It used to be that whenever I got the privilege to choose a special meal, my answer was automatic: chicken pot pie.
This wasn’t just any chicken pot pie. It was my mom’s homemade, entirely delicious, probably not nutritious creation.
In fact, it was this chicken pot pie that made me hesitate for so long before becoming a vegetarian. Ultimately, I decided that it was a worthy sacrifice to make and I’ve never looked back.
The only problem is that this makes my “go-to special meal” choice much more difficult. Now, instead of an instant answer, my options are wide open: Homemade pizza? Roasted butternut squash? Grilled artichokes?
Ugh.
By the time I consider all the options, I’m almost too worn out to eat.
That’s why I am especially glad that after my meal tonight, this emotional process may have become a little bit easier. The fact that I liked the dish so much, though, should have come as a surprise. It combined my favorite dishes with fluffy biscuits with a little bit of nostalgia…
Although it still isn’t chicken pot pie, maybe it is time for a new tradition.
Vegetable Gravy
(Adapted from “Venturesome Vegetarian Cooking”)
Ingredients:
- 1 T olive oil
- 8 oz sliced baby bella mushrooms (or any mushrooms)
- 1/2 yellow onion, chopped
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
- 4 T whole-wheat flour
- 2 C almond milk (alternatively, skim milk)
- 1 C frozen green peas
- ~1 t salt
- Pepper and paprika, to taste
Directions:
- Combine the oil, mushrooms, onion and green pepper in a deep skillet and sauté over medium-high hear until vegetables are tender, about five minutes.
- Stir in the flour and cook for two minutes, stirring constantly. Then, slowly add milk while continuing to stir.
- Bring mixture to a boil (by which point the sauce should be getting thicker).
- Add the peas, salt, pepper and paprika. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for five minutes.
Serve immediately. But, don’t just eat it plain… Serve it over some whole-wheat biscuits!
Love.
And, a note to my mom: I know my birthday is 361 days away, but now you can plan on what to make. (:
Questions: If you’ve made any dietary changes, are there certain foods you can’t eat? Have you adapted them to fit your new diet?
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