Creamy Mushroom, Green Bean and Wild Rice Casserole

Step 1

Place the cashews in a small bowl and add boiling water to cover. Soak for 1 hour, then drain. Alternatively, you can soak them in room-temperature water for 8 hours or up to overnight.

Step 2

Transfer the drained cashews to a high-speed blender and add the water, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, and salt. Blend on high until smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender as needed. You can also add a splash more water if necessary to help blend. Set aside.

Step 3

Cook the rice according to the package directions then drain and set aside.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 400°F then lightly grease an 8x12-inch or 9x13-inch casserole dish.

Step 5

In a large (5-quart/5 L) pot, place the oil, mushrooms, green beans, garlic, tamari (or coconut aminos), smoked paprika, and cayenne pepper. Stir well to combine. Set heat to medium-high and saute, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for up to 10-12 minutes. The mixture should be simmering rapidly once the mushrooms start to release their liquid. There will still be a lot of liquid (1 cup or so) left in the pot, but we want this, as it form the base of the sauce.

Step 6

To the pot, add the Cashew Sour Cream, broth, and the cooked drained wild rice blend. Stir to combine, season with vinegar, salt and pepper, to taste. Remove from heat. The mixture will look very soup and liquidy, but it will thicken in the oven.

Step 7

Transfer the mixture to prepared casserole dish using a large spoon or spatula and even out the top. Sprinkle with panko breadcrumbs (or sliced almonds). Bake, uncovered, for 20-25 minutes, until lightly golden, bubbling and heated through. Serve and enjoy!