Vegan comfort foods; an oxymoron?

 

No, it is not an oxymoron! Yes, vegan foods, devoid of dairy and meat and eggs, can indeed be comfort foods even if you did not grow up eating them and are new to the idea.

I was searching for inspiration for this column when I sat down at my laptop and then there it was in my e-mail! Not what you might imagine; it was not one of the many recipes I get from gluten-free or vegan cooking websites. It was a discount offer for a local Italian restaurant, showing a photo of a large scoop of mashed potatoes topped with a round of beef topped with mushrooms and gravy with three whole carrots snuggled up beside it. “Now, that is comfort food,” I thought.

Coincidentally I have been working on a go-to recipe for a sorta veggie burger meatball that I can appease my husband with. It is difficult to find gluten-free, non-GMO, non-soy burgers or meatballs at the grocery store, and when you do they are very pricey. I have one below for you to try. 

And, a replacement for those traditional mashed potatoes, and yes, a mushroom gravy. I think you can figure out the carrots, yes?

 

(Well, they really are only “ramped- up” in the spring when ramps are found at the local market, but garlic and leeks fill in nicely here.)

1T extra virgin olive oil 

1 leek, white and light green part only, washed and finely chopped

1 clove garlic, chopped fine

2 or 3 medium sized potatoes (I like Yukon Gold or Idaho) washed and cut into 1-inch chunks (Peeling is optional if they are organic.)

a head of garlic, not a clove, separated and peeled, not chopped

1/2 head of cauliflower, or 1 small one, washed and cut into large pieces

1C of white beans, cooked and drained — navy, flageolet, cannellini or even garbanzos. (Rinse if you are using canned beans.) Mash beans with a fork.

extra virgin olive oil to taste

sea salt to taste

freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Heat the oil in a large pot, not a skillet. When hot, add the chopped garlic and leek, turn heat to medium low, stir and cook until it is soft and translucent, not browned.  

Add potatoes, cloves of garlic and cauliflower to pot along with a cup or so of water. Cover and cook until the potatoes are tender. Watch to be sure the pot does not cook dry; add a bit more water if necessary. 

When cooked, drain, saving any liquid. Add beans and mash all together with a potato masher or quickly process in food processor. If you use the food processor be sure not to process too much because the potatoes will become too gluey. If needed for the consistency you like (I prefer a chunky, rustic, kind of texture) add cooking liquid; add olive oil, salt and pepper to taste. 

 

1 clove of garlic, chopped fine 

2 portobello mushrooms, or about 2C of another mushroom of your choice

1C of pecans, toasted

2 stalks of celery, roughly chopped

1 small onion, roughly chopped

1 carrot, roughly chopped

1/2 to 1C of rolled oats

2T ground chia or flax seeds 

seasonings to taste: Italian seasoning blend (for more meatball-y flavor) basil, oregano, salt, and pepper

This is most easily prepared in a food processor. I start with the garlic and chop it into small pieces in the processor, then add the mushrooms and chop those fine. Then add the pecans, celery, onion, and carrot, and process further, but stop before it is pureed completely.  A rough-ish blend is best. 

Turn out into a bowl and stir in oats and seeds. Add seasonings of your choice to taste. Let sit about 20 minutes to soak up seeds and oats. If mixture is still too wet after that time, add a bit more oats. If it is too dry to form into a ball or burger, add a bit of water, stir and let sit a few more minutes.

These can be made into balls or burgers and can be baked on an oiled sheet in the oven at 350 degrees or sauteed in a pan with a small amount of oil.

 

1C of raw cashews, soaked 4 hours or overnight, drained

1/2T extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1/2 onion, finely chopped

your choice of mushroom — I like the wild mushroom blend with lots of shiitakes

1t dried thyme or one tablespoon chopped fresh thyme

salt and pepper to taste

In a large skillet, lightly brown the garlic and onion in the oil, then add the chopped mushrooms and thyme  and saute over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are tender and have released their liquid. 

Meanwhile, drain and rinse cashews and place in a blender with just enough water to blend thoroughly. Add it sparingly as you blend. When mushrooms are cooked, add blended cashews to the pan, cook briefly to warm through and season with salt and pepper and more thyme if you wish. 

Place a burger or three balls on top of a large scoop of mashed potatoes and top with a generous amount of mushroom gravy. Snuggle up your carrots. Be comforted. Be very comforted.

Betsy Naselli owns The Holistic Lifestyle Company in the Syracuse area. Contact her at bnaselli@twcny.rr.com or visit her on the web: www.youngliving.org/oilswellagain; or www.us.nyrorganic.com/shop/betsyn