Holiday Loaf (Special K Loaf)

This is a traditional Adventist casserole dish. At our church they make this every year near Thanksgiving, and have a big sit down lunch for all the members and guest, serving Thanksgiving food, only everything is vegetarian. It's my favorite meal we have all year at church.

Typically this Special K Loaf is loaded with eggs and cottage cheese, tons of dairy and cholesterol. However, this year I was asked by my church to make this recipe plant-based for the members of the church who do not eat dairy. This was exciting for me because I love making non-plant based food plant based. It's a challenge, but worth it and usually turns out deliciously. I can say that this one did.

This may seem like a strange casserole recipe, believe me I understand, but it turns out delicious and full of flavor. Putting cereal in a casserole? Yup. It actually adds a really nice texture to it.

Special K Loaf has been around for generations in the Adventist culture, and I don't think it is going anywhere. We're just making it a bit healthier. John Harvey Kellogg was actually Seventh-day Adventist and began to invent dry cereals to make eating easier and more convenient. He and his brother started the Kellogg company back in the early 1900's, and its a thriving business today.

Recipe:

1/4 cup olive oil or dairy-free margarine

1 onion, diced

5 packages of George Washington brown broth

(or 2-3 teaspoons vegetarian chicken seasoning)

1 teaspoon salt

4 Tablespoons flaxseed, ground

2 -16 oz packages firm or extra-firm tofu, drained well

2 cups dairy-free milk, unsweetened

8-9 cups Special K cereal

1 1/2 cups walnuts, ground

Directions:

1. Sauté onion with the dairy-free butter or olive oil, until onions are clear.

2. In a large bowl, mash the tofu well. (Use a potato masher, or your hands).

3. Mix the sautéed onions to the tofu.

4. Add the ground flaxseed to the dairy-free milk, stir, and let it sit for 5 minutes until thickened slightly

5. Add the milk mixture, walnuts, and broth powder, and salt to the tofu mixture and stir well.

6. Fold in the Special K.

7. Pour into a 9 X 13 greased dish, and bake at 350F for 50-60 minutes, uncovered, until it is a nice golden brown.

This is the traditional seasoning that is used in the Special K Loaf, although a vegetarian chicken or beef seasoning will work in place if you're unable to find this in the store.