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:
Sauté onion with the dairy-free butter or olive oil, until onions are clear.
In a large bowl, mash the tofu well. (Use a potato masher, or your hands).
Mix the sautéed onions to the tofu.
Add the ground flaxseed to the dairy-free milk, stir, and let it sit for 5 minutes until thickened slightly
Add the milk mixture, walnuts, and broth powder, and salt to the tofu mixture and stir well.
Fold in the Special K.
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.
Have you ever eaten a Special K loaf?
Yes!
Never heard of it!