Vegan Taco Casserole

I feel like I am in school again!! I am participating in NSP's education week, that is one webinar a day for five days. I am also on 3 master mind groups, am doing NSP's Unstoppable Challenge and 2 webinars a month for the next 5 to complete another section of my herbalist degree. The information is fantastic, organizing my schedule takes discipline and daily attention.

I was in the mood for something different, good, fast and this recipe came to mind. This is a recipe I veganized. It is quick, easy and there are rarely leftovers. It is not something I recommend eating on a daily basis, just occasionally like enchiladas, but always a welcome treat. This is NOT a diet recipe :o)

Sometimes the simplest recipes are the best. This is one of them.

Vegan Taco Casserole

• 1 package vegan ground beef (morningstar, smart ground, boca, tvp, etc)
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil or coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon dried leaf oregano
• 1/2 cup taco sauce
• 1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• dash of Tabasco sauce
• 6 ounce bag corn chips, slightly crushed
• 1/2 chopped onion
• 2-3 tomatoes, chopped
• 1 vegan "cheese" sauce recipe (see below)
• chopped lettuce, 5 ounces or so

Heat oven to 350F Heat oil in pan on medium add vegan ground beef and brown. Mix in the taco sauce, tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic salt, oregano and Tabasco sauce. Simmer 10 minutes. Put half on bottom of a 3-quart casserole. Top with about half of the crushed chips. Add remaining vegan ground beef mixture, some chopped tomato, onion, chopped lettuce, and cheese. Put remaining corn chips on top. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes, or until hot.

Makes a quick, satisfying meal that even your kids'll love.

To save time, you can substitute one taco seasoning packet for the taco sauce, tomato sauce, chili powder, garlic salt, oregano, and Tabasco sauce. Just heat the "beef", add the season packet and following the directions on the back

This is from a great vegan cookbook called Hot Damn and Hell Yeah, Recipes for Hungry Banditos by Ryan Splint. Great book, loooove his enchiladas recipe.

Vegan "Cheese" Sauce

1/3 C. or more, nutritional yeast
1/2 C. flour
1 T dried onion
1/8 t turmeric
1/8 t pepper
6 T olive oil
2 t prepared mustard
2 t salt
1/2 C. ketchup - this is what the recipe calls for. I think it is WAY too much so I use anywhere form 2 T to 1/4 C.
1 3/4 C water

Blend all ingredients in sauce pan over medium heat, whisking continuously until it come to a boil and thickens to yer liking. It'll continue ta thicken as it cools, so it's best hot. To reheat, add a bit of water and stir well over low heat.

There are plenty of ways to make this more healthy, but if I wanted to do that, I would make something different like chili on salad w/ baked tortilla chips, etc. It's nice to indulge :o)

Ooh and I have a pumpkin pie in the oven..... ;o)