Nutritional Yeast: Mystery Solved

People are on different sides of the fence with Nutritional Yeast:

1. I love it! I put it on everything.
2. What the heck is it?

It does not have the most appealing name and some people may confuse it with the type of yeast you use to make bread (baker’s yeast) or beer (brewer’s yeast). Nutritional yeast is deactivated (no longer a living organism) and usually of the species S. cerevisiae. Generally well known in the vegan/vegetarian world, nutritional yeast is a substitution for cheese as it has a nice savory/nutty flavor and is often used on popcorn, kale chips, or in recipes (see below!). It is a great source of protein and B-vitamins, particularly B-12 for those who choose to avoid animal products as this is where most people get their natural sources of the vitamin.

Check out a label example below:

RED STAR
Nutritional Yeast
Vitamin Fortified Food Product

Serving = 1.5 Tablespoons

70 Calories

Total Fat 1g
Saturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0g
Sodium 0g
Potassium 3g
Total Carbohydrate 6g
Dietary Fiber 4g
Sugars 0g
Protein 8g

Easy Pesto Casserole
*adapted from the Forks Over Knives cookbook by Del Sroufe

This is a great way to use your summer veggies up. The recipe incorporates classic summer veggies like basil, squash, and tomatoes and also features – you guessed it! – nutritional yeast. Enjoy!

• 1 tsp olive or canola oil
• 2 large yellow onions, peeled and sliced into thin rings
• 2 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into ½ inch rounds
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 2 large yellow summer squash, cut into ½ inch rounds
• 2 large tomatoes, cut into ¾ inch rounds
• 1 batch of Basil Pesto *(see recipe below)

Basil Pesto

• 2 cups packed basil (could also use arugula if desired)
• ½ cup pine nuts, toasted
• 4 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 package organic silken tofu, drained
• ¼ cup nutritional yeast

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees

2. Boil potato rounds in a medium saucepan of water for 8-10 minutes, until al dente. Drain and season with salt and pepper.

3. While potatoes are cooking, warm oil over medium heat in a large skillet and sauté onions for 10 minutes or until browned. Add water 1-2 Tbsp at a time if they are sticking to the pan excessively.

4. Combine all basil pesto ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth and creamy.

5. In a glass 9×13 pan, place a layer of zucchini evenly on the bottom. Season with salt and pepper and spread a dollop of basil pesto on top. Add a layer of yellow squash, season with salt and pepper and spread a dollop of basil pesto on top. Add a layer of potato rounds and spread a dollop of basil pesto on top. Repeat until veggies are used up in layers. Top with tomato slices and then onions. Season once more with salt, pepper, or other fresh herbs from the garden such as basil or thyme.

6. Bake casserole for 30 minutes. Let set for 10 minutes before serving.