This was sooooooo good. I took a classic chicken and wild rice casserole recipe of my grandmother’s and tweaked it just a tad to get this new winter classic. Best part? It is gluten-free, vegetarian, and dairy-free. This is what I needed this week – I have the annual crud. Moving to a new school, in a new state, with new germs finally took its toll on me. I am hoping for a speedy recovery, until then, enjoy this recipe.
I used 1 cup of amaranth – it is like a finer version of quinoa – in place of the wild rice. It is so tiny that I was skeptical at first that it would even add anything of substance to this recipe.
One sliced and peeled golden acorn squash was substituted for the chicken.
Then, I threw in some broccoli and onion for good measure. See what I mean about the amaranth being tiny?
I made a white sauce, in essence, to pour over my veggies. This makes one very full casserole of food, I promise. Eric and I both found ourselves going for for seconds and looking forward to leftovers. It is substantial comfort food without any discomfort from meat, dairy, or wheat the next day.
Amaranth & Squash Casserole
1. Saute 1/2 yellow onion, diced in 2 tablespoons margarine until soft. Add 2 more tablespoons margarine to onions, cook until melted. Stir in 1/3 cup rice flour, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook over low heat, stirring until bubbly – remove from heat. Stir in 2 cups vegetable broth and 1 cup almond or coconut milk. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir for one minute.
2. Pour liquid into a 2 quart casserole dish. Add to liquid: 1 cut and peeled golden acorn squash, 16 oz of frozen broccoli, and 1 cup dry amaranth. Stir well.
3. Bake uncovered, 350 degree oven, until bubbly for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm.
Bluebird Hill Art 