Linda's Literary Home

Tag: biscuits and gravy

  • The Rustic Vege-Table:  100 Vegan Recipes

    Image: The Rustic Veggie-Table: 100 Vegan Recipes

    The following excerpt offers the introduction to and includes a list recipes from each section on my cookbook  The Rustic Vege-Table:  100 Vegan Recipes.

    Welcome to my kitchen!

    I enjoy watching the cooking shows on TV, and as I watch, I constantly muse on how to convert their traditional uses of meat, eggs, milk, butter, and cheese to vegan versions.  An example of this musing resulted in my “Vegan Meatloaf” that looks a lot like the meatloaf my mother used to make and tastes as yummy.

    In addition to following a vegetarian diet, I also try to eat more alkalizing than acidifying foods.  Most vegetables and fruits, some nuts, and pseudo grains are alkalizing; therefore, my recipes frequently call for sprouted grains to replace regular whole grains; however, I do use whole-wheat flour and unbleached organic flour occasionally, especially for biscuits and gravy.

    I replace regular salt with sea salt, refined sugar with agave nectar, stevia, or raw sugar, depending on the recipe, and soy milk with coconut milk.  

    This kind of cooking requires experimentation, and these webpages, as well as my published cookbook, feature the recipes that I have tried and deemed successful—although I continue to think of my cooking as experimental because I hardly ever make a dish the same way twice. 

    And my dishes always have a rather ragged look about them that I call rustic.  The pictures that accompany some of the recipes will show you exactly what I mean by “rustic.”  They are tasty, however!

    Thank you for taking this experimental culinary journey with me!

    Buon Appetito!

    Blessings,
    Linda Sue Grimes

    One Hundred Vegan Recipes

    The following list features a sampling of the recipes from each section on my cookbook The Rustic Vege-Table:  100 Vegan Recipes. I am in the process of placing links to the recipes in my Veggie Recipes room:

    BREAKFAST

    Avocado Breakfast Sandwich
    Biscuits & Gravy

    BRUNCH / LUNCH / DINNER / SUPPER

    Homemade Pasta
    Fettuccini Salad
    Chana Masala – Indian Chick Peas
    Quick Eggplant Parm
    Bean Burrito Bake

    SAUCES & DIPS

    Nutty Sauce
    Curried Tomato Sauce-see Chana Masala
    Tomato Sauce Italiano-see Quick Eggplant Parm
    MexiCali Chili Sauce-see Bean Burrito Bake

    SWEETS

    Pie Crust-see Chocolate Pie
    Chocolate Pie
    Pecan Spice Cake
    Strawberry Ice Cream

  • Biscuits & Gravy

    Image: Original Recipe Biscuits- Photo by Linda Sue Grimes

    Biscuits & Gravy

    These are my original recipes.  You might want to experiment with amounts to find the style you like best.

    Biscuits

    This recipe can easily be converted to a vegan version by simply using vegan butter and almond milk.  When I make it as a vegan version, I use Earth Balance vegan butter and 365 Almond Milk.

    Ingredients

    • 1 cup whole wheat flour (I use 365 Organic)
    • 1 cup unbleached flour (365 Organic)
    • 4 tsp baking powder
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 2 tsp sea salt
    • 2 tsp coarse ground black pepper
    • 3/4 cup dairy or almond milk
    • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
    • 1/4 cup dairy or vegan butter

    Instructions

    1. Heat oven to 450˚.
    2. Stir vinegar into almond milk and set aside.
    3. Place dry Ingredients into food processor.  Pulse until well mixed.
    4. Cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.
    5. Add milk slowly until all moisture is taken up.
    6. Form into ball.  
    7. Flatten on floured counter and roll out dough to about 1 inch thick.
    8. Cut out biscuits with biscuit cutter.  Makes 12-14 biscuits.
    9. Place in cast iron skillet and bake in 450˚oven for 20 minutes; then, brown under broiler to two minutes.

    Image: Gravy in Cast Iron Chicken Fryer – Photo by Linda Sue Grimes

    Gravy

    This recipe is easily made vegan also by using vegan butter (Earth Balance) and almond milk (365) instead of dairy.

    Ingredients

    • 1/4 cup dairy or vegan butter
    • 1 tbsp olive oil
    • 4 cups dairy or almond milk
    • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour, plus 2 tbsp unbleached flour
    • 1 tsp each of sea salt & coarse ground black pepper

    Instructions

    1. Over medium heat, melt butter and oil in cast iron skillet. (The deep chicken fryer is perfect for making gravy.)
    2. Add flour, salt, & pepper, whisking until mixture becomes brown and grainy.  
    3. Slowly add milk, whisking until mixture is smooth.  
    4. Heat over medium burner until mixture begins to simmer.  
    5. Lower heat and gently simmer, stirring continuously for 4 minutes.
    6. Mixture may be thin but will thicken as it cools.