Cauliflower broccoli dairy-free casserole

Seriously?  Why is it that every time I type the words “broccoli cauliflower recipe” into the search bar, all that Google or Bing spews out is “cheesy cauliflower” this and “creamy broccoli” that.  So then I throw the word “healthy” into the search with hope of turning up something that isn’t another broccoli cauliflower casserole or soup.

Still no luck.  However, I was under time constraints so I picked the first recipe that piqued my interest.  When I stumbled on this one, the words written at the top of the page were: “best vegan cauliflower cheese in the universe

With a statement like this, how could I walk away and decide to make something else?   So I put faith into a new (and clearly very talented) recipe creator.

Best. Decision. Ever.

This is a healthier spin on your traditional creamy cauliflower casserole.   Many kids (and moms) I work with have dairy sensitivities that show up as skin issues (like eczema) or digestive discomfort, hence why I love that the creaminess in this casserole is 100% dairy-free.

Nutritional Bonuses:  This dish is nutrient-dense for so many reasons.

  • Coconut milk: Healthy fats and calories for our little ones
  • Cruciferous Veggies: Fiber and a long list of nutrients
  • Turmeric:  High antioxidant value and known to boost the immune system.  Sure, I’ll take fewer snotty noses and winter colds!

 

 

Cauliflower broccoli dairy-free casserole

Dairy-free Broccoli Cauliflower Casserole

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cauliflower, cut into florets
  • 1 head of broccoli, cut into florets
  • 2 garlic cloves
Dairy-Free “Cheese sauce”
  • 1 cup canned coconut milk
  • 3 Tbsp spelt flour (or gluten-free flour like Bob’s Red Mill)
  • 3 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 1 Tbsp organic butter (or vegan butter)
  • ¼ tsp organic turmeric powder
  • Dash of salt
  • 1/4 cup filtered water (or add more if too thick)

Directions:

  1. Saute crushed garlic with avocado oil, then add cauliflower and broccoli cooking until tender.
  2. Set aside cauliflower and broccoli in a baking dish.
  3. Preheat your oven to 440ºF (225ºC).
  4. Add the ingredients for ‘cheese’ sauce in a small pot on medium heat.
  5. Whisk continuously until sauce starts to thicken, then cook on lower heat for another few minutes.
  6. Pour sauce over the cooked cauliflower and broccoli and place in the oven for 20-30 minutes (should be golden on top).

We eventually stopped refilling our plates with slices and just dove our forks right into the casserole dish.  The only person to judge our lack of etiquette at the table was our 3-year-old, but she was focused on licking hot sauce off her plate and drinking salad dressing from her bowl, so judgment was unlikely.

Cauliflower broccoli dairy-free casserole