10/15/2024

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Southern-Style Gravy
1 ¾ cups water
½ cup raw cashews, soaked
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
2 tablespoons soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos*
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon Bakon seasoning*
½ teaspoon Vege-Sal*
½ teaspoon garlic powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander

*Soaking cashews recommended to make the nutrients more available. It also makes the cashews soft and easy to blend into a creamy gravy. I like to soak overnight, rinse and blot dry, then freeze and use as needed in recipes.

*Bakon seasoning adds a hint of smoky flavor. Could omit if you can’t find easily. The gravy will still be delicious.

*Vege-Sal is a vegetable seasoning. Could substitute regular salt if you can’t find easily.

*Bragg’s coconut aminos is a soy-free option if preferred

Place all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth (no graininess between your fingers). Pour into saucepan and simmer over medium heat, stirring often, until it thickens.

Toasted Almonds (for Green Bean Casserole)
Bake sliced almonds on a baking sheet about 7-8 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, until golden and fragrant. Alternatively, place nuts in a dry skillet without oil for 4 to 5 minutes while stirring.

Mushroom Gravy (for Green Bean Casserole)
1 medium onion, chopped
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon thyme
1 ½ teaspoon salt
1 cup raw cashews, soaked*
2 ½ cups water

*Soaking cashews recommended to make the nutrients more available. It also makes the cashews soft and easy to blend into a creamy gravy. I like to soak overnight, rinse and blot dry, then freeze and use as needed in recipes.

Sautee onion, mushrooms, and seasonings in a little water in a pan. Blend cashews with water in a blender. Pour cashew water mixture into the pan with the onion and mushroom mixture. Cook until it thickens.

Green Bean Casserole (adapted from Sarah Frain & Stephanie Howard’s Give Them Something Better Cookbook)
5 cans green beans
1 recipe Mushroom Gravy
1-2 cups sliced almonds, toasted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine green beans and mushroom gravy in a casserole dish. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with toasted almonds (healthy alternative to French-fried onions).

Veggie Cutlets (adapted from Neva and Jim Bracket’s Seven Secrets Cookbook)
2 cups soaked garbanzos (if you use canned garbanzos: drain the liquid into a measuring cup and add water to equal 1½ cups total liquid)
2 tablespoons soy sauce or ¼ cup Bragg Liquid Aminos
3 tablespoons McKay’s Chicken-style Seasoning
2 tablespoons yeast flakes
1 tablespoon onion powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
2 cups gluten flour

1. To soak soybeans or garbanzos, place at least 1 cup dry beans in about 2 cups of water and leave at room. temperature for about 12 hours.

2. Place 2 cups of soaked, drained beans in a blender with 1½ cups water and blend.

3. While blending, add seasonings and blend smooth.

4. Pour into a bowl and add the gluten flour. It will become very stiff, and the last of the flour should be kneaded in with your hands. Knead for 2 minutes. If it is too soft (not holding together in an elastic ball), knead in ¼ – ½ cup more gluten flour. This can be done in an electric bread mixer or by hand. Longer kneading will make a final product that is more chewy and elastic, while less kneading will make a final product that is more spongy and breadlike.

5. Form into two oval-shaped loaves and place on a baking sheet with parchment paper on top. Bake 50 minutes at 350°F. Cool on a rack. May be frozen.

6. When cool, slice very thin (about ⅛ inch) and simmer in the following broth for 5 minutes:

Broth for Veggie Cutlets
4 cups water
2 tablespoons Bragg Liquid Aminos
2 tablespoons Chicken-Like or Beef-Like Seasoning (depending on flavor desired)

7. For a slightly thicker broth (which makes a richer, more attractive presentation), dissolve 1½ tablespoons cornstarch in ¼ cup water and gradually stir into the simmering cutlets.

8. Serve with mashed potatoes or use in other recipes.

Sweet Potato Pie (Adapted from Minimalist Baker)

1 (9-inch) vegan pie crust
1 ¾ cups roasted sweet potato purée (2 medium sweet potatoes (~2/3 lb or 300 g each) yield ~1 ¾ cups or 425 g sweet potato purée)
1 cup water (plus more for soaking cashews)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 Tbsp cornstarch
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp sea salt

1. ROAST SWEET POTATOES: To make sweet potato purée, halve the sweet potatoes lengthwise and place cut side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake at 375 F (190 C) for ~40-45 minutes or until very tender to the touch (up to ~1 hour if your sweet potatoes are on the larger side). After baking, move to one side of the pan and wrap the parchment paper over top to steam. Let steam for 5 minutes. Then peel away skin and mash in a mixing bowl (or food processor). Set aside.

2. SOAK CASHEWS: Add cashews to a heatproof bowl and cover with hot water by at least 1-2 inches. Let them soak for 15-20 minutes, then drain and set aside.

3. PIE CRUST: If making a homemade pie crust, prepare it while the cashews soak and par-bake if indicated in the pie crust recipe (or the pie crust package if using store-bought).

4. Before proceeding with the filling, double check that your oven is preheated to 375 F (190 C).

5. Place the mashed sweet potatoes into a high-speed blender with the water, maple syrup, soaked and drained cashews, cornstarch, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt. Blend on high until smooth and creamy.

6. Pour the filling into your prepared crust and smooth the top with a rubber spatula (if desired). Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 10 minutes. Once the 10 minutes is up, reduce the oven temperature to 325 F (162 C) and bake for 45-50 minutes until the center is just slightly jiggly. The center should be more solid than liquid with a structured jiggle instead of one that looks more liquidy. Remove from the oven and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes before cooling it completely in the refrigerator for about 3 hours.

7. Serve cold topped with dairy-free whipped cream (coconut or cashew) if desired. Store leftovers in the refrigerator lightly covered for up to 4-5 days or in the freezer for 1 month (or longer).