Dump and Go Vegan Tuscan Orzo Casserole

Dump and Go Vegan Tuscan Orzo Casserole 
Makes: 6-8 servings • Total Time: 35 mins • FODMAP rating: low to medium

If you love olives and sun dried tomatoes you will absolutely love this dish. It is so easy to put together and tastes amazing! This dish is mostly oil free, however, it is also really yummy if you mix in 2-3 tablespoons of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes. If I was cooking this dish for a friend, I would add the oil, if I was cooking this dish for my family, I would omit it. I also love adding a whole block of tofu, but if you are afraid of tofu, you can start with 1/2 a block. Once it is crumbled, you really don't even notice it is there--It looks like cheese. 

Ingredients
12 oz orzo pasta
8 oz sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup sliced black olives
2 1/2 cups veggie broth
1/2 to 1 package extra firm tofu
1/2 red onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp Italian seasoning
pinch of red pepper flakes (optional)
1 large handful spinach
1 lemon cut into wedges for serving (optional)

1 cup vegan parmesan for topping:
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 TBSP nutritional yeast
1 cup blanched almond flour

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees(F).

2. In a 13 x 9 inch baking dish, add in the garlic, onions, Italian seasoning and red pepper. Stir to combine everything, straight in the baking dish. Add in the orzo, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and then pour in the veggie broth. Stir to combine everything.  If you are not avoiding oil, this is when you will also mix in 2-3 tablespoons of the oil from the sun dried tomatoes (optional).

3. To make it easier to mix in the spinach later on, put the spinach over the top of everything, then crumble tofu on top of the spinach. This creates the perfect moisture barrier for the orzo to cook underneath.  Add the salt on top of the tofu then bake uncovered for 25 minutes.

4. While the casserole is cooking, make the vegan parmesan. Then after the 25 mins, take the baking dish out of the oven. 

5. Stir everything together so the spinach and tofu is now combined with everything. Mix well.

6. The orzo should be cooked and tender, but if not, add it back into the oven for a few more mins with a little more water. (if needed). You can also cover it with aluminum foil to keep the moisture in, but not necessary. 

7. Sprinkle the 1 cup vegan Parmesan over the top evenly.

8. Place the oven on broil and cook the casserole for 2-5 minutes until the parmesan cheese browns. (watch closely!)

9. Serve immediately. Option to serve with a lemon wedge.

* To lower the FODMAP rating, omit onions and garlic