A Comfort Food that Helped Me Transition.

[VeganDawn]

One of many comfort foods that helped me with the dietary aspects was mashed potatoes made a plant based butter and almond milk (Miyoko's butter is great) and a mushroom gravy.

The way I do it.

Any mushroom will do, I vary it. From Enoki , Maitake, baby bella, frozen bag of mixed shrooms, etc.

I sauté the (8 oz) sliced/prepared mushrooms in a light oil (could use plant based butter but careful not to let it burn) with some chopped scallions a few minutes then throw in a minced clove of garlic about half a minute ( if no scallions, I opt for a finely chopped shallot). Then I add a generous amount of low sodium San-J soy sauce I probably use 1/4 of a cup, with a splash of liquid smoke. Then after a minute I'd add some 1 - 2 cups of water or veggie broth and let it boil then add a cornstarch slurry to thicken it, stir a minute, turn off the heat let it sit a few minutes before serving. Helped with certain cravings.

There were other foods like the mock clam chowders you find everywhere but none as simple as MP and gravy. Tempted to add a touch of molasses to it to see how that turns out.

 

[Lou]

when I got my InstantPot I started making this recipe. It can also be made on the stove top.

Vegan Lentil Mushroom Stew with Mashed Sweet Potatoes - Instant Pot or Stovetop - Vegan Richa

Instant Pot Lentil Mushroom Stew with Easy Mashed Sweet Potatoes. 1 Pot 30 Minute. Upside down Lentil Shepherds Pie! Vegan Glutenfee Nutfree Soyfree Recipe Stovetop option

www.veganricha.com

 

[Zoey]

My comfort food is hot green pea soup or sweet pumpkin soup.

 

[1956]

My comfort food is hot green pea soup or sweet pumpkin soup.

I love pumpkin soup... Do you have a recipe that you could share?

 

[VeganDawn]

Not really a pumpkin fan. But when I have made stuff I usually just do Butternut squash recipes and swap out for pumpkin instead. Back in my carnist days I'd use chicken broth and fresh apple juice or pear juice. Much like you'd fine in some split pear soup recipes. If you want the pie flavors use the allspice, nutmeg , cinnamon, touch of maple syrup etc route avoid the garlic onion n leeks. If you want savory use the garlic onion n leek type stuff go the Simon and Garfunkel route for herbs throw in a little sweet paprika. Coconut cream for the pie version, cashew cream for the Garfunkel. Serve the soup in the pumpkin for awe factor. Miyoko's butter in both. Apple/pear juice works well in both sweet and savory. I use an emersion blender to blend the roasted gourds. Always salt to taste. Pepper optional. I'm sure Zoey's can top it.

 

[shyvas]

I love pumpkin soup... Do you have a recipe that you could share?

We have quite a few in the Recipe section and pumpkin or butternut squash can be substituted in sweet potato recipes. The taste and
texture is very similar.
I'm not a huge fan of overly sweet pumpkin recipes so add quite a lot of ingredients to get the right balance.

Soups

www.veganforum.org

 

[Zoey]

I love pumpkin soup... Do you have a recipe that you could share?

Hey @1956, I make a real simple pumpkin soup. Here's my recipe:

A small bowl full of pumpkin pieces (deseeded and skinned)
Use the same bowl and measure out a quarter bowl of fine cut onions
Some minced garlic (as per taste)
Keep some salt, pepper and herbs (if you have none, no worries!) handy

Heat a pan/pot (Reasonably deep). Add a couple of tsps of oil. Toss in the garlic. Stir for a minute. Toss in the onions. Stir until translucent. Add the pumpkin pieces. Sprinkle salt (as per taste). Stir. Cover. Cook until soft. Cool it. Blitz it in a food processor. Pour it back into the pan/pot. Add the herbs, if you have any. Else, just bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil for a minute. Turn down the heat.

Ladle out in a bowl. Sprinkle some pepper. Enjoy!

This is at its simplest. You can have variants.
Leave out the garlic and/or onions.
You could roast some carrot or potato along with the pumpkin.
Add paprika to spice it up. Some coconut milk to to add coconut's smoothness (avoid boiling for too long if you do add).
Sprinkle roasted seeds (watermelon/pumpkin/walnuts).
You could also have this soup cold. With or without bread. I like it with garlic bread.
Occasionally I use pumpkin, skin and all. If you do skin it, roast the pieces with some olive oil and salt in the oven. Yumm!

Like @shyvas so rightly said - you need to get the right balance.
@VeganDawn soups are comfort food. They vary home to home.

Soup tastes better, when shared!

 

[1956]

Hey @1956, I make a real simple pumpkin soup. Here's my recipe:

A small bowl full of pumpkin pieces (deseeded and skinned)
Use the same bowl and measure out a quarter bowl of fine cut onions
Some minced garlic (as per taste)
Keep some salt, pepper and herbs (if you have none, no worries!) handy

Heat a pan/pot (Reasonably deep). Add a couple of tsps of oil. Toss in the garlic. Stir for a minute. Toss in the onions. Stir until translucent. Add the pumpkin pieces. Sprinkle salt (as per taste). Stir. Cover. Cook until soft. Cool it. Blitz it in a food processor. Pour it back into the pan/pot. Add the herbs, if you have any. Else, just bring to a boil stirring constantly. Boil for a minute. Turn down the heat.

Ladle out in a bowl. Sprinkle some pepper. Enjoy!

This is at its simplest. You can have variants.
Leave out the garlic and/or onions.
You could roast some carrot or potato along with the pumpkin.
Add paprika to spice it up. Some coconut milk to to add coconut's smoothness (avoid boiling for too long if you do add).
Sprinkle roasted seeds (watermelon/pumpkin/walnuts).
You could also have this soup cold. With or without bread. I like it with garlic bread.
Occasionally I use pumpkin, skin and all. If you do skin it, roast the pieces with some olive oil and salt in the oven. Yumm!

Like @shyvas so rightly said - you need to get the right balance.
@VeganDawn soups are comfort food. They vary home to home.

Soup tastes better, when shared!

When we lived in France I used to make Pumpkin soup all the time because there are So many varieties of Pumpkin available. Potimarron or Red Curri which is officially a squash is my favourite but, the Huge pumpkins which are often sold by the slice are also quite good. Here in Ireland they are not readily available, when I can get into the City I always buy at least one if I can. It is always strange to me how some people say that they don’t like pumpkin that they prefer butternut squash I am the opposite to me pumpkin has So much more flavour. For those of you in North America though - eating pumpkins are not the same as carving pumpkins. As for tinned or caned pumpkin well I have never tasted it.
As a child my mom made pumpkin pie with caned pumpkin for Thanksgiving but I wouldn’t eat it!
Many years ago I was given a very simple recipe from an old Frenchman
Pumpkin
Potatoes
Celery
Onions
Salt and pepper
This is still how I often make it. Now I mostly roast pumpkin if I can get it...

 

[Brian W]

I haven't had it for a while but my own cottage pie with brussel sprouts. Also I get filet pieces that are made by Hälsans Kök that have the texture and almost the taste of chicken. Tulip vegan bacon too.

 

[silva]

I really dislike winter squash, but like pumpkin in a few things. I'll make a pumpkin soup in the fall, with thyme, sage, garlic. I like to puree the pumpkin soup, and saute celery, onions, tart apple in some no chik'n flavored broth, because I hate soups without stuff
I like to add seasonings at end just to mix it up or I end up no wanting it! Curry powder, cayenne, smoked salt. I often have cubed stuffing mix at this time and use them as croutons

My favorite soups are lentil
2 cups mixed whole lentils and red lentils (usually 1 1/2 to 1/2 red)
6 cups water
sage, thyme, rosemary, no chik'n boullion, mushroom powder, garlic powder, cayenne
celery, potatoes, carrots, kale to cook or spinach stirred after cooking
I use the Instant Pot for 6 min pressure and npr

I like this soup with cardamon, Thai chili peppers, coriander instead of others, and add a cooked chickpeas. Add chopped kale during cooking or spinach at end. I add lemon juice and soy yogurt at serving

 

[Danielle]

one of my favorite comfort foods that my mom made well is vegan creamed spinach with mushroom gravy on top of those rectangle hashbrowns.

 

[Tom L.]

........It is always strange to me how some people say that they don’t like pumpkin that they prefer butternut squash I am the opposite to me pumpkin has So much more flavour. For those of you in North America though - eating pumpkins are not the same as carving pumpkins. As for tinned or caned pumpkin well I have never tasted it.......

I think I actually did buy a small pumpkin from a farm that was selling them, and I'm pretty sure they were meant for carving, not eating. But when I told the farmer I was planning to eat it (not use it for a decoration and then throw it away), he seemed pleased and said it would work as a pie filling. I ate the seeds, and thought they tasted even better than the flesh- but it turned out fine. I think I peeled it, cut it into chunks, and baked it in some sort of casserole.

one of my favorite comfort foods that my mom made well is vegan creamed spinach with mushroom gravy on top of those rectangle hashbrowns.

Spinach, mushrooms, and potatoes- three of my favorite vegetables, even from before I was veg! We never had spinach creamed, though.