Holiday Recipe: Light Mushroom Gravy

Light Mushroom Gravy 

Makes 4 cups

This tasty gravy is ideal with Holiday Winter Stuffed Squash, UnTurkey, Tofurkey, baked potatoes, mashed potatoes or to add a festive touch to veggie burgers. You may experiment with different brands of stock cubes or powder; flavourful stock makes a big difference. Stocks vary in saltiness so adjust the amount of tamari or salt accordingly. If the gravy is too thick, add water; if too thin, simmer uncovered to reach the desired consistency. From Cooking Vegan by Vesanto Melina and Joseph Forest, The Book Publishing Co, 2012 (In Canada, Cooking Vegetarian by Joseph Forest and Vesanto Melina, Harper Collins, 2013)

1 tbsp vegetable oil (such as coconut oil or olive oil)
2 cups thinly sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup finely diced onion
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 cups vegetable stock or water
1/2 cup unbleached, all-purpose or whole-wheat flour
2 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp dried sage
Pinch of pepper
Salt (optional, to taste)
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (optional)

Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Cook the mushrooms and onion for 5 minutes or until they start to brown. Add the garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Put one cup of cold vegetable stock or water, flour, tamari, nutritional yeast, thyme and sage in a jar, tightly cover with a lid and shake until blended. Put the stock and flour mixture plus the remaining stock into the sauce pan, bring to a boil, decrease heat to low and simmer, covered, for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in pepper and salt (if using); top with parsley and serve.

Vesanto Melina is a BC dietitian, author (www.camd58.sg-host.com), 604-882-6782. Other books that include great recipes for select dietary patterns are The Food Allergy Survival Guide, Becoming Raw and The Raw Food Revolution Diet. Visitwww.camd58.sg-host.com

See Vesanto December 2, 7:30PM at Eternal Abundance, 1025 Commercial Drive. She gives a fun talk on “Veg Simplicity, Veg Diplomacy.” Snacks included.