"Cheesy Chicken" Casserole

Warning! Be careful making this! You may consume it all in one sitting! I even surprised myself with this magnificent tease of cheese I've created. I'm also a sucker for broccoli, so this dish was doubly delicious. If you love cheese and really want to splurge, make an extra 1/2 recipe of the cheese. But I thought just one recipe was plenty. Make this now!!!

1 large head of Broccoli, broken into florets
2 sm-md yellow squash, 1/4" slice
8 oz. Chicken Style Seitan
Cheese Sauce, 1 recipe (below)

2 tbsp. Breadcrumbs


Preheat oven to 350. Slice squash and place on a rack. Sprinkle with salt and let sit for 20-30 mins. to release excess moisture. Rinse. Steam broccoli for 7-10 mins. until just under cooked. Drain and remove to a bowl. Combine broccoli, squash and seitan in a large bowl. Toss with cheese sauce and place in an 8x8 casserole dish. Cover with foil and cook 15 mins. Remove foil and cook for another 10 mins. Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and cook another 5 mins. Remove from oven and let cool 5 mins. before serving.

"CHEESE" SAUCE
1 c. Veg. Broth
2 tbsp. Corn Starch
1 tsp. Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic
1/3 c. Nutritional Yeast
1 1/2 tbsp. Vegan Cream Cheese (I use plain Tofutti)
Juice of 1/2 Lemon
1/4 tsp. Nutmeg
1 tsp. Onion Powder
3/4 tsp. Salt
1/4 tsp. Pepper

Heat olive oil in a small saucepan. Add garlic and cook, stirring, for 30 sec-1 min. Add in vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Lower heat and whisk in corn starch 1 tbsp. at a time, making sure to get rid of any clumps. Stir constantly until mixture begins to thicken (this will happen very fast). Continue to whisk in nutritional yeast and vegan cream cheese over low heat until all of the ingredients have melted and combined. Remove from heat and stir in remaining ingredients.

Red Wine Tempeh w/ Polenta

1 tbsp. Olive Oil
2 Shallots, sliced
3 cloves Garlic, minced or pressed
1 tbsp. each dried Basil and Thyme
2 tbsp. Balsamic Vinegar
3 Zucchini, 1/2" slice
2 tbsp. Sun Dried Tomato, in oil
8 oz. Tempeh, cut into 16 cubes
15 oz. can diced Tomato
1/4 c. Red Wine
1/4 c. prepared Marinara Sauce

Salt & Pepper to taste
Garnish with fresh Parsley

Prepared Polenta, 1" slice

Heat 1 tbsp. of olive oil in a medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook for 3-5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft. Stir in garlic, dried basil and thyme and cook another minute. Reduce heat and add in balsamic vinegar to deglaze pan. Stir constantly until the vinegar has dissolved. Add in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 30 minutes until zucchini and tempeh are tender. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve over grilled polenta and garnish with parsley.