Day Two

Yes, I am pleased to report I've made it all the way to the second day of VeganMoFo! Woooo!

Ahem. Anyway. It's still Chickpea Week and today we will discuss one of my favorite comfort food recipes: Chickpea Broccoli Casserole from Vegan With a Vengeance.

This is probably one of the first things I ever made when I went vegan (since VWAV was one of the first books I bought) and it's also one of the few recipes I keep coming back to. Since I own dozens of cookbooks and zines that I'd like to make my way through sooner or later, I very rarely repeat recipes. But this is simple, comforting, filling and throws together really quickly, leaving you free to do other things while it sits in the oven.

I'm not going to lie: it's kind of bland. But it's bland like mashed potatoes are bland. And if you don't like mashed potatoes, I'm sorry, but you're a crazy person and I don't know if we can be friends anymore. What makes this double awesome, is that unlike mashed potatoes, if you use canned beans, you don't have to wait for water to boil (which I hate). What makes it triple awesome is that it's not a the nutritional vacuum mashed potatoes are; this casserole is chock full of vitamins, protein, iron, calcium and other stuff the Internet says I need to live. What makes it quadruple awesome is that Isa has shared the recipe online, so if you don't have VWAV, you don't have to feel left out of the casserole goodness.

Chickpea Broccoli Casserole
Serves 4 as an entree

Ingredients
Three 16-ounce cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 large onion, quartered and thinly sliced
3 large carrots, grated (about 2 cups)
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets (about 4 cups)
2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
1/2 cup bread crumbs (preferably whole wheat)
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 cup vegetable broth
1 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 350º F.

In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas well, using a potato masher or firm fork. It takes about 2 minutes to get the right consistency. Add the vegetables and mix well. Add the bread crumbs and mix; then add the oil, and mix again. Finally, add the vegetable broth and salt, and mix one last time.

Transfer all ingredients to a 9 x 13-inch casserole dish (preferably glass or ceramic). Press the mixture firmly into the casserole. Cover with foil, and bake for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes.

PS: If you want to cut the fat a bit (even though it's not bad at all), you can sub more broth for about half the oil.

See you all tomorrow!