Asparagus Mushroom Pie with Lemony Cheezy Sauce

2 cups cooked short-grain brown rice

1 tsp garlic powder

3 tsp Mrs. Dash Lemon Pepper, divided

1 large tomato, sliced thinly, or ½ pint cherry tomatoes, halved

4 green onions, chopped (½ cup)

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

2 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cup into 1” pieces (2 cups)

1 bunch kale, stems stripped and leaves chopped into pieces

1 ½ cups Lemony Cheezy Sauce

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

Preheat Oven 350

Place rice in a large bowl, add the garlic powder and 2 teaspoons of the lemon pepper, and mix well with fork.

In a 9’ pie plate, spread rice evenly along the bottom and up the sides.

Arrange the tomato slices on the rice and then sprinkle the tomatoes with half of the chopped green onions. 

In a frying pan, lay the mushrooms flat (totally flat) on the surface of the pan, and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes without turning.  Sprinkle the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, stir and cook for another minute, until the mushrooms have browned.  Place the mushrooms and any juice over the tomatoes.

Add the asparagus to the pan and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until bright green and tender.  Add liquid as necessary.  Drain and run the asparagus briefly under cold water to stop the cooking.  Arrange the asparagus on top of the mushrooms and sprinkle with the remaining 1 teaspoon lemon pepper and about 2 tablespoons of the green onions, saving a few onions for the top.

Cook kale in 2” boiling water for 4-5 minutes, the drain and squeeze out any extra water.  Arrange the kale over the asparagus and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar. 

Spread the Lemony Cheezy Sauce over the surface of the pie, sprinkle with the last few green onions and nutritional yeast and bake for 30 minutes. 

Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving – better chance the pie wedge will hold their shape…if not, enjoy the messy heaps!

My notes:

I used a different non salt mix that I had on hand – worked great.

I took a bowl on top of the rice and pressed down the rice into the pan.

I used my steamed asparagus and blanched kale that I prepped the day before.

The mushrooms….it was hard not to eat them all up – delicious cooking this way!

I baked the dish for 40 minutes.  After sitting for 10 minutes, it did slice very well.

The Cheezy sauce bake on top of the kale was amazing😊