| Ingredients: Brussel Sprouts 1/2 Cup Dry Millet 1 8 oz Package Tempeh 1 Tablespoons Balsamic Vinegar Orange Rind Cranberry Sauce: 1 Pound Cranberries Juice of 2 Oranges 5 Tablespoons Agave Nectar 2 teaspoons Cinnamon 1 teaspoon Ginger 1/2 Cup Coconut Milk 1/2 Cup Water (as needed) |  |
I made this casserole for Thanksgiving this year. Since there's not much else at Thanksgiving that I can eat I wanted to make something that was substantial with vegetables and protein. A casserole seemed like the perfect way to combine everything together. I thought that brussel sprouts and cranberries would be a nice seasonal touch. I added millet and tempeh for some protein. My brother recently went gluten free so I decided to pick items that he could eat.
I hadn't had millet before, it's a gluten free grain from northern Africa, and it reminded me a lot of couscous. Tempeh is fermented soybeans so its a great source of probiotics. The fermentation process forms the soybeans into a loaf that then can be sliced or crumbled. When I used it sliced I like to slice it very thinly because I find it can sometimes be dry and ensure the rest of my recipe has enough moisture to make up for it - hence the cranberry sauce.
The cranberry sauce ended up being more involved than I thought. I wanted it to simply be cranberries and oranges so I didn't have too much sugar, etc. added in but cranberries are way more sour than I thought. I added the agave to temper the sourness and the coconut milk and water to thin it out (the coconut milk adds some sweetness as well). My original reasoning for adding the orange was because it was the featured ingredient in the Virtual Vegan Potluck, but it really adds a lot to the dish, especially the zest at the end. It's a finishing touch that often gets left off, but I urge you not to!
To go back to the previous post in the Virtual Vegan Potluck click here: A Journey with Tiffany
To move on to the next post click here: Coconut & Berries
To go to the beginning of the Virtual Vegan Potluck click here: Virtual Vegan Potluck
I hadn't had millet before, it's a gluten free grain from northern Africa, and it reminded me a lot of couscous. Tempeh is fermented soybeans so its a great source of probiotics. The fermentation process forms the soybeans into a loaf that then can be sliced or crumbled. When I used it sliced I like to slice it very thinly because I find it can sometimes be dry and ensure the rest of my recipe has enough moisture to make up for it - hence the cranberry sauce.
The cranberry sauce ended up being more involved than I thought. I wanted it to simply be cranberries and oranges so I didn't have too much sugar, etc. added in but cranberries are way more sour than I thought. I added the agave to temper the sourness and the coconut milk and water to thin it out (the coconut milk adds some sweetness as well). My original reasoning for adding the orange was because it was the featured ingredient in the Virtual Vegan Potluck, but it really adds a lot to the dish, especially the zest at the end. It's a finishing touch that often gets left off, but I urge you not to!
To go back to the previous post in the Virtual Vegan Potluck click here: A Journey with Tiffany
To move on to the next post click here: Coconut & Berries
To go to the beginning of the Virtual Vegan Potluck click here: Virtual Vegan Potluck
| Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 20 minutes | Servings: 8 as a side |
Instructions:
Prep your brussel sprouts by cutting the end off and slicing them in half. Steam them on top of the stove for about 5 minutes, so that they get soft but aren't cooked too much. If you don't have a steamer then put them in a pot with about half as much water as sprouts. Stir them a bit to even out the cooking, so the ones on the bottom are not super mushy. Coat the sprouts in balsamic vinegar.
Cook the millet according to package directions - bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the millet and reduce to a simmer until the water is absorbed.
Combine the cranberry sauce ingredients in a sauce pan on the stove over medium heat. It will cook for about 10 minutes. You should hear the cranberries popping. Stir it throughout to prevent the sauce from burning. If the sauce is too tart add more agave or coconut milk - note that the agave will act as a thickener while the coconut milk will thin it out. If you want the sauce thinner but without adding more sweetener, then just add water. You want the sauce to be thin enough that it will drip down to coat all the ingredients in the casserole dish.
Slice the tempeh in thin strips. I find that tempeh can be dry, so I like to cut it thin in order to allow the sauce to soak into it as much as possible.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the sprouts and millet and add to the casserole dish (reserve some sprouts to put on top of the casserole). Cover with the strips of tempeh and pour the cranberry sauce on top. Cover and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Thinly slice the remaining sprouts. Remove the covering from the casserole and top with the thinly sliced sprouts. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until the sprouts are browned. Top with orange zest and serve. Enjoy!
Prep your brussel sprouts by cutting the end off and slicing them in half. Steam them on top of the stove for about 5 minutes, so that they get soft but aren't cooked too much. If you don't have a steamer then put them in a pot with about half as much water as sprouts. Stir them a bit to even out the cooking, so the ones on the bottom are not super mushy. Coat the sprouts in balsamic vinegar.
Cook the millet according to package directions - bring 1 cup of water to a boil, add the millet and reduce to a simmer until the water is absorbed.
Combine the cranberry sauce ingredients in a sauce pan on the stove over medium heat. It will cook for about 10 minutes. You should hear the cranberries popping. Stir it throughout to prevent the sauce from burning. If the sauce is too tart add more agave or coconut milk - note that the agave will act as a thickener while the coconut milk will thin it out. If you want the sauce thinner but without adding more sweetener, then just add water. You want the sauce to be thin enough that it will drip down to coat all the ingredients in the casserole dish.
Slice the tempeh in thin strips. I find that tempeh can be dry, so I like to cut it thin in order to allow the sauce to soak into it as much as possible.
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the sprouts and millet and add to the casserole dish (reserve some sprouts to put on top of the casserole). Cover with the strips of tempeh and pour the cranberry sauce on top. Cover and place in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Thinly slice the remaining sprouts. Remove the covering from the casserole and top with the thinly sliced sprouts. Cook for another 5-10 minutes until the sprouts are browned. Top with orange zest and serve. Enjoy!
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