Categories: casserole, oven, untried, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian
Ingredients
- 3 chayote squash
- 1 large onion, chopped
- 1 bell pepper, chopped
- 1 small jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 teaspoons chili powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked Spanish paprika
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- chipotle chile powder, to taste (I used about 1/8 tsp. to keep this casserole mild)
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 1 1/2 cups cooked pinto or other beans
- 1/2 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein) granules
- 3/4 cup vegetable broth
- salt to taste
- (ingredients for Cornbread topping)
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1 tablespoon agave nectar
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup boiling water
Directions
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Cook the chayotes in boiling water until they are soft enough that they can be pierced to the middle with a fork. Set aside to cool (you may continue on with the recipe and come back to the chayotes later). When they are cool enough to handle, cut them in half from top to bottom, remove the seed from the center, and eat it. (Seriously, the seeds are tasty, but throw them away if you don’t like them.) If the skin of your chayote is tough or bitter, as some varieties are, peel it; then cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
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Sauté the onions in a large non-stick pan until they begin to brown. Add the bell pepper, jalapeño, and garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Add all remaining ingredients, including the cubed chayote but excluding the topping; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
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Preheat the oven to 400 F and oil a large casserole dish. Transfer the chayote mixture to the casserole dish. Prepare the cornmeal topping by mixing the dry ingredients and stirring in the boiling water until smooth. Drop it by spoonfuls over the casserole, and then smooth it evenly over the top. Bake until the topping is firm and beginning to get crisp, about 25-30 minutes. Makes about 6 servings.
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*Note: Instead of TVP, you may substitute 1 cup of corn or additional cooked beans for the TVP and vegetable broth.