Sequestration Meal #486

 

This meal is an example of just using what you have and coming up with something that looks like it was planned! Here I have a serving of cheesy broccoli quinoa casserole (recipe from The Garden Grazer) and an improvisational arugula salad dressed with a lemon ginger poppyseed dressing I found over at The Café Sucre Farine.

I added a flax egg to the casserole as per the suggestion in the original recipe to make it creamier. I also sauteed my veggies in vegan butter instead of water because I wanted to add some richness. I otherwise made it as written. Next time, I think I'd use a cashew-based cheese sauce and I'd cook the quinoa in broth; the dish was fine but nothing too exciting. It was layered protein--soy milk and nutritional yeast in the sauce contributed some, and the quinoa and broccoli added a bit more--but even so, I think it might have been better with a bit more.

But I did also have a bit more protein from the almonds in the salad, so I went with it and made up for it at another meal. The salad was amazing. The salad dressing is bright without being too acidic and I loved the ginger. I put it on a salad made of baby arugula, red bell pepper, sliced cucumber, pickled onions, and slivered almonds. I rarely get excited about salads, but this one was so good it has me rethinking my claim that I'm not a salad person.