Good as Grandma’s Broccoli and Biscuit Casserole

Posted on by llbalanced
Good as Grandma's Broccoli and Biscuit Casserole
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    [post_title] => Good as Grandma's Broccoli and Biscuit Casserole
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01.02

What, exactly, is a casserole?

cas·se·role
ˈkasəˌrōl/Submit

noun
a kind of stew or side dish that is cooked slowly in an oven.
"a chicken casserole"

Hmmm...that doesn't really help, does it?

And YET, if we/I/you all conjure images of a casserole, I'd wager they're all relatively similar. Casseroles are about as American and as comfort food as it gets, and most of us have a casserole or two engrained in our memory (for better or worse) from childhood. They're single pot, its-evening-and-my-brain-is-friend, maybe sneak in some veggies, EASY. I understand and take advantage of their appeal in my own kitchen, especially in these chillier months.

The only drag about traditional casseroles is the inevitable "cream of—" ingredient. Gooey and congealed in all the wrong ways, packed with sodium and preservatives..."creams of" are a health-foodie's nightmare. And you don't actually need them to create the texture and flavor you're going for in a casserole.

Case in point: this Good as Grandma's Broccoli and Biscuit Casserole. When I concocted this recipe, I didn't have specific dietary requirements in mind. It's not vegan or gluten-free, but it can be either/both of those things. It's just healthy. Made with high-quality, nutrient-dense whole foods, this dish is as nourishing as it is delicious. I replace the chilling "creams of" with a sauce made out of pureed squash, which sneaks in extra veggies as well. One serving will target all of your nutritional needs in a meal, without the fuss of side items.

As Nashville has started to catch up with the North East in the weather department, dishes like this casserole are a warm and welcome friend, and I enjoyed it to the very last floret! The absolutely best part of this dish is the almond flour biscuits on top...so much so, that they will be getting a separate post soon. The key to a perfect bite of casserole is a piece of biscuit plus a spoonful of the broccoli mixture.

I hope you love this as much as I did. This is also a great "transitional" recipe if you're trying for a healthier start to the new year, as it will remind you of some unhealthier, higher calorie dishes that you might already be missing!

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broccoli and biscuit casserole 1

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TOTAL TIME :
INGREDIENTS
  • Broccoli Casserole
  • 2 medium organic yellow squash sliced into 1thick rounds (approximately 2 lbs)
  • 1/3 cup sundried tomatoes in oil
  • ¼ cup tahini
  • ¼ cup nutritional yeast
  • 3 teaspoon salt
  • 1½ cups low sodium organic chicken broth sub vegetable broth for vegan
  • 1 inch large head broccoli cut into 2 inch florets (approximately 3 cups)
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 cup bulgur wheat sub quinoa for gluten free
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 medium sweet white onion small dice ( ½ inch)
  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 roasted chicken meat pulled and roughly chopped (approximately 3 cups. Sub 1 15can chickpeas for vegan)
  • Almond Flour Biscuits (adapted from Elana's Pantry)
  • 2 ½ cups almond flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
  • ¼ cup coconut oil melted
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 2 organic, free-range eggs sub flax eggs for vegan: 2 tbsp flax meal plus 6 tbsp water, sit 10 minutes
DIRECTIONS
Broccoli Casserole
  1. In a high speed blender, combine squash, sundried tomatoes, tahini, nutritional yeast, 1 teaspoon salt and broth. Puree until completely smooth.
  2. Cook broccoli: Fill a large pot with 4 quarts water and heat to boiling. Add 1 teaspoon salt. When water is boiling, add broccoli florets and cook for 90 seconds. Empty into a colander and rinse with cold water until florets are room temperature. Set aside.
  3. Cook bulgur: Heat 1 cup water and 1 cup broth to boiling. Add ½ teaspoon salt and bulgur. Stir quickly, cover and remove from heat. Allow to sit 20 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Use a fork to fluff.
  4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  5. Heat a large dutch-oven or deep sauté pan to medium-high. Add olive oil. When oil is shimmering, add onions and garlic. Sauté until translucent and fragrant, approximately 3-4 minutes. Take care not to leg garlic burn.
  6. Add broccoli florets, chicken, bulgur and 2 ¼ cups squash mixture. Stir together.
  7. Top with almond flour biscuits and bake for 35 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown around the edges.
Almond Flour Biscuits
  1. In a medium mixing bowl, combine almond flour, baking soda and salt.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together apple cider vinegar, coconut oil, maple syrup and eggs.
  3. Add wet to dry and stir to incorporate. Form into a large ball and use a ¼ cup measure to make biscuits for casserole.
  4. Biscuits should be approximately 3 inches in diameter and 1 inch thick.
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