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Creamy Vegan Sweet Potato Spinach Bake

I just finished an Ayurvedic Spring Detox and Clean Eating Challenge and I have not eaten dairy products for a few weeks. I'm feeling really good, but I miss the creamy and rich taste of dairy.

After trying a few dairy alternative cheeses I was not satisfied with, I came up with my own recipe using cashew nuts. This creamy white "cheesy" sauce hits the spot!

Cook Time 45 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Difficulty: Intermediate
Servings: 6
Best Season: Spring
Dietary: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Ingredients
    Creamy cashew sauce
  • 1 1/2 cups raw cashews (soaked in very hot water)
  • 1 Tbsp arrowroot starch
  • 4 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2-3 cloves garlic (crushed)
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1-2 cups unsweetened plain almond or rice milk, or water
    • Sweet potato, spinach, mushroom and onion filling
  • 4 medium sweet potatoes (very thinly sliced)
  • 1 large purple or sweet onion (thinly sliced)
  • 1 cup mushrooms (sliced)
  • 2 large handfuls fresh spinach (or baby kale)
  • 1 Tbs Vata, Pitta or Kapha spice blend
  • sea salt
  • 2 tsp olive oil (for sautéing)
  • 2 tsp olive oil (to coat the casserole dish)
Instructions
  1. 1
    Pre-heat oven to 375 F.
  2. 2
    Soak the cashews in very hot water for 20 minutes and set aside.
  3. 3
    Coat the bottom and sides of a large casserole dish with olive oil and set aside.
  4. 4
    Thinly slice the sweet potatoes to about 1/4 inch thickness, along with the onion. A mandolin slicer on the thinnest setting is useful.
  5. 5
    Add 2 tsp olive oil to a large non-stick frying pan. Add your spice blend and sauté for 10 seconds.
  6. 6
    Add the mushrooms plus 2 pinches of sea salt and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Then add the onions with a pinch of sea salt and sauté for another 3 minutes.
  7. 7
    Add the spinach along with 2 pinches of sea salt, mix gently, cover and cook for 5 minutes.
  8. 8
    Drain the cashews and add to a high speed blender with the arrowroot, nutritional yeast, garlic, nutmeg, sea salt and 1 1/2 cups dairy-free milk or water. Blend on high until creamy and smooth, scraping down the sides as needed.
  9. 9
    Transfer the sauce to a small pot and cook over medium-low to medium heat for 5 minutes, whisking frequently, until it thickens and bubbles. Be careful not to burn it. Add more milk or water as needed to thin.
  10. 10
    Line the bottom of the casserole dish with a layer of sweet potato slices. Add half of the spinach mixture, then spread 1/3 of the cashew sauce evenly on top.
  11. 11
    Add another layer of sweet potatoes, the remaining spinach mixture, and another 1/3 of the sauce.
  12. 12
    Add the remaining sweet potato slices on top, sprinkle with a pinch of sea salt, then cover with the remaining sauce and spread it evenly.
  13. 13
    Cover the dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and cook for 10-15 minutes at 350 F to allow the liquid to evaporate.
  14. 14
    Let it sit for a few minutes to cool. Enjoy!
Note
  • The creamy cashew sauce can be used as a topping for baked potatoes or as a creamy white sauce over pasta or zoodles.
  • Sign up on my website to receive your Vata, Pitta or Kapha spice blend recipe for your dosha. Take the Dosha Assessment to find out your dosha if you do not know what it is.
Read it online: https://www.bwellayurveda.com/recipe/creamy-vegan-sweet-potato-spinach-bake/

Thank you and if you enjoyed this recipe, I'd love for you to share it with your friends!