I’ve been spending the last few days here with my mother-in-law, as she came up to stay with us for awhile after dad’s passing last week.
And let me tell you, she is NOT Vegan. Not by a longshot.
So coming up with comfort foods that both she and my wife will like, while staying relatively fat-free and vegan has been a bit of a challenge.
One thing EVERYBODY likes is my Flaky Vegan Buttermilk Biscuits, so this recipe for a Creamy Country Gravy was really a no-brainer.
The trick was to replace the sausage and fat, but keep it true to a down-home, stick-to-your-ribs country gravy.
With a package of mushrooms, just the right amount of spices, and a secret ingredient that may just surprise you, I think I did just that.
Creamy
Hearty
Satisfying
Flavorful
Mmmm. Just like mom used to make (well…. sort of).
Creamy Country Gravy
We’re going to start by sautéing a little onion and garlic in a large pot or skillet.
A whole package of white button mushrooms that I finely chopped added the texture I was looking for, similar to big chunks of sausage in a traditional country gravy.
A heaping 1/4 cup of AP flour made the roux and some unsweetened almond milk finished off the process turning this into a creamy country gravy that will fool any non-vegan in the house.
A hearty sprinkling of salt, pepper, thyme, and sage adds just the right amount of spice to send this gravy over the top.
And just to add a little more texture, and to help thicken things up….. I added one more secret ingredient that may seem a little strange and untraditional – but trust me – it works.
I added a cup of frozen shredded potatoes.
Perfect.
Breakfast dinners were always a big hit in our house, so naturally Mom loved it and the wife devoured hers before I could even snap some pictures.
Comfort food that’s healthy too. (just don’t tell mom)
Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 20 mins
Total time: 30 mins
Serves: 4 servings
- ½ onion, finely chopped
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 8oz mushrooms, finely chopped
- ¼ cup vegetable broth, low sodium variety
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp pepper
- ½ tsp thyme
- 1 tsp rubbed sage
- 5 Tbls flour (AP or whole wheat)
- 2¾ cups of almond milk, unsweetened
- 1 cup frozen shredded potatoes
- 1 Tbls dried parsley
- Saute onion and garlic in a tablespoon or two of veggie broth
- Add mushrooms and cook until softened
- Add spices and remaining veggie broth and cook until aromatic
- Slowly add flour and stir to make a roux
- Slowly add almond milk and stir to combine
- Add shredded potatoes and stir to combine
- Simmer until it becomes nice and thick
- Garnish with dried parsley
