Roasted Cauliflower and Brown Rice Casserole

I didn’t get any cooking done last weekend because…. we were tearing through the season’s last powder piles at Alta.  It was incredible!  We hiked Devil’s Castle and had some of the best turns yet, all under bluebird skies.  Therefore, I have to pull a recipe from the archives to share this week.  Here is my creamy (non-dairy) casserole made with roasted cauliflower and roasted garlic, mixed with brown rice and an almond-milk cream sauce. Yum!  Of course, my favorite optional topping would be truffle oil.  I also like to serve this with a simple green salad and add in different nuts, seeds and veggies.  Hope you enjoy!

Now back to that delicious casserole……

1/2 head cauliflower; chopped in florets

3 cloves garlic

salt & pepper

EVOO (extra virgin olive oil)

1 cup brown rice (uncooked)

2 TBS earth balance vegan butter

1 TBS flour (I used wheat)

1 cup almond milk (unsweetened and non-flavored)

pinch of nutmeg

3 TBS breadcrumbs

3 TBS nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp Italian seasoning

Optional: Truffle oil

Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spread the cauliflower florets on a sheet pan and add the garlic cloves – keep the peels on the garlic cloves!  Drizzle the cauliflower and garlic with EVOO and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Cook for about 35-40 minutes while the rice cooks.  Check on the cauliflower every 5-10 minutes or so and give a little stir around the pan.

Cook the brown rice according to directions (I added a sprinkle of salt and 1 TBS earth balance after the water boiled)

While the rice and cauliflower cook, you can whip up the white sauce.  Heat the almond milk in the microwave for 45 seconds and set aside.  Next heat 1 TBS earth balance in a small pan, then whisk in the flour.  Cook for a couple minutes then whisk in the almond milk.  Keep whisking until no lumps exist.  Stir in a sprinkle of salt, pepper and a pinch of nutmeg.

Next mix the breadcrumbs and nutritional yeast topper together and set aside in a bowl.

When everything is ready, smoosh the garlic out of the peels (let them cool first!).  Now you can add everything into a pie pan (or any baking dish).  Start with the rice, then add in the cauliflower and garlic, then the sauce.  Mix well and top with the breadcrumb/nutritional yeast combo.

Drizzle some EVOO on top then bake for about 20 minutes. Serve with a drizzle of truffle oil and a green salad, enjoy!