VeganSpin

Vegan Recipes & Tips

Gluten Free Vegan Gravy Recipe

by Leave a Comment

I had a pre-Thanksgiving potluck at my dear friend Tonya’s house this weekend. The food was insane! I volunteered to bring gravy, and since I’ve been trying to ride the gluten free train to Healthsville (??? I don’t even know…sorry…) I decided to try my hand at making gluten free vegan gravy from scratch.

Gluten Free Vegan Gravy on Stuffing with Spinach & Mushrooms on Side

This gluten free vegan gravy recipe was cobbled together from some different recipes I found online, plus a little inspiration of my own. I was astounded at how easy this gravy was to make, how affordable and how delicious it turned out!

This is going to be my go-to gravy recipe from here on out. I love that it uses chickpea flour, I feel like it’s a lot healthier than your standard flour-based gravy.

Gluten Free Vegan Gravy Recipe

Makes 5 cups (serves 8-10 people)

Ingredients
8-16 oz mushrooms (1-2 packages) (optional)
3/4 cup chickpea flour
4 beef-flavored vegan bouillon (or preferred brand/flavor)
4 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup nutritional yeast (optional)
3 tbsp Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or tamari or gluten free soy sauce)
1 tbsp thyme
2 tsp garlic powder or 2 cloves chopped fresh garlic
1 tbsp preferred cooking oil (optional)

Directions
Clean the mushrooms and then chop finely – either by hand or in a food processor. You can make them any size/shape you like, but if you chop them very fine it will give your gravy a sausage-like texture. You can skip the mushrooms altogether if you wish.

Toast the chickpea flour and nutritional yeast (if using) over medium heat for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until fragrant and warm. Remove from heat and set aside.

Add oil to a sauce pan and warm over medium heat.

Add mushrooms (if using) and saute until cooked (3-5 minutes).

Add thyme and garlic, saute another 30 seconds stirring constantly.

Add water, Bragg’s and bouillon cubes, stir until cubes are dissolved.

Once water is warm, slowly whisk in the chickpea flour and nutritional yeast. Keep whisking and stirring until the chickpea flour is completely incorporated, no lumps, and the gravy is bubbling hot and thick.

Gluten Free Vegan Gravy - Close Up

Serve over everything and die of happiness.

Tips
I recommend using the bouillon cubes versus using stock because you can create a stronger flavor (I’ve called for more cubes than you would typically use with that amount of water) but you can use stock if you prefer. Edwards & Sons Vegan Bouillon is my absolute favorite, I love all their flavors. You can buy them online or find them at Sprouts.

You can sub brown rice or soy flour for the chickpea flour

Go crazy with the mushrooms! You can use white button, cremini, portobello, baby bella, oyster, etc. Mix and match to come up with your own blend!

Little black heart

Recipe: Italian Tofu Scramble

by Leave a Comment

Today I’m sharing with you my take on Huevos Rancheros. I call this creation Ouva di Fattoria (Vegana) – Italian for “farm eggs”…or at least that’s what Google Translator is telling me, haha.

Italian Tofu Scramble with Arrabiata and Pesto

LOL, j/k, ain’t nobody got time for that! (…plus my accent is atrocious, ain’t nobody want to be hearin’ that!)

I call this Italian Tofu Scramble and it’s got all of Italy’s greatest hits: delectable red sauce, basil blast from fresh pesto, onions and mushrooms and eggplant galore and tons of glorious, smelly garlic.

For this, I used a spicy arrabiata sauce (calm down, thee of sensitive palates, you can totes sub a non-spicy sauce *if you want to be a wimp* :P ), and a homemade pesto. I used some leftover potatoes and eggplant to bulk it up, but this would be good with whatever veggies you have on hand or enjoy the most.

Italian Tofu Scramble Recipe

Ingredients
Eggplant
Potatoes (Russet, Yukon or red, don’t mattah)
Arrabiata (or preferred red) sauce
Pesto (store bought or homemade)
Soft/Medium tofu (firm is ok if that’s all you can find)
Mushrooms (white button, cremini, or Portobello)
Onion (white or yellow)
Spinach (optional)
Garlic

Directions
Roast cubed potatoes in oven at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes, remove from oven and add cubed eggplant, roast for another 20 minutes, or until everything is done-zo

While potatoes are roasting, cut the tofu into 3/4 inch-ish slices, wrap in a towel or some paper towels and put some books or pans or something heavy and flat on top to press out all the water. Let it sit for about 30 minutes

Prep your mushrooms (slices) and onion (also slices) and tons of chopped garlic

About 10 minutes before your roasted veggies are done, heat up a pan with a little oil or water and start sauteeing your onions and mushrooms (I do them at the same time because I’m #lazy).

At this time you should heat up the red sauce of choice in a pan over low heat.

Once the onions are translucent and the mushrooms are cooked, add the garlic and saute gently for about 30 seconds, stirring frequently

Add the tofu (just crumble it into bite sized pieces right into the pan, no need to cut) and “scramble” until warmed through. Spinach would be amazing in this dish, if you want to add it, this would be the time!

Turn off the heat, mix in the pesto (don’t be shy! use at least two tablespoons!). Add the eggplant and potatoes, mix, taste. If you need, add more pesto until it is :x Muah! Perfecto!

Plate the scramble, then top lovingly with red sauce (and by top, I mean drown. #saucemonstersunite). Serve hot.

Mangia!

Recipe: Eggplant Pizza OMG

by Leave a Comment

You guys. I’m about to blow your minds. Ready???

EGGPLANT PIZZA.

*Drops mic, goes home*

Eggplant Pizza Rounds with Mixed Greens Salad

Alright, alright. I’ll tell ya how to make it! This is the easiest thing in the world and totally fills that pizza craving while being waaaay healthier.

I can’t take credit for this culinary miracle: eggplant pizza is the magical food-baby of my dear friend Erlinde, and ever since she told me about it my life has not been the same!

Directions

vegan, gluten-free, nutritarian (without the vegan cheese)

PIZZA “CRUST”: Cut an eggplant into rounds or lengthwise. Each piece should be 1/2-3/4 of an inch. Bake at 375ish degrees for 15-20 minutes.

TOPPINGS: While the eggplant is baking, prepare your favorite toppings. My go-to is sautéed mushrooms and spinach (as pictured).

SAUCE: I LOVE the arrabiata sauce from Trader Joes. You can use whatever sauce you love or have on hand. No bigs!

The Trader Joes sauce is watery, so I let it simmer uncovered while the eggplant is baking, stirring often. This does create some splatters on my stove but they are easily cleaned and well worth the hassle. DO NOT DO THIS WHILE WEARING A BELOVED WHITE T-SHIRT!..or while wearing a wedding dress! Or while holding a baby dressed in a christening gown!) You’ve been warned.

PIZZA TIME!: If everything is super hot, you can just assemble and eat. Otherwise, I put a thin layer of sauce on the eggplant, a layer of vegan cheese (my personal favorite for pizza is Daiya), pile on the toppings and bake at 375ish for 5-10 minutes, until hot and melty.

(NOTE: This meal is divine without the cheese for those of you looking to upgrade the health factor by a power of 10.)

Because I’m a sauce-monster, I top this gorgeous creation with a TON of the arrabiata and eat until I’m in a saucy joy-coma. Serve with salad for a veggie-full, balanced, indulgent, delicious, healthy meal.

<3