Monthly Archives: November 2019

Gardener’s Pie

Entree, Recipes, , , , , , , , , , ,

This hearty, rich and savory meal is made solely of plants! It is basically a vegan version of shepherd’s pie and cottage pie. Complex flavor is developed with delicious ingredients such as garlic, onion, thyme, tamari, Worcestershire sauce, and red wine (vinegar). 

The Mashed Cauli-tatoes recipe can be found here.

5 from 1 vote
Print

Gardener's Pie

Plant-based version of shepherd's pie or cottage pie

Course Main Course
Keyword dairy-free, dinner, entree, gluten-free, healthy, plant-based, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon cooking oil such as canola
  • 1 medium yellow onion, diced
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 pound mushrooms, sliced about 5-6 cups
  • 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar or substitute red wine or grape juice, up to 1/4 cup
  • 2 1/2 cups vegetable stock
  • 10 ounces frozen mixed vegetables
  • 1/2 cup red lentils
  • 2 tablespoons reduced sodium tamari or soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons fresh thyme, minced
  • 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch or 1/4 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1 batch mashed cauli-tatoes https://guesswhoscooking.com/2019/11/18/mashed-cauli-tatoes/

Instructions

  1. Heat oil in a Dutch oven or stock pot over medium-high heat. 

  2. Add onions and saute for 5 minutes or until they start to become translucent. Add garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 

  3. Add vinegar/juice to deglaze the pan, then add stock, mushrooms, mixed vegetables, lentils, tamari, thyme, and worcestershire sauce. Cook until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes.

  4. Preheat broiler on high.

  5. Mix corn starch with ¼ cup water to make a slurry. Add to pot and stir until liquid is thickened. Add 1-2 more tablespoons corn starch if necessary, or more stock or water if it's too thick. The sauce should be thicker than gravy. Add salt to taste.

  6. If prepared in a stock pot, transfer the mixture to a large casserole dish. If using a Dutch oven, keep it in there. Place about ½ cup mashed cauli-tatoes at a time on top of the mixture with remaining cauli-tatoes. Use a spoon or spatula to smooth out the mash, covering the mixture below, and sealing off the edges.

  7. Broil for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned on top.

Recipe Notes

  • Mashed Cauli-tatoes Recipe
  • Red Wine: If using red wine instead of red wine vinegar, use 1/4 cup and decrease vegetable broth by 2 tablespoons.
  • Flour: If using flour instead of corn starch, there is no need to make a slurry. Add the flour directly to the pan and stir. Use twice as much flour as corn starch.
  • Simpler Version: Simply top the mashed cauli-tatoes with the vegetable mixture, sort of like mashed potatoes and gravy. This saves about 15 minutes or so. 
  • Ingredients like Worcestershire sauce and tamari can be left out if you don't have them, but they help build a more complex flavor.
  • Vegan: make sure to use vegan Worcestershire sauce
  • Gluten-free: Use tamari (usually gluten-free but check the label) or gluten-free soy sauce. Use corn starch, not flour, to thicken.

Mashed Cauli-tatoes

Recipes, Sides, Thanksgiving, , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

This one pot recipe is so simple but so hearty. The 50/50 mixture of cauliflower and potatoes takes on the starchiness of the potatoes to create a rich and creamy consistency very similar to traditional mashed potatoes. There is no need to steam the cauliflower separately, simply place it on top of the potatoes while they boil and cover, essentially steaming it in the same pot! It is completely plant-based, simply replacing butter with olive oil and milk with a plant-based milk such as cashew.

Print

Mashed Cauli-tatoes

A simple and hearty mixture of cauliflower and potatoes that rivals traditional mashed potatoes! 

Course Side Dish
Cuisine American
Keyword comfort food, plant-based, vegan, vegetables, vegetarian
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 5 cups potatoes, peeled and chopped ideally organic, about 2 pounds
  • 5 cups cauliflower florets 1 medium head
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil or non-dairy butter
  • 1/2 cup plain and unsweetened cashew or other plant milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt or to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Instructions

  1. Place potatoes in a stockpot and cover with water and a lid. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes.

  2. Add cauliflower to the pot on top of the potatoes and cover. Continue cooking until a knife slides easily into the cauliflower and potatoes, about 10 minutes more, adding more water if necessary.

  3. Drain the cauliflower and potatoes, then mash with a potato masher or whisk. Add oil or butter and ¼ cup milk and continue mashing. Add salt and pepper to taste, and more milk if necessary to reach desired consistency.