Well, it excites me to know that others share my enthusiasm for these crazy posts. And boy, sometimes do I ever feel like I am slowly going crazy. Voting is now open, if you care to help me advance to the next round.
While the challenges are certainly demanding, I am having lots of fun. I enjoy that each challenge gives a lot of room for interpretation and creativity so I don’t feel too restricted with what I ‘have’ to do.
You know what else I enjoy?
Using leftovers in fun ways.
The Protein Power Chili that I made for Challenge #6 made a huge pot and quite frankly, I am getting sick of eating bowl after bowl of chili. Sure, I could freeze it, but my freezer is already brimming with goodies (Power Me Up Pumpkin Sesame Cookies and Strawberry Oat Squares, I am looking at you!).
I used the chili in place of a pasta sauce in this layered casserole recipe.
Layered Eggplant and Zucchini Casserole
Adapted from here.
Ingredients:
- 2 medium eggplants
- 1.5 medium zucchini, thinly sliced
- 2 cups leftover homemade chili OR pasta sauce
- One 15-ounce can navy (great northern) beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 tablespoon nutritional yeast (optional)
- 1 teaspoon basil
- 1/2 teaspoon oregano
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 cup spinach (optional)
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1/2-3/4 teaspoon sea salt, to taste
- Vegan parmesan cheese, for garnish
Directions: Preheat oven to 450F. Peel the eggplants and cut into 1/4-inch slices. Lay on a lined baking sheet and pre-cook eggplant only for about 15 minutes, or until shrivelled (see picture below). Remove from oven and cool. While the eggplant is cooking, slice the zucchini and set aside. Now prepare your bean filling, by processing the drained beans, herbs, salt, garlic, olive oil, and nutritional yeast (optional) in a food processor until smooth. Gather the eggplant, zucchini, sauce, and bean filling and get ready to layer your casserole.
Preheat oven to 425. Grease a mid-sized rectangular casserole dish with oil. Put a thin layer of sauce in the bottom of the dish as shown below. Arrange 1/3 of the eggplant slices over the sauce. Spread 1/2 of the bean filling over the eggplant, and put half of the zucchini on top. Add a layer of the sauce. Repeat eggplant, bean filling, zucchini, and sauce. Place the final layer of eggplant over the top and pour the remaining sauce evenly over top, spreading with a spoon.
Bake for about 40 minutes at 425F. Once zucchini is cooked remove from oven and allow to cool for about 5-10 minutes before serving. Sprinkle on some vegan parmesan cheese if desired. Makes 4-6 servings.
First things first, pre-bake the eggplant until it gets all shrivelled up like my hands after too many dishes.
That’s about right.
(Note: 2 sliced eggplants made about 3 baking sheets worth!)
Slice up your zucchini!
Now make the creamy filling with navy beans, herbs, garlic, and sea salt.
The original recipe called for 1 cup of spinach in the creamy filling, however I didn’t have any. I would use it if you have some, but by no means is it necessary for it to work.
Lightly oil a casserole dish and spread on a thin layer of chili or pasta sauce.
That’ll do.
Now add a layer of sliced (pre-cooked) eggplant. Try not to eat them all before using! Or maybe that is just me who loves baked eggplant fresh out of the oven.
Followed by a layer of creamy filling…
(It is a bit hard to spread around, but not to worry!)
Next a layer of zucchini…
Followed by a layer of chili or pasta sauce
Now repeat the full set.
And finish with a layer of eggplant and sauce!
Bake for about 40 minutes at 425F.
Let cool for about 10 minutes and serve.
This casserole is weird and wonderful and downright crazy, but I loved it. Lots of different textures and flavours. The creamy filling was also quite nice!
I almost caught myself thinking the eggplant was a lasagna noodle! The eggplant really worked in this casserole.
I sprinkled lots of Vegan parmesan cheese on top for fun.
Now, I shall enjoy a Pecan Pie truffle for dessert and finish up my work for the day.
What recipes would you like to see coming up on OSG?
Holy moly that looks amazing! I love making chili when its cold but get tired of it before I make it to the bottom of the pot. I am making this one stat!
That casserole looks so good!!
My Mother always makes apple dumplings for the holidays, and I would love it if you could make
A vegan version of apple dumplings!! :)
Love this recipe! I have a pureed bean sauce with broccoli and zucchini already pureed into the sauce that has been sitting in my freezer that I could use for this recipe! Although I think layered zucchini when I already have zucchini pureed in the sauce might be a bit much – what do you think?
hmmm I guess it depends how much of a zucchini taste the puree has…I find generally, zucchini is quite light tasting in flavour so it might work?
Thanks Angela, you are right, the zucchini flavour is not too strong in my sauce so I will try this recipe out my family this week. Thanks again!
Love your use of leftovers! The creamy bean layer looks especially good, and might be tasty in a lasagna dish too! Can’t wait to try this!
I’d love to see the recipes from the food blog challenge 6! Unless I missed the memo and they are somewhere! They all look fabulous!
Thanks!!! :)
yup they are linked in the challenge #6 post, right underneath the menu thingy :)
‘cept for the cakes ….those are coming up in a week or two.
I love veggie only lasagnas!! I would like to see some recipes for candies with the holidays coming up. I usually make fudge and truffles but I really need some recipes that are cleaner!
This looks so good! Cant wait to try the recipe out!
I would have eaten all the eggplant before it made it to the casserole dish, lol. I LOVE roasted egg plant. Looks delish!
Now that looks great. Wow.
What would I like to see you make? Angela, you nail it always, I can’t think of anything, I am happy as can be reading your posts. :)
I’d also love to see some vegan macaroni and cheese, or just a cheesy sauce (vegan)…
I’m going to make your cheesy savoury oats tonight… I can’t wait!!
Keep up the awesome work :)
Steph xxx
Ange, I love all your recipes and always look forward to seeing what you come up with next! Even though I love to cook, I usually go for the simple recipes because I have such a small kitchen (it is the size of a broom closet) and I try to minimise the number of pans/equipment that I use to save on cleaning up – it’s so disheartening to enjoy a delicious meal and then have a war zone to clean up afterwards! I would love to see some more hearty fall/winter vegan dinners that can be made in one pan, or just in the oven, similar to what you’ve done here! Looks scrumptious! :)
You are a cooking genius!
I hope you’ll do a caramel/candied apple post! I can only imagine the clever toppings & decorations you would think up!
Why don’t you roast the zucchini too in this recipe?
Hmm. That bean filling kind of excites me because it reminds me of the baked ziti I used to make (somehow it reminds me of cottage cheese). I’m sure it tastes nothing like that, though :-)
its funny it reminded me of cheese filling too! Not so much taste wise, but something about it I liked. It was creamy and lovely.
Angela, this recipe looks delicious! I can’t wait for you to post about your Cake in a Jar Parfaits. The Triple Layer Pumpkin Pecan Cheesecake was speaking to me. You definitely got my vote. As for what I’d like to see coming up on OSG, how about a Vegan Chess Pie (oh how I miss those!). I asked my husband his opinion and he immediately responded, “Vegan Chicken Fried Chicken!” Now that’s something I haven’t tried to conquer in the kitchen!
Your creativity keeps inspiring me!
I noticed your a Parisian at heart after having it stolen by your trip to Paris, which is like home to me I visit as often as I can.
I am litterally begging you to re-create some of the buttery melt in your mouth croissants, crispy fresh baguettes, Tarte Au Citron but most importantly I would love for you to try and make Creme Brulee! I’ve tried countless times to make the dessert but I fail but then (truth be told) without out instructions Im an awful cook.
I eat it non-vegan because it is my all time favourite dessert and you just have to love cracking the top of Creme Brulee – Just watch Amelie that will set your heart a light for it it. (A film you will adore if you love Paris, Im sure)
another amazing recipe! This is def a must try :O)
thanks as always for sharing your creative recipes and mouthwatering pictures!
Perhaps a recipe using an ingredient such as seitan? or even tempeh or textured vegetable protein? I have all these things in my kitchen and not a clue what to make with them. I bet you could come up with something fantastic! :)
I love noodle free lasagna!! I like to make a tomato lentil sauce with mine normally but ill have to try the chili idea:)
Hmmmmm have you made fudge before? I think you should make some, and some peppermint bark for the holidays!!!