Hi all!  Happy winter, eh? 😀

In the taking advantage of a recent grocery shopping mishap on my end (accidently getting maitake mushrooms instead of cremini- I know, I know, how does one make such a mistake?), I decided on whipping up something healthy, loaded with veggies, but with a touch of comfort foodie goodness to it.  With the weather having made a nosedive up here in New Hampshire, in terms of the brisk factor, it seemed a fitting entrée for the frigid air outside.

This one is gluten/grain free and sugar free, though it does have some dairy with the addition of the cheese.  If you wish, use dairy free cheese instead and you’ll have a delectable, healthy vegan side dish.

Ingredients

About 2.5-3 cups of maitake mushrooms

A handful of fresh green beans

A crumbling of cauliflower

1.5 cup of cashew milk (or almond milk, or any other non dairy milk)

2.5 tablespoons of buckwheat flour

2 tablespoons of butter

Seasonings, such as sprinklings of onion powder, garlic powder, mustard powder, salt, and pepper.

About 1 cup of shredded parmesan cheese

A handful of shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a saucepan on medium heat, stir together the cashew milk, buckwheat flour, butter and seasonings.  Bring to boil, stirring every so often.  Upon boiling, remove from heat.  (It should take about 5-6 minutes to reach boil).
3. Stir the parmesan cheese into the sauce.
4. Meanwhile, in a glass baking dish, put the mushrooms, the handful of green beans, and top it off with the crumbling of cauliflower.
5. Pour the finished sauce on top of the vegetables, trying to coat everything relatively evenly.
6. Sprinkle the top of the veggies with the shredded cheddar cheese.
7. Bake in the oven, uncovered, about 12-15 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, allow to cool a bit, and enjoy!  If you find the dish isn’t quite cheesy enough to your liking, add a bit more sprinkled parmesan on top.  The green beans will/should still have a slight crispness to them.  They will taste cooked, but will maintain a sense of freshness via a slight crunch (same with the cauliflower).  I personally prefer this, as opposed to when veggie dishes are made and the vegetables are totally soft, without much texture left, and often overcooked (resulting in a major loss of not just taste but minerals and vitamins as well).

Leftovers can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 2 days.  Reheat prior to enjoying!