Creamy Vegan Mushroom & Spinach Gratin

 Creamy Vegan Mushroom & Spinach Gratin

Recipe adapted from One Green Planet

Ingredients:

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion diced
• 1 lb. mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 container fresh baby spinach 
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1 cup heavy cashew cream, recipe included
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Cashew Cream

• 1 cup cashews, soaked overnight or 8 hours
• 1/2 cup water, slightly more as needed
• dash of sea salt

 Place drained cashews in blender, add dash of salt. Add water and blend until smooth and creamy. (The magic bullet is a perfect size blender for this job.) Add water two teaspoons at a time as needed to create desired thickness/thinness. Set aside.

1. Heat heavy pan over medium heat add onion, garlic and mushrooms and saute, stirring occasionally until some of mushroom liquid cooks away and they start to brown ( about 8 minutes ) Add water by the teaspoon initially if vegetables begin to stick. Add the vegetable stock and boil for a couple minutes. Then add cashew cream and coconut milk, let simmer for several more minutes. Turn off heat and let sit for about 5 minutes.
2. Add spinach and more stock if needed, depending on the consistency you prefer.  Season with salt and pepper to taste

I served it over whole wheat udon noodles.