Vegan Au Gratin Potatoes (Gluten-Free, No Yeast Flakes)

Ingredients

• White Sauce
• 1 bulb garlic roasted (5 large cloves needed)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 medium/large head cauliflower (steamed)
• 1/2 cup raw cashews (softened)
• 1/2 cup cashew milk
• 1/2 teaspoon finely ground sea salt
• 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon finely ground black pepper (more or less to taste)
• Au Gratin Potatoes
• 18 ounces or approx.14 two bite purple potatoes
• 4/5 pound fresh asparagus (thinner is better)
• 1 cup Daiya pepperjack style cheese (divided)
• white sauce to top vegetables (see above)
• sea salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

• White Sauce
• 1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut off top of garlic bulb, spoon on olive oil, wrap in aluminum foil, place on baking sheet and roast for 35-40 minutes. Remove from oven and open to cool.
• 2) While garlic is roasting, cut cauliflower into florets and steam until fork tender (approx. 25 minutes).
• 3) While garlic and cauliflower are cooking, place cashews in 1 cup of water and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Soak for 10-15 minutes and drain. Cashews should be swollen and very soft.
• 4) Place cauliflower and 5 cloves roasted garlic in Vitamix or high-speed blender. Pulse into small pieces, then blend until smooth. Taste to see if additional garlic cloves are desired. Add cashews, cashew milk, salt, pepper and blend until smooth. This will take a couple of minutes. Taste and add additional salt and pepper, if desired. If sauce is too thick, add more cashew milk 2 tablespoons at a time. The sauce should not be runny but thin enough to spread over vegetables.
• Au Gratin Potatoes
• 1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Slice potatoes into 1/4 inch slices. Cut off the bottom 1/4 of asparagus stalks and discard (the thick, white part). Chop remaining stalks into 1 inch pieces.
• 2) Grease 10x10 inch or 3 1/2 quart baking dish (I used walnut oil). Layer potato slices on bottom of baking dish. Layer asparagus on top of potato. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.
• 3) Layer 1/2 cup of Daiya cheese on top of potatoes and asparagus. Dollop on white sauce and spread to coat - you may not need to use all of the white sauce. Layer remaining Daiya cheese and sprinkle again with salt and pepper.
• 4) Bake in a covered baking dish for approx. 30 minutes until potatoes are fork tender. Uncover and bake another 5-8 minutes until the edges begin to brown. Remove from oven and allow to set for 2-3 minutes then serve!

Notes