Chinese Cashew Casserole

Serves: 6
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes

Menu Tips

The approval of your taste buds will put this Chinese dish on your list of favorites. The ease of preparation will put it at the top of the list. This recipe is great fo potluck dinners or other occasions. Serve it with whole grain rice and your choice of cooked vegetables for a complete healthful meal.

Do Ahead Tips

This dish can be amde ahead and refrigerated either before or after baking. Just reheat in oven until it is warmed throughout and the top is lightly brown.

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1 cup celery, chopped or 1 cup water chestnuts, shopped
1 large onion, chopped
1 cup cashew nuts, halved or whole
1 cup dreid Chinese noodles
1 cup fine egg-less noodles, uncooked
1 can vegan mushroom soup, undiluted (you also could use the Easy (Vegan) Cream Sauce recipe or something similar instead of the soup)

In a large mixing bowl, first mix together all ingredients except mushroom soup. Then add mushroom soup and mix gently to evenly coat dry mixture.

Spray oven-proof casserole dish with nonstick vegetable spray. Add cashew mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until lightly browned on top. Serve

Basic (Vegan) Cream Sauce

Pay Special Attention to steps 1 and 2--this is the key to blending a sauce with an authentic look and feel. Many cooks fail here--they don't the mixture long enough. The result is a somewhat gritty and grainy texture. Bland nuts with a small amount of water--enough to submerge them. A thicker mixture results and will become smooth more quickly. Then add the rest of the water in the recipe. This is why, in many of our recipes, some ater is added while blending and them more is added later.

1 cup raw cashew nuts
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt or more to taste
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 tablespoon chicken-like seasoning (or 1 tablespoon food yeast flakes and 1/2 teaspoon more salt)
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
2 tablespoons cornstarch, flour or clear jel
1 1/2" cups more water (to be added after blending)

Place all ingredients in a blender and blend on high for about 2 minutes until smooth.

When mixture is so smooth that no graininess is felt in a drop of it between your thumb and finger, pour into a sauce pan. Add the 1 1/2 cups more water to the blender and swich is around and add to the mixture in the pan. Bring to a boik stirring constantly as i thickens to keep it from lumping. As soon as it thickens, remove from heat.

If a thicker sauce is need return to heat and slowly sitr in more starch that has been dissolved in cold water, letting it come to a gentle boil as it thickens.

Makes 4 cups
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The above recipe was used with the addition of portabella mushrooms to create a condensed soup like vegan substitute to be added in a casserole.

Quinoa with Apricots & Pecans

prep time: 15 min
makes: 4 servings

3 tablespoons chopped pecans
2/3 cups quinoa
2/3 cup orange juice
2/3 cup water
1/3 cup chopped dried apricots
1/4 cup golden raisins
2 green onions, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

In small nonstick, toast peacans over medium heat, stirring often, 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly toasted. Tip onto a plate; let cool.

Please quinoa in a fine mesh stainer; rinse under cold running water 2 minutes. In medium saucepan, stir together quinoa, orange juice and water. Heat to boiling. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Transfer the quinoa to a large bowl. Add apricots, raisins, green onions, cilantro and toasted pecans. Stir in lemon juice, oil and salt.
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This recipe originally from The Sugar Solution Cookbook (2006) p. 234

Oriental Rice

6 cups water
4 cups cooked brown rice
4 cups frozen peas, rinsed
1 cup green onions sliced
4 oz tamari
1 cup slivered almonds

Combine all ingredients cover and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Peanut Sauce

This is a variation of a recipe that was originally in VegNews. Great for dipping Vietnamese style spring rolls or raw veggies.

Make approx 1 1/2 cups

1/8 cup soy sauce (I used Nama Soyu)
1/8 cup seasoned rice vinegar
1/3 cup water
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup peanut butter (more or less depending on desired thickness)
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seed oil
1/2 teaspoon paprika

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth. Adjust peanut butter and water for desired consistency. Serve immediately or chill, if chilled, let come to room temperature before serving.

COLESLAW WITH CASHEW MAYONNAISE

CASHEW MAYONNAISE

1 C cashews, soaked 1-2 hrs., drained
1/2 t paprika
2 cloves garlic
1 t onion powder
3 T lemon juice
1/4 C olive oil
2 T water, or as needed

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and process to a creamy consistency.
Store in refrigerator for up to a week.

COLE SLAW
In a food processor, process to a fine texture (or chop finely)
1 lg. cabbage

Add cashew mayonnaise to taste. Mix all ingredients thoroughly.