Vegetable Bake

This recipe is a great way to jam pack your day full of vegetables! The added creaminess of an almond béchamel sauce and tangy bite of an olive tepenade makes it the perfect crowd pleaser for any dairy/gluten free plant based lover.

Ingredients:

Panfry or oven roast vegetables

·      2 red capsicums (sliced)

·      1 medium sweet potato (peeled and sliced)

·      2 small zucchinis (sliced)

·      1 medium eggplant (sliced) 

·      Olive oil for roasting 

Béchamel sauce

·      2 tbsp butter or coconut oil

·      ¼ cup arrowroot

·      1 ½ cups almond milk (heated)

·      3 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes, plus extra for sprinkling

·      Sea salt to taste

Tapenade 

·      1/2 cup Kalamata olives

·      3 handfuls flat-leaf parsley leaves

Method:

1)    Preheat oven to 180-200 degree’s

2)    Place veggie slices in two trays and drizzle with olive oil

3)    Roast for 20-25 minutes until tender

4)    While veggies are roasting start on béchamel sauce

5)    Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low-medium heat

6) Add the arrowroot, cook for 1 minute, stirring under it begins to foam

7) Switch to a whisk and gradually pour in warm milk, whisking continuously until well incorporated to prevent lumps

8) Add the yeast flakes and continue to whisk increasing the heat to medium and cook for 3-5 minutes until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Season and cover.

9)  To prepare tapenade, blend olives and parsley in food processor or chop finely by hand. Set aside 

10)  To assemble layer sweet potato in baking tray (roughly 20 x 20cm)

11) Pour over a thin layer of béchamel, add a layer of zucchini, then tapenade. Next, add a layer of zucchini, then tapenade. Next, add a layer of capsicum, another thin layer of béchamel, then finish with a layer of eggplant and cover with remaining béchamel. Sprinkle with nutritional yeast flakes

12) Cover with foil and bake for 30minutes, uncover and bake for a further 10minutes or until golden.