Vegan Pumpkin (or Butternut) Gravy

Last Tuesday night the storm that is Miss Smart took over the local Whole Foods once again.Despite the mess,* I was able to cook up not one, but two vegan Thanksgiving dishes, with the theme of reinterpreting the traditional.

*Who has time to be neat when you have people to entertain food to cook?

before and after: sandy's got nothing on me.

The star of the show was my Cranberry Tempeh Stew w. Sweet Potatoes and Kale–a dish that I continue to return to, over and over, because it is just that good.And yet, much like in Smash,* the understudy of the evening has already proven its worth, and threatened to steal the show in the end.

*When does that show return?!?!It might not look like much, but this Vegan Pumpkin Gravy is cover-your-turkey-free-plate-on-Thanksgivinggood.

and has obviously applied excessive self-tanner prior to this picture.

Based on a White Bean Gravy I made last Christmas–and never truly blogged about, because obviously my inner psychic knew the best was yet to be reborn–this gravy starts with small white beans (I used a can of low-sodium Great Northen Beans) as a thickening base.From there, you season as you would normal gravy (I guess…I’ve never really made it), with sage, thyme, onion, garlic, salt, and pepper.

there is some cumin involved, too. i don't really know how to cook without it.

 Hello, nutritional yeast and low-sodium vegetable broth……and hello, Dolly pumpkin!

from the first can i've opened all season!

 And good news, all supporters of the ‘alternative squash movement’:

It might taste even better with butternut.

roasted in applesauce, thyme, and cumin at 400 degrees until tender

Since its creation (and recreation), I’ve pretty much consumed it on anything (and everything).

Let’s test drive those Nasoya shiritaki fettucini noodles, shall we?*

*Unsure about the shiritaki. Gravy is great.

I did, in fact, put this in a green bowl with spinach because of my extreme issue with consuming monocrhomatic meals.

 On top of vinegary greens? Good plan.

i wanted to call these vina-greens, but i wasn't sure you'd get it.

 And I wasn’t lying when I said everything ends up on top of a Big Friendly Salad in these parts.

It’s really just a can of chickpeas and some tahini away from hummus, isn’t it?

I might not have had any biscuits for breakfast, but I did have oatmeal!

#weirdfoodmovement success: apples, dates, and gravy on unflavored 'proats'

 (And when your roommate offers you some asparagus, your natural reply is “PHOTO OP!”)

it not only looked pretty, it tasted amazing, too.

And then, of course, there was the decision to just go ahead and eat it with a spoon.

right-handed bloggers always look left handed in pictures.

You can add extra veggie broth, garnish is with sprouts and crumbled tofu, and call it soup if it makes you feel better.

Although, what is there to feel BAD about in the first place?Vegan Pumpkin (or Butternut) Gravy

• 1 15 oz. can of Great Northern beans (or other small white bean), rinsed and drained
• 2/3-3/4 cup canned or cooked pumpkin (or other sweet winter squash)
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
• 1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1 tsp. rubbed sage
• 2 tsp. dried thyme leaves (or 1 tsp. ground thyme)
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. Bragg’s liquid aminos (optional)

1. Combine all ingredients in a food processor or blender.
2. Process until smooth, adding more liquid (broth or water) to desired consistency.
3. Heat and serve!