A couple of dinners....

Carrot Zucchini Crumb Casserole


This is from Dreena Burton's The Everyday Vegan. I used fresh carrots and zucchini from the garden. This dish is listed as a main course, but I think it would be much better as a side. A combination of things went wrong here. It is getting colder so the garden isn't giving up much anymore - I think the zucchini lacked flavour and freshness. Also, I don't think it was cooked enough either. I tried cooking it some more, but it really didn't come out much better. The soft tofu in this gave it a nice protein kick.

Cheezy Rice and Broccoli Casserole
Next up, in my attempt to cut back on cheese intake and move towards veganism, is my first creation from The Uncheese Cookbook. I had high hopes for this since Vegan Diva had been raving about it. I was a bit disappointed with the taste - I expected more cheese flavour - but unfortunately it did not deliver. Now here is the funny part. My daughter kept complaining that she didn't like it, but she ate a whole bowl of it! Also, my hubby polished off the entire casserole after my daughter and I were done with it. So, it wasn't anything really special, but it is SUPER easy to make, so I expect I will make it again. I made mine with brown basmati rice for an additional nutrition kick. Broccoli is one of those wonder foods that provides cancer protection. Like other cruciferous vegetables, broccoli contains phytochemicals--sulforaphane and the indoles--with significant anti-cancer effects. I served this with one of my favourite salads in a bag. This is an Asian mix. I can't wait for the baby greens and baby spinach to come back on the shelves. (Really do North Americans need another detour from eating fresh greens? iy yi yi!)

And if I may, a little rant. If one more person asks me how I get my protein, so help me! My ideal response is to ask how they get their 5-10 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Unfortunately I have not figured out a way to bring this in politely. Even the Canadian food guide only recommends two servings of protein a day. When is our protein obsessed society going to wake up and discover the health benefits of consuming large amounts of vegetables and fruits to fight against heart disease, stroke, cancer and type two diabetes?