Dairy Free Baked Artichoke Heart Casserole

And some books for the Amazon wishlist.

I love books.

I know it’s not a hot take to love books. But with so much information out there to consume, loving actual books might be a new-old-fashioned hot take.

The invention of the Kindle app has helped me to solve the very cluttery issue of buying books and keeping them in piles on my bedside table (and honestly in multiple piles on the floor next to my bed).

I rarely consume one book at a time. I am currently reading 3-8 books and rotate through them depending on my mood. If I’m stressed before bed, I make sure to have a fiction book going. Otherwise, I’’m almost always reading a non-fiction book. Usually about mindset, health and fitness, or some aspect of business I need to learn because I’m going through it in real time.

For example, I’m currently in the process of raising capital for Eat Happy Kitchen. I’ve never done this before, and we need cash in order to keep growing the business, so I better get knowledgeable real fast.

In the past three months, I’ve read two books on private equity (The Hidden Trillion Dollar Industry of Private Equity and The Private Equity Playbook), one on venture capital and deal structure (Venture Deals), how to build my board of directors (Build Your Board, Build Your Business), and how to make an effective pitch deck (Get Backed).

These books not only help give me the broad strokes of business concepts that are new to me, but lead me to ask the right questions of the right people when I get to cross paths with them.

In other words: books help you win. Who doesn’t want to increase those odds?

I just finished 10X Is Easier Than 2X (great for narrowing down your goals to the most ambitious goal to get there faster), Rick Rubin’s new book The Creative Act (all this business can make me forget to be creative and have fun), and I can’t wait to dive into Napoleon Hill’s Outwitting The Devil. I’m a devotee of Think And Grow Rich but have never branched out into his other works.

If NONE of this is interesting to you, then check out a pre-order page for a new cookbook coming out this fall called Eat Happy Italian.

I will have lots of cool bonuses for the new cookbook, so save that Amazon order so that you can enter to get your book bonuses which will drop when the book drops. I will let y’all know as soon as the bonus registry page is posted.

NOW LET’S COOK!!

Baked Artichoke Heart Casserole

This recipe is dairy free and deeeeelicious. I know some of us are trying to keep the dairy to a minimum, and this recipe accomplishes that.

If you really miss the creaminess but don’t want to add heavy cream, then use 1/4-1/2 cup of full fat coconut cream (the canned coconut cream, not the boxed coconut milk).

The Dairy Free “Parmesan” Nut Topping is insanely GREAT. It uses nutritional yeast which mimics the flavor profile of parmesan, and pecans, which gives it a crunch. You can use any nut of your choice, but make sure you purchase raw nuts since they will roast in the process of cooking this dish in the oven. Here’s the link to the exact mini food processor I use when I make this topping (as well as pesto).

As always, this recipe can be downloaded and printed here for your files.

DAIRY FREE “PARMESAN” NUT TOPPING & BAKED ARTICHOKE HEART CASSEROLE

(Serves 3-4)

DAIRY FREE “PARMESAN” NUT TOPPING

(Yields 1 packed cup)

• 1 cup raw pecan halves (or raw nut of your choice)

• 3 tablespoons nutritional yeast

• 1 teaspoon minced garlic

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Place all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until grated and mixed.

BAKED ARTICHOKE HEART CASSEROLE

(Serves 3-4)

• 2 12-ounce jars artichoke hearts in olive oil, drained of excess oil

• 3/4 cup water chestnuts, drained and loosely chopped

• Dairy Free “Parmesan” Nut Topping (see above)

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 2 tablespoons olive oil, for drizzling

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice off and discard the top 1/4” rough tops of artichoke hearts. In an 8”x8” casserole, toss the artichoke hearts and water chestnuts with half of the Dairy Free “Parmesan” Nut Topping. Evenly spread remaining half of the Dairy Free “Parmesan” Nut Topping over the top of the casserole dish. Sprinkle with the dried oregano, then drizzle olive oil over the top. Bake in oven uncovered for 30 minutes, until fragrant and starting to brown on top. Serve immediately.