapioca starch, miso, smoked paprika, garlic, salt, onion powder, vinegar, tomato paste, sherry, mustard powder, nutritional yeast, and cayenne and blend until completely smooth and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes.
3. Drain the potatoes and cauliflower in a colander. Arrange the cooked vegetables in a lightly oiled 9×9-inch square casserole dish. Pour the cheesy sauce over the vegetables, gently folding the
4. sauce into the vegetables if necessary.
5. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until the top is crusty and golden, the sauce is thickened, and the
6. vegetables are completely cooked through.

by Kathy Hester