Gluten and Dairy-Free Asparagus Bake

Ingredients

• cooking spray
• 2 pounds fresh asparagus, trimmed
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 cup raw cashews
• 1 cup chicken broth
• ¾ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons bacon bits
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• 2 teaspoons dairy-free margarine, melted

Step 1

Lightly heat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease a 7x11-inch baking dish with cooking spray. Next, set up a steamer over boiling water and steam the asparagus for about 5 minutes, until it’s just tender. Drain well. In a bowl, mix the bread crumbs with 2 tablespoons of nutritional yeast. Sprinkle half of this mixture evenly on the bottom of your baking dish, then layer the asparagus on top and season with a little salt. Save the rest of the bread crumb mixture for later.

Step 2

Now, in a blender or food processor, combine the raw cashews, chicken broth, ¼ cup nutritional yeast, garlic, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Blend on medium-high until smooth, which should take around 3 minutes. Add the egg white and blend for another minute until everything is well combined. Pour this creamy mixture over the asparagus, then sprinkle on the bacon, sliced almonds, and the remaining bread crumbs. Drizzle melted margarine over the top to help everything brown nicely.

Step 3

Pop the dish into the oven and bake on the center rack for about 30 minutes, or until the top is golden and the casserole feels set. Let it cool just a bit before serving and enjoy!