Spinach Keto Casserole with Almond Herb Crust

Recently, I've been trying to incorporate more vegan keto recipes to my repertoire; I do have to confess it's not an easy task but since here at Vegan.io our mission is to make veganism easy, practical and achievable no matter what your lifestyle is, and that includes being on a keto diet, I'm determined to grow that repertoire as much as possible. 

With that said, here is my latest creation, a Spinach Keto Casserole with Almond Herb Crust recipe that definitely falls into the easy, quick and practical theme that we promote on this website, and of course, it's incredibly tasty!

I'm not getting into the immense depths of what a ketogenic diet actually is but I do want to note one of the main things to remember. When trying to get into ketosis, which is the goal of this kind of diet, your meals should be high in fat, moderate in protein and very low in carbs.

This casserole checks all the requirements and it's a great dish that you can enjoy with your family or bring with you to the next dinner party you're invited to, it is ready in less than 30 minutes and you need just a few ingredients to make it.

One of the best kinds of vegetables you can include in your keto recipes are dark leafy greens, spinach being probably the best option since carbs are practically inexistent and it's loaded with nutrients and flavour. So that is exactly what we are using for our casserole.

Our main source of protein will be tempeh, I love how versatile this ingredient is, in this recipe it works perfectly well with the spinach, it absorbs the extra liquid that results from cooking spinach, making the consistency of the whole dish just right, not too dry and not too soggy.

I like recurring to nuts when I'm in need of a healthy source of fats, that's what our crust is made of, also this way we stay away from carbs. Initially, my intention was to use soaked cashew nuts, but after some research I found that cashews are not a good option and should be avoided since they contain a high amount of carbs. 

Since some varieties of nuts contain a lot less carbs, you can still recur to them. The best options are pecan nuts, brazil nuts, macadamias, peanuts, hazel nuts, walnuts and almonds. They are all quite different in flavour and texture, so you have plenty of options.

To be practical and because I really love them, I used almonds which I always have in my kitchen. Also almonds are one of the cheapest option on the list, there is no point in trying to be practical if that means you have to break the bank. It turned out really good, instead of a "cheesy" flavour, it has a nice nutty taste that pairs really well with the spinach mix. And, as a bonus, your house will smell incredibly amazing when it's done baking.