Veg Pot Pie

We had a ton of refrigerated pie dough that were leftover from holiday grocery shopping that I decided I would use a couple to make a veggie pot pie. I haven't made one in a long while. Here are the innards, a delicious mixture of potatoes, gardein veggie crumbles, carrots, celery, spinach, mushrooms, lima beans, green peas, green beans, onions, garlic and corn. The gravy is seasoned with soy sauce, veggie broth and miso paste.

Out of the oven, all browned and beautiful!

Lunch.

Recipe: Veg Pot Pie

1 TB Earth Balance margarine
2 TB olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
1/2 cup carrots, chopped
3 celery stalks, sliced
2 cloves chopped garlic
1/4 cup flour
2 cups veggie or mushroom broth (I used Better Than Bouillon Vegetable flavor)
1 tsp yellow miso paste
1 cup gardein veggie crumbles
1/2 cup plain soymilk
1/2 cup mushrooms chopped
2 Yukon gold potatoes, cubed
2 cups frozen veggie mix, thawed (carrots, peas, green beans, lima beans, corn)
1 tsp soy sauce
1 TB freeze dried poultry herbs or 1 tsp dried herbs (I used freeze dried mix of rosemary, thyme, garlic, scallions, sage)
salt and pepper to taste
pinch of cayenne
1 pie crust with 1 top (if frozen, thaw it out or use refrigerated pie dough)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Heat oil and margarine in a pot over medium high heat. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic and cook for cook for several minutes to soften. Once the vegetable are fairly soft, add flour a bit at a time while stirring continuously. Add a bit of broth as you go. Once it is all smooth and all the broth is incorporated, add the miso paste. Stir to dissolve miso paste. Add veggie crumbles and soy milk. Continue to cook and stir and make sure the miso dissolves. Add the mushrooms, potatoes and frozen veggie mix. Stir to combine. Turn off heat. Add soy sauce, herbs, salt, pepper and cayenne to season. If it seems dry, you may add a bit more soymilk or broth. Pour mixture into pie shell (there will be a lot) and cover with top pie crust and crimp edges. Cut a few slits on the top for steam to escape. Bake at 375 for 40-45 minutes until browned on top.

Vegan Steak and Mushroom Pie

The veggies.

Some ingredients.

The insides before topping with puff pastry.

From the oven to the table, all puffed and golden!

On the plate with a side of mashed potatoes. This is the best comfort food ever.

The Recipe:

Steak and mushroom pie

3 TB vegan margarine + 2 TB olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 cup dry protein soy chunks rehydrated in boiling water until soft.
2 TB flour
1 cup veggie broth
1 tsp red miso
1 tsp vegemite or marmite
1 TB tomato paste
1 TB vegan worcestershire sauce or soy sauce
1 tsp thyme
1 container mushrooms sliced
salt and pepper to taste
frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed (a good vegan brand is Pepperidge Farm)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Put the kettle on and boil water and pour over soy chunks in a bowl and let sit until soy chunks are soft.
3. Drain the hydrated soy chunks and put them in to a bowl. Add a couple of TB of flour and toss to coat the soy chunks.
4. Heat margarine in a pan on med high heat. Add soy chunks to pan and brown evenly, about 5 minutes. Remove soy chunks from pan and set aside.
5. Add oil to the pan and add the vegetables. Cook for a about 4 minutes. Then add vegetable broth, miso, marmite, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce and thyme to the pan. Cook for a few more minutes and then add the mushrooms. Add the soy chunks back to the pan, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and cover and simmer until veggies are tender.
6. Pour mixture into a baking dish and top with puff pastry sheets. Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden and puffy.

Vegan Steak and Mushroom Pie

Out of the oven.


More veggies than "steak" but that's ok! It was pretty tasty on top of mashed potatoes.

Recipe here.

"Steak" and mushroom pie.

My neighbor was the one who inspired me to make this dish. She had a photo assignment to photograph the pub food at Ye Olde King's Head in Santa Monica. Her photos of the steak and mushroom (or it could have been steak and ale) pie looked amazing. I said to her: "I'm going to make that!" And so I did.


This is the filling of soy chunks, vegetables and mushrooms in a savory gravy.


Finished pie out of the oven.



I didn't have potatoes so I made cauliflower mash instead!

Steak and mushroom pie

3 TB vegan margarine + 2 TB olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 carrots, sliced
2 ribs celery, sliced
1 cup dry protein soy chunks rehydrated in boiling water until soft.
2 TB flour
1 cup veggie broth
1 tsp red miso
1/2 tsp vegemite or marmite
1 TB tomato paste
1 TB vegan worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp thyme
1 container mushrooms sliced
salt and pepper to taste
frozen puff pastry sheet, thawed (a good vegan brand is Pepperidge Farm)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

2. Put the kettle on and boil water and pour over soy chunks in a bowl and let sit until soy chunks are soft.

3. Drain the hydrated soy chunks and put them in to a bowl. Add a couple of TB of flour and toss to coat the soy chunks.

4. Heat margarine in a pan on med high heat. Add soy chunks to pan and brown evenly, about 5 minutes. Remove soy chunks from pan and set aside.

5. Add oil to the pan and add the vegetables. Cook for a about 4 minutes. Then add vegetable broth, miso, marmite, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce and thyme to the pan. Cook for a few more minutes and then add the mushrooms. Add the soy chunks back to the pan, season with salt and pepper and bring to a boil. Turn heat to low and cover and simmer until veggies are tender.

6. Pour mixture into a baking dish and top with puff pastry sheets. Bake for 20 minutes or until pastry is golden and puffy.


Pie poured over cauliflower mash. This was SO TASTY.

Chickpea Pot Pie

Yummy pot pie with potatoes, turnips, chickpeas, broccoli, carrots and cauliflower and a puff pastry top! The gravy was a mixture of veggie broth, soymilk, thyme and white miso paste.



Recipe

1/2 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 ribs celery, sliced
2 carrots, sliced
2 cups cauliflower florets
2 cups broccoli florets
2 potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 small turnip, peeled and cubed
1 14oz. can chickpeas, drained
4 TB olive oil, divided
2 TB flour
1 TB cornstarch
1 tsp. white miso
1-2 TB veggie broth powder
1 tsp. thyme
splash of soymilk
1 TB soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 sheet of prepared puff pastry

1. Cook the carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, potatoes and turnip by placing them in a pot and covering with water. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10-12 minutes until they get soft.
2. Drain them but keep the water they were cooking in a bowl. Set it aside.
3. Saute onions, garlic and celery in 2 TB olive oil in another pot over medium heat until soft. Add the other 2 TB of olive oil. Take about a cup of the reserved water and dissolve the miso, veggie broth powder and flour in it. Add that to the pot and stir the mixture until it starts to get thick. When that happens, add the reserved veggie water little by little until you get the amount of gravy you desire. Keep stirring the gravy. If you want it thicker, dissolve the 1 TB of cornstarch in a little cold water and add it to the pot. When it has thickened the way you like it, add a splash of plain soymilk for creaminess.
4. Add the cooked veggies and the drained chickpeas to the pot and mix well. Season with soy sauce, salt and pepper. Pour the entire mixture into a 9x12 baking dish and top with the sheet of puff pastry. Bake for about 30-45 minutes in a 350 degree oven or until pastry is golden browned and puffed.

Pot Pie, Tea Sandwiches and Gardein Buffalo Wings

This is an adaptation of Vegan Dad's pot pie. I didn't use seitan but used chickpeas instead. I had a spelt crust in the freezer that I wanted to use and for the top crust, I used an oil based recipe which I cut into pumpkin shapes. I added a few things to the sauce/filling, namely 1 tsp. white miso, 1/2 tsp. vegemite and 1/4 tsp. dried thyme.




The other day I bought a package of Gardein buffalo wings to try out. I had them with cucumber sandwiches and salad. To be honest, I wasn't crazy about them on their own. The texture was good but the taste was kind of weird. I think they would be better in a sandwich with other things.

Biscuit Casserole Stew

It's cloudy and overcast today which makes me want comfort food. I'm still trying to use up whatever I have in my kitchen and after thinking a bit, I remembered this stew from Brian McCarthy's 'Vegan Family Cookbok'. It's a very easy recipe where I was able to add things from my fridge that needed using up. It's a thick soup-like stew with a split pea soup base and features potatoes and carrots with a drop biscuit crust. I added some extra veggies and made whole wheat biscuits for the top. There was a bit of overspill in the oven (should have use a bigger dish), but it made it look interesting I think!

Ingredients from my pantry:
can of split pea soup
plain soymilk
whole wheat flour
all purpose flour
olive oil
veggie broth powder

Ingredients from my fridge:
mushrooms
broccoli
potatoes
carrots
onions
garlic
zucchini

Ingredients I had to purchase:
none


Warm and comforting.

All you need is comfort food!

Today I needed something warm, hearty and comfort foody. Pot pie to the rescue! I've been wanting to try the 'Vegetable Pot Pie' recipe from the Country LIfe Vegetarian cookbook for quite some time. I'm glad I did as it's a little different from the pot pies I usually make. The gravy is creamier with the addition of soymilk and flavorful from the 'country style seasoning' which is another recipe in the book. I didn't make the 'Flaky Oat-Wheat Crust' that is supposed to go on top because I didn't have all the ingredients so I used a frozen pie crust that had been languishing in my freezer for a while. I just thawed it and popped it out of the tin pie plate and flattened it out with a rolling pin and cut out little biscuit shapes for the crust. Came out real nice.




The insides: potatoes, green beans, carrots, onions, corn, celery and broccoli. I was going to put mushrooms in here but I forgot!

Edited to add the pretty purple smoothie I had after a long dog walk. Blueberry/Strawberry/Applesauce/Soymilk

The Quintessential Comfort Food.

Back in my pre-vegan days I used to make a quick chicken pot pie from a store bought chicken, frozen pie crust, frozen vegetables and a can of cream of potato soup. Not anymore. Today's pot pie was a realization of all the fresh vegetables that I had available. It was also a result of last night's french onion soup leftovers. You see, I was already thinking "gravy" while I supped on the rich and delicious soup. What better way to utilize gravy than in a vegetable pot pie recipe? No need for those condensed and canned soups. I was going for a gravy that was rich and creamy with the flavors and aroma of caramelized onions, miso and red wine (ingredients that were in the soup). Something that would give the vegetables intense flavor. I think I succeeded.

What I did was this. I strained the broth from the onion soup and made a roux with Earth Balance margarine and flour. Then I stirred in the broth and whisked and whisked until it thickened. Then I added plain soymilk little by little while I whisked and let it simmer. I chopped some of the caramelized soup onions and put them in there too. A dash of salt and pepper later and I had my gravy. The filling was all about chopping and dicing: potatoes, broccoli, spinach, green beans, carrots, mushrooms and (frozen) corn. I cooked them over heat with a little water to soften the potatoes and then combined the mixture with the gravy. Then I poured it into the pie crust and covered it with a very lazy top pie crust and baked it for 40 minutes. I say lazy because I used an oil based pie crust which I think lacks the butteryness and that something something that traditional pie crusts have. I could have made one with margarine or shortening to get that flavor/texture but like I said, I was too lazy. But no matter, the pie turned out beautiful. Don't you think? No not really. It's a very home made lookin' pie and for what it lacks in beauty, the taste makes up for it all the more.


Inside shot. The gravy was the best gravy I've ever made.


Pie Hole!

VeganMoFo: Bukharan Samsa & Chik'n Pot Pies

If you don't already have the book 'Olive Trees and Honey' then you should go pick it up right away. In it you'll find an exciting array of recipes from Jewish communites around the world in Greece, India, Romania, Morocco, Tunisia, Iraq, Iran, Poland, Italy, Hungary, Egypt and on and on. It's a vegetarian book but most recipes are vegan or can at least be modified to be vegan.

One section of the book features pies and pastries with various kinds of fillings and doughs depending on the region. I was interested in the Bukharan samsa recipe because the dough seemed simple enough (oil, flour, salt, water) and didn't contain any dairy or egg ingredients I had to work around. This particular samsa recipe originates from the Bukharan Jews from the Uzbekistan region. Samsa are a common street food, customarily baked in a tandoor and are commonly filled with meat but also vegetables. The book features a vegan version that is filled with sweet butternut squash, onions and spices. I adore butternut squash in any form so this recipe was something I wanted to try.

I have to say it was quite a bit of work making the dough, letting it rest, cooking the fillings and so on. It took most of my morning but I was determined to make them. I only had enough squash filling for a half recipe of samsa so I got the idea to also make chik'n pot pie filling which I knew would appeal more to my husband. The chik'n pot pie filling contained cubed Boca Chik'n patties, carrots, potato and miso gravy. I have a pretty small workspace in the kitchen so I couldn't really concentrate on making my little pies perfect. I did the best I could and ended up making 15 small turnovers. I can't say they look pretty but they are really tasty and so worth all the effort! The dough was tender and flaky-crisp around the edges. The samsa were delicious with a soft mash of sweet squash and a earthy hint of cumin and turmeric. The chik'n pot pies were winners and tasted just like the real thing, sure to beat frozen Swanson's pies anyday.


Healthy and delicious vegetarian samsa.


Chik'n pot pies!


Inside shots. Wow!

Comfort Foods.

Comfort food was something I never imagined I could have again once turning vegan. Foods I remember from childhood: Meatloaf, creamy casseroles, chili, thick stews, mac & cheese, grilled cheese, ohhhhhhh... I thought some dishes would never be vegan friendly. I was wrong. I've prepared ever so many comforting meals that made everything all right in the world. Here are some photos.


Chili really doesn't need meat to be warm, hearty and filling. This Sweet Potato and Veggie Chili really hits the spot. Recipe can be found here.


Meatloaf, mashed potatoes and gravy. Oh yes. This is a really good tofu/veggie loaf that I make often. It's perfect with a side of mashed potatoes and gravy (in this pic, a white bean gravy - recipe from Vegan With A Vengeance). You can find the loaf recipe here. (I omit the egg in this recipe.)


I love getting out my crockpot in winter time. I love getting out my crockpot in summer time too. It doesn't matter what the weather is like; if I want comfort food I am going to have it! This beautiful Lentil and 'Sausage' soup was sooo good. I adapted this recipe by switching out the meat kielbasa for Tofurkey brand tomato and basil vegetarian sausage. This soup thickens into a stew the longer it sits which is pretty damn awesome.


I used to love chicken pot pie. Now I love chickpea pot pie. This one is just like the pot pies I remember. I used Vegan Dad's pot pie recipe because he's such an awesome cook! For the crust, I used this fantastic "Cheezy Quackers" recipe from this great blog.


I once craved the tuna casseroles that my mom used to make for me when I was little. She would use egg noodles, cream of mushroom soup and slices of Kraft singles melted on top. None of these things fit my diet so I had to improvise. What I came up with was this creamy, mushroomy casserole with crushed chips and french fried onions on top. I've added mashed chickpeas to fill in for the tuna as well as provide the protein. This dish is great and well loved by all when I take it to potlucks. I've posted my recipe here.


I call this 'Meat Eating Husbands Love This Shepherds Pie". I adapted a recipe that my friend Becky made for her meat eating husband. He loved it so I thought my meat eating husband would love it too. He did. This one's a winner. It's got broccoli, carrots and potatoes in a rich mushroom gravy. The french fried onions on top was Becky's brilliant idea. I've since used them in other recipes like the casserole above. I've posted my adapted recipe here.


I had to save the best for last. Grilled cheese. While this doesn't taste like dairy cheese it's an awesome equivalent. It's gooey, rich and creamy and so very tasty. I used the Colby Chedda " block cheese" recipe from The Ultimate Uncheese Cookbook. It has a cashew and pimento or roasted red pepper base.

I'd just like to add that I have made several mac and cheese recipes which were wonderful. Unfortunately I don't have pictures of them. I'll get shots of them next time. Hope all these dishes inspire you to make your own veggie comfort foods!