“Toona” Casserole – all the flavour without the cholesterol & toxins

When our kids were young, one of my recipes on rotation was Tuna Casserole. It seemed healthier because it wasn’t beef or chicken and the fish weren’t raised in a confined space… And, let’s be honest, 17 years ago, I didn’t realize the real dangers of animal products in the human diet. Back then my casserole recipe consisted of canned tuna, cow’s milk and cheese… and lots of it. Ack! I am so glad I am now aware of both the suffering caused by these products and how much happier our bodies are when we eliminate all animal products from our diets.

This plant-based “Toona” Casserole recipe will give you a slightly fishy flavour from the incorporation of seaweed and capers, and a meaty texture from the smashed chickpeas and artichoke hearts. Don’t worry, you will still enjoy that cheesy flavour from the nutritional yeast, plant milk and vegan cheese (if you choose), all without the antibiotics and hormones that come with dairy.

What’s wrong with eating tuna?

Tuna has the drawback of containing mercury and lead which are both toxic substances. Because they are larger fish that eat smaller fish, these toxins accumulate in their bodies, then when you eat the meat, it is transferred to you. According to Dr. Daniel Murrell M.D., “Mercury and lead cause symptoms such as: anxiety, depression, numbness, tremors, irritability and memory problems. There’s no cure for mercury poisoning. The best way to treat mercury poisoning is to stop your exposure to the metal. If you eat a lot of mercury-containing seafood, stop immediately.”

Tuna also contains cholesterol, albeit less than most fish.

Based on this information, I believe it is best to just eat plants! Save the money that you would spend on animal products and buy organic vegetables. Live your best life!

I have been working on this recipe for about 3 weeks. It is important to spread out the recipes so my family doesn’t get sick of having the same thing so often. I have been trying my best to tweak it to get the maximum flavour without making the ingredient list too long.

The first time I made this, I used lentil pasta. Unfortunately it is difficult to keep the noodles “a la dente” so the whole casserole was a bit mushy. You could use a whole grain pasta, or rice pasta to make it gluten free. I broke out of my health box for a moment and just used an organic durum semolina pasta. Maybe you are thinking, “Why organic pasta?” Did you know that unless it is labeled NON GMO or organic, the wheat used was probably sprayed with glyphosate (Round-Up) to desiccate it? Unfortunately that is the world we live in.

I hope you enjoy it and can appreciate the taste substitutions that make this non-vegan casserole a vegan one! One meal at a time, 3 times a day we can choose love as opposed to fear.

My photos are from a couple of recipe takes, so please never mind that the pasta doesn’t always match up. 😉 I think it’s better to post it already instead of waiting on perfect photos… that may take me another month!

Toona Casserole - Fishy flavour without the toxins

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Serves: 5-6 Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 20 minutes 20 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• 2 1/2 - 3 cups dry pasta, macaroni, penne or other similar sized pasta
• 2 cups artichoke hearts, rinsed and chopped into 1/2 inch wide pieces
• 1-14 ounce can of chickpeas, drained, rinsed and mashed
• 1 1/2 cup plant-milk
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3/4 cup shredded vegan cheese
• 2-3 stalks of celery, diced (about 3/4 cup)
• 1 medium sized onion, diced (about 1 1/4 cup)
• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
• 5 pieces of snack sized seaweed, or 1 large nori sheet, broken into tiny pieces
• 3 cloves garlic, diced
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon turmeric (optional)
• 1 teaspoon lemon pepper spice (or 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper mixed and some lemon zest)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• OPTIONAL ADDITIONS:
• seeded jalapeno pepper (to taste)
• chili flakes (to taste)

Instructions

1. In a medium/large dutch oven on the stove, stir-fry the onions and celery in a tiny bit of water or broth, seasoning with lemon pepper or salt and pepper, until just slightly translucent.  Set aside.  (If you don't have a dutch oven, stir-fry the vegetables in a frying pan and place in a casserole dish that has a lid.)
2. In a blender, place the cashews and cover with hot water to soften as you prepare the rest of the ingredients. 
3. Cook pasta until just "a la dente", then drain and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.  Add to the onion mixture. 
4. Next add the seaweed flakes, peas, mashed chickpeas, and artichoke hearts to the dutch oven. 
5. Drain the cashews and add the garlic cloves, lemon juice, plant milk, vegan cheese, nutritional yeast, turmeric, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the blender.  Blend until smooth.  (If you like your food on the spicier side, you could add in some jalapeno, hot sauce or some chili flakes to taste.  Start with a bit and add more, tasting the sauce as you go.)
6. Add the sauce to the casserole dish and stir until well mixed. 
7. Top with capers and crushed Triscuit crackers, (or other), extra vegan cheese and or nutritional yeast. 
8. Place in the fridge until ready to cook.   Bake covered at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes or until casserole is piping hot in the center. 
9. Delicious served on a bed of greens or with a side salad.  Sprinkle with chili flakes or hot sauce if you like some extra heat. 
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