I hope your weekend is off to a good start and you all are able to relax at some point and take time for yourselves. Even though it's the weekend, I'm going to share with you a quick recipe for a homemade apple sauce. My mother used to make this during the week for us growing up when there wasn't enough time to make a slow version. It is very easy, only takes 3 ingredients (including water!) and only takes a few minutes. I will also be sharing with you a recipe for a vegan pot pie. The vegan pot pie takes about an hour including cook time, so perhaps it is more of a weekend meal if you don't want to dedicate that much time. Though one of the perks is that you can really just throw in whatever veggies you have. I did not do any shopping for either of these recipes. If you don't have an ingredient and can't think of a good replacement, feel free to ask and I will pass along some ideas.
So on the menu today we have a delicious and easy vegan pot pie and homemade warmed apples.
I must also say that instead of a chunky apple sauce consistency, I like them to be in their normal shape where I just easily cut them up while I'm eating, so mine doesn't look like a traditional apple sauce at all, but it tastes just like one and has a lovely caramelized sauce. But don't worry, I'll also tell you how to make it more of a traditional sauce. If you're just here for the apples, scroll down past the pot pie recipe and the photos of the pot pie to find the apple recipe. Thanks for stopping by!
For the pot pie, I will give you directions for a gluten and gluten free crust, as well as a mashed potato crust. So it has turned into a vegan pot pie with crust three ways.
If you are making these recipes together for a dinner (which they would go wonderfully together, especially in the winter), you would want to make the pot pie first since the apples only take a few minutes, so I will give the pot pie recipe first. While the vegan pot pie recipe looks long, keep in mind I am giving you 3 ways to make a crust, 2 ways to mix the potato crust, and 2 ways to cook the crust (potato and flour). So you will be able to skip over several parts, no matter what crust you choose. Enjoy and please let me know if you make it how it turned out/what changes you made/etc. :)
Vegan Pot Pie
(Serves 1- just double for each person- very easy to do with this recipe)
Crust Ingredients for a traditional crust:
-1/2 C + 1 tbs cup Flour (for gluten free, mix together potato starch, sweet rice flour, and ground flax seed. I did a combination of about 1/4 c potato starch and sweet rice flour and topped it off with ground flax)
-1.5 Tbs Earth Balance (or other vegan butter alternative)
-Very cold water
Non-Traditional Crust:
-1/2 Sweet Potato or White Potato (Sweet Potato I think is better for this)
-Fresh Sage
-Salt & Pepper to taste
-Optional: When mashing ,you could add a vegan sour cream. I make my own from tofu instead of nuts now since nuts are so calorie dense, esp with a recipe like this. I will be posting a condiments entry next, so stay tuned for a very low calorie vegan sour cream recipe as well as the cashew sour cream recipe and a homemade vegan ketchup without the high fructose.
Filling:
-3-4 Ounces of protein of your choice. I used Seitan strips, which made it more traditional. You could also use firm tofu cut into little blocks, or tempeh chopped into blocks. If you use tempeh, steam it first for 5-10 minutes, as this will remove the bitterness.
-Coconut Oil or Olive oil (for cooking)
-1/2-1/4 of a small onion, diced (depending on preference, I used a 1/4)
-1 celery stalk, diced
-1/2 carrot (or 3-4 baby carrots) diced
-1 clove crushed carlic, or 1/2 tsp minced from jar
-If you're not using a potato crust, can add 1/2 a sweet or russet potato (I ate a 1/2 sweet potato on the side with some lime juice and it was excellent, but you could also use it in the filling)
-1 Tbs Flour (For gf, use a sweet rice flour)
-1 tsp Nutritional Yeast
-1 Tbs Braggs Liquid Amino (or Tamari, but this will add quite a bit of sodium)
-1/2 C + 2 Tbs Low Sodium Vegetable Broth
-1/4 C Frozen Peas
-1/2 tsp sage (I chopped up fresh, but you could use dried if you don't have any)
-1/2 tsp Rosemary (same as above)
-Pink Himalayan Sea Salt and Pepper to taste
Non-Food Necessities:
-12 ounce oven safe dish (like a ramekin or pyrex dish. I used my pyrex dish that's about the size of a ramiken.
Crust Directions (Flour, GF and potato):
1. First, if using a flour crust, either GF or non, measure out the dry crust ingredients and place into mixing bowl, put into freezer.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F for flour crust, 375 degrees F for potato crust
If using potato as crust:
3. Take your 1/2 of potato, wash off and peal (if desired, don't have to peal).
4. Add warm water to pot (about a 1/4 way or so) and add a pinch or two of salt, cover and turn on heat on stove, chop potato and add to water, cover, checking every few minutes with a fork until a piece falls apart/breaks. OR
3. Take fork and poke several time around the potato, which will prevent it from exploding.
4. Wrap in paper towel and pop in the microwave for 4-6 minutes, until soft.
5. Mash potato up with masher. You can add some earth balance/olive oil or for healthier version add some vegetable broth instead.
6. Bruise (How to Bruise your Fresh Herbs: scroll to bottom of page for bruising directions and info) your fresh sage (could also do fresh rosemary and/or thyme), then slice/cut up and add to potato mixture.
7. Add anything else (such as salt and pepper to taste, sour cream alternative, a bit of lemon juice or lime juice, any other herbs).
8. Set aside.
Filling Directions:
1. Heat up about a tsp of coconut oil or spray olive oil in pan (I have a hand powered pump that turns any olive oil into a spray-highly recommend instead of the store bought sprays)
2. Chop up your protein of choice and cook until golden, set aside.
3. Pour in or spray a bit more oil, or to go oil free, pour in a bit of water instead.
4. Add chopped onion, celery, carrots, and garlic until onion is clear.
5. If not using a potato crust and want it in the mixture, add chopped up 1/2 potato of your choice.
6. Once potato is tender, add nutritional yeast, flour, and Braggs (or Tamari), followed by veggie broth.
7. Slowly stir until all is mixed well, then add your protein you had set aside as well as the frozen peas, herbs, and salt and pepper.
8. Take off of heat.
Flour Crust Directions (For potato crust, skip down to ''Bringing it all together"):
1. Take bowl with dry ingredients out from freezer.
2. Measure out the Earth Balance or other vegan butter and add to dry ingredients.
3. Take fork and mash butter into the flour until it becomes mealy and crumbly.
4. Slowly add the cold water, about a tablespoon at a time while mixing with fork. In total I added about 1/4 cup or so.
5. Once mixed, take crust out from bowl and place onto flour-dusted counter.
6. Roll out or press until desired thinness (not too thin but not real thick, about 1/6-8th an inch)
7. Take oven safe bowl or ramiken and place upside down, cutting any dough after 1/2 inch from outside of bowl/ramiken.
Bringing it all together:
1. Pour the mixture into the ramiken or bowl.
Flour Crust:
2. Flour Crust: Take rolled out dough and set over the filled ramiken/bowl.
3. Fold the dough hanging over the sides inward and pinch or press with fork.
Potato Crust:
2. Take set aside mashed potato and pour on top of filled bowls.
3. Press potato lightly down until all is covered.
Vegan Pot Pie with GF crust before baking
4. Place in a small pan or cookie sheet covered in foil (as above).
5. Place in oven for 30 minutes until flour or potato crust is golden brown.
6. Let stand for a few minutes before eating-will be very hot! I cut a little of the crust to let some of the steam out.
Cooked V Pot Pie- golden brown and bubbly!
A look inside...letting it cool a bit.
Notes:
-The crust was adapted from this recipe at Saavy Vegetarian: No Fail Vegan Pie Crust
-You don't have to use the exact filling I used, if you want to include other veggies, go for it. While I didn't include it in the recipe, I also added a chopped up chunk of cabbage.
Please leave a comment if you have any questions or would like alternative suggestions for certain ingredients. To figure out calories, hop on over to a site like Calorie Count. I did not give one because it really varies depending on the protein you use, if you use different filling ingredients, and what crust you go with.
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3 Ingredient Weekday Warm Apples
This is a delicious and easy recipe to make as a side any day of the week, or even as a dessert! This could even be made for a breakfast atop some oatmeal. The quickness makes it especially perfect for weekdays when you're looking for a comforting side that'll warm you up, body and soul! Even great for diabetics, as it has no added sugar whatsoever. For a dessert you could easily add an oat crumble for an apple crumble and/or top with some of that coconut milk whipped cream (recipe here: Skip down to the 2nd half for the whipped cream). Or whip up a quick ice cream from a frozen banana in a high speed blender with some vanilla to serve with this! As you can see, this is a quick recipe with many serving options. The possibilities are endless!
What's more comforting than warm apples in their own caramel sauce? It is delicious and delectable. It is hard to believe there is absolutely no added sugar!
Ingredients:
-1 small apple (I use Pink Lady because I don't like a real gritty texture and it's not too sweet, but sweet enough where it's own sugars will create a caramel)
-Cinnamon (can also add a bit of nutmeg and/or cardamom)
-warm water
Non-food ingredients:
-Microwave safe bowl
-Microwave
Directions:
1. Cut the apple into 4 pieces, slicing out the core in each piece.
2. Poke the apple pieces with a knife or a fork so it can breathe while cooking (it can explode otherwise).
3. Take your microwave safe bowl and add warm water so its quite shallow, but high enough where the bottom of the bowl is covered in water.
4. Place the apples skin-side up in bowl so that they are all touching the water.
5. Dust with cinnamon (options: nutmeg, cardamom)
After steps 1-5 before being cooked
6. Optional: Cover with seran wrap and poke holes or leave uncovered, up to you.
7. Microwave on high for 3-5 minutes depending on your microwave. Leave in longer for more of an applesauce, taking out after the first 4 minutes and mashing a bit. You may add a bit more warm water as well, then put back in the microwave and check every minute or two until desired consistency.
7. Take apple slices out and plate, drizzling the sauce that has formed overtop.
Nutritional Information:
1 serving= 4 slices or 1 apple
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 Serving
Per Serving% Daily Value*
Calories 91
Calories from Fat 1
Total Fat 0.1g0%
Saturated Fat 0.0g0%
Sodium 2mg0%
Carbohydrates 25.7g9%
Dietary Fiber 6.4g26%
Sugars 16.1g
Protein 0.2g
Vitamin A 0% · Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 5% · Iron 2%
*Nutrition info from calorie count*
Enjoy! Let me know how you served your apples and what with. :)
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