Cheesy Broccoli, Quinoa, and White Bean Bake
[Vegan]

For the Sweet Potato Tahini Cheese Sauce:

1. Steam the sweet potato until tender. Once cool enough to handle, transfer to a blender and add the water, nutritional yeast, tahini, lemon juice, Dijon mustard, garlic, salt, and pepper.
2. Blend until smooth, adding a bit more water if needed.
3. The sauce should be on the thicker side, but not so thick that it isn’t pourable. Pour the sauce into a container until ready to use.

For the Quinoa:

1. Combine the rinsed and drained quinoa, water, and salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil.
2. Turn the heat down to low, stir, and cover. Cook for 15 minutes, remove from the heat, and fluff with a fork.

To Cook the Vegetables:

1. Warm the olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt. Cook for a few minutes, until lightly browned. Add the celery, broccoli, smoked paprika, chili flakes, and salt and pepper to taste.
2. Cook until the broccoli is bright green. Finally, add the white beans and cooked quinoa. Stir to combine.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish, a cast-iron skillet, or a round casserole dish with olive oil.

For the Sunflower Seed Parmesan:

1. Add the sunflower seeds, nutritional yeast, salt, and garlic powder to a food processor fitted with the ‘S’ blade and process until a coarse powder forms. (Be careful not to over-process; it will become cheesy sunflower seed butter!)
2. Transfer into a container or jar.

To Assemble the Casserole:

1. Pour 3 1/2 cups of the cheese sauce over the quinoa/bean mixture and stir to coat. Transfer it into the prepared baking dish and top with 2/3 cup of the sunflower seed parmesan.
2. Bake for 20 minutes and let it cool for a couple of minutes before serving. I love topping it with hot sauce and sliced avocado.