Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total time: 1¼ hours
Makes 6 to 8 servings
Rutabaga might not be the first vegetable you think of when planning dinner for your family, but their tender, creamy texture makes the perfect base for this gratin. You’ll never even miss the potatoes. This casserole is even better the next day, once the flavors have had time to fully mingle—a real crowd-pleaser.
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 large clove garlic
• ¼ cup chickpea flour (see Tip, here)
• 1 to 1½ teaspoons salt, or more to taste
• ½ to 1 teaspoon ground black pepper, or to taste
• 2½ cups whole milk or unsweetened soy milk
• ½ cup heavy cream
• 1 medium rutabaga, thinly sliced
• 1 medium fennel bulb, thinly sliced, fennel fronds chopped and reserved for garnish
• 1 cup grated cheddar or other mild cheese
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and cook, stirring, until translucent, 3 to 5 minutes.
Add the chickpea flour, salt, and pepper and stir until the flour has been absorbed by the oil. Cook, stirring until the mixture turns a light golden color, 5 to 7 minutes.
Combine the milk and cream. Add it to the skillet, whisking continuously until very smooth. Bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, stirring regularly, for 10 minutes to thicken the sauce. Remove from the heat.
Pour a small amount of the sauce into a 9-inch square baking dish to just cover the bottom. Add a layer of rutabaga, then a layer of fennel slices, and finally a layer of cheese. Repeat until all the ingredients have been used, ending with a layer of cheese. Do not overfill the casserole dish. Leave ½ inch of room to allow for bubbling and to prevent spilling over while baking.
Bake for 30 to 45 minutes or until the filling is bubbling and the cheese is melted. Remove from the heat.
Garnish with the fennel fronds and serve.
Based on 6 servings
Calories: 285
Carbohydrate: 19 g
Protein: 10 g
Fat: 20 g
Variations
Use thinly sliced cauliflower in place of the fennel and rutabaga.
Dairy-free version: Increase the olive oil to ⅓ cup, and use 3 cups unsweetened soy milk pureed with 8 ounces tofu and seasoned with ½ teaspoon salt in place of the milk, cream, and cheese.
Based on 6 servings
Calories: 256
Carbohydrate: 15 g
Protein: 12 g
Fat: 17 g
Phase 1 Meal: Serve with 1 cup Minestrone Soup (here), 2 or 3 slices Smoke-Dried Tomato Seitan (here) or Crispy Tofu Fries (here), or 2 to 3 ounces Deep-Fried Tempeh (here), 1 tablespoon Lemon Aioli (here) for dipping the protein, and Spicy Pickled Vegetables (here). For Dessert: ½ cup strawberries and 2 tablespoons plain whole-milk Greek yogurt.
Calories (Seitan): 680; Carbohydrate: 28%; Protein: 26%; Fat: 46%
Calories (Tempeh or tofu): 679; Carbohydrate: 26%; Protein: 19%; Fat: 55%
Phase 2 Meal: Serve with a bowl (2 cups) of Miso Soup (here), a side of salad greens and chopped raw vegetables tossed with 2 slices Smoke-Dried Tomato Seitan (here) or similar higher-protein, lower-fat meat substitute (see Equivalents Table, here), ¼ cup Cooked Quinoa (here), and 1 to 2 teaspoons Ginger Tahini Dressing (here). For Dessert: ½ cup blueberries topped with 1 heaping tablespoon plain whole-milk Greek yogurt.
Calories: 654; Carbohydrate: 36%; Protein: 25%; Fat: 39%
Phase 3 Meal: Serve with a bowl (2 cups) of Minestrone Soup (here; Phase 3 Variation), a side of salad greens and chopped raw vegetables tossed with 1 to 2 teaspoons Cashew Balsamic Dressing (here), and a few triangles (about 1 ounce) Deep-Fried Tempeh (here). For Dessert: ¼ cup blueberries topped with 1 tablespoon Cashew Crème (here).
Calories: 662; Carbohydrate: 43%; Protein: 17%; Fat: 40%