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Familiar, comfort foods can taste sooo good and be prepared without sugar, oil or salt.

Thanks to our Green Star member JoAnn who shared this recipe and delicious dish at one of our pot luck dinners.

Ingredients

• Potato Base:

• • 1 14.5 oz cannellini beans or other white beans , drained (save aquafaba) and rinsed
  • 3/4 cup sliced white portion of green onions, chopped shallots or onion
  • 2 tbsp nutritional yeast (without Folic Acid)
  • 1 tbsp unsalted dijon mustard or mustard of choice (not yellow)
  • 1 tsp generous Salt Substitute
  • 1 tbsp dried rosemary or 2 tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
  • 1/3 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
  • 2 clove garlic
  • 1/2 cup cashews (soaked if not using high powered blender)
  • 3 cups plain low-fat non-dairy milk (more if needed)
  • 2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 2 tbsp tahini
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste optional
  • 2- 2 1/2 lbs yukon or red potatoes thinly sliced, peeling optional (see note)
  • 2- 2 1/2 lbs sweet potatoes peeled (see note)
  • 1 large sweet onion, quartered and sliced thin
  • 1 sweet pepper chopped

• Topping:

• 1/2 cup good quality almond meal
• 1 tbsp nutritional yeast for topping
• 1 tbsp Mixed Italian herbs
• few pinches salt substitute for almond meal topping

Steps

1. To make the potato base: In a blender, first combine the beans, onions, nutritional yeast, mustard, table tasty, rosemary, nutmeg, garlic, cashews, milk, lemon juice, tahini, and pepper, if using. Puree until very smooth and silky, add more milk if needed. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place a tray lined with parchment paper on a lower rack to catch any possible drippings. Line with parchment paper or silicone baking mat a 9″ x 13″ (or comparable size) casserole dish. Add a thin layer of the bean mixture to the dish and tilt back and forth so it covers the base. Then, place a layer of white potatoes (about 1/2 the total amount), 1/2 of onions and 1/2 of sweet peppers followed by a layer of about 1/3 of the sauce mixture. The layers do not need to be completely even or measured out; it just helps to layer the potatoes with the sauce a few times to get the sauce between some of the potatoes. Repeat process, next with a layer of all the sweet potatoes, the rest of the onions and sweet peppers then finishing with the remaining white potatoes covered with the remaining sauce.

1. To make the topping: Combine the almond meal, nutritional yeast, and salt in a small bowl (see note for other ideas). Sprinkle over top of the potato and sauce mixture, and cover the dish with aluminum foil. Bake for 50–60 minutes (or longer, if potato slices are thicker), until potatoes are so throughout when pierced with a knife. Remove foil and let bake another for 5–6 minutes or until lightly browned (you can also set the oven to broil for just a minute just to get that golden color on top). Remove from heat and let sit for 5–10 minutes before serving.

Notes

• Potatoes Note: 
• I use about half-and-half white and sweet potatoes, but you can vary up the proportions to your own tastes. 
• For a ‘saucier’ casserole, use the lesser amount of potatoes (3 1/2lbs). 
• To make au gratin: layer with vegan shredded cheese 
• Toppings Note: Almond meal is a very tasty, and gluten-free substitution. 
• Feel free to add a tbsp of nutritional yeast to topping 

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Amy holds a Plant-Based Nutrition Certificate from T. Colin Campbell Center for Nutrition Studies and eCornell