The first Monday in January! Everybody is excited about making some healthy changes in their diet (and exercise). At least I am. We have been traveling for weeks, so I am looking forward to a regular routine and schedule at least for a little while.
I am happy to get back to cooking too! So many things to try! I am planning to post some of the recipes from my Meatless Monday Supper Club each week, once I’m back in the saddle, so to speak. But until then I thought I would share our favorite pot-pie recipe to get the ball rolling.
We tested this one on the kids at ridzogirl’s school and they loved it. We actually made puppies and pigs for them and they loved them. This recipe uses a chicken substitute but I often make it without any it all. It is a good way to help the kids LOVE their veggies.
A super simple way to make it completely gluten free would be to make the filling and serve it with some gluten free crackers. It is almost better that way because you don’t have to make the crust and you get a crunchy cracker in every bite.
Oh My, Pot Pie Crust
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 cup onion, diced
- 4 stalks celery, diced
- 1 cup carrots diced
- 1 teaspoon sage
- 1 teaspoon thyme
- 1 teaspoon marjoram
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups vegetable broth
- 4 medium potatoes, diced
- 1 cup green beans, fresh or frozen
- 2 cups non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 cups chicken substitute, diced (optional)
- 1 cup green peas
- 1 Crust recipe (see below)
1. Pre-heat oven to 400˚ and spray pie pans with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
3. Add onion and cook until they begin to brown about 7-8 minutes.
4. Add celery, carrots, sage, thyme, marjoram and salt. Cook for another 3-4 minutes.
5. Add potatoes, green beans and broth. Cook until vegetables are tender, about 15 minutes.
6. Mix yeast flakes and cornstarch with cold milk and add to boiling vegetables. Stir until it thickens, about 1-2 minutes.
7. Stir in peas and chicken substitute, if using.
8. Pour into individual pie pans or a 9 x 13-inch baking dish.
9. Cover with crust or top with cute pie crust faces and bake for 20-30 minutes for the little pies or 30-40 minutes for a big pie, until crust is firm and edges are bubbly.
Speed up the process by using 3 cups of frozen mixed vegetables instead of carrots, green beans and peas.
Pot Pie Crust (or really yummy crackers)
- 2 cups whole-wheat pastry flour (or one cup whole wheat flour and one cup unbleached white flour)
- ¼ cup nutritional yeast flakes
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- pinch (or two) cayenne (optional)
- ½ cup oil, chilled
- ½ cup water, very cold
1. In a medium sized bowl, mix together flour, yeast flakes, salt, paprika, onion powder and cayenne.
2. In a separate bowl mix together chilled oil and ½ cup very cold water.
3. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and knead briefly to form dough.
4. Roll between two pieces of wax paper or plastic wrap.
5. Remove the top paper and gently flip dough onto pie or use cutters and make into cute little puppy and kitty faces.
Roll out the left over piecrust and bake for about 10 minutes to make Pot Pie Crackers…very yummy with the pie!