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Natural Awakenings Central New Jersey

Palo-Santo-Candles

Vegan Pot Pie With Sage, Lentils and Mushrooms

Vegan Pot Pie

Courtesy of Sharon Palmer

Yield: 6 servings

 

For lentil mushroom filling:

 1 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium red onion, diced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 8-oz sweet potato, peeled, cubed

4 oz fresh green beans, chopped

8 oz mushrooms, sliced

1 cup brown or green lentils, dried

2 Tbsp fresh sage (or 1 Tbsp dried)

2 tsp thyme

1 Tbsp whole-grain prepared mustard

½ tsp black pepper

2 cups vegetable broth

½ cup water

2 Tbsp gluten-free soy sauce

¼ cup plain, unsweetened, plant-based milk

2 Tbsp flour

Salt, to taste

 

For sage pastry crust:

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

¼ tsp salt (optional)

2 Tbsp fresh sage, chopped (or 1 Tbsp dried)

cup vegan butter

4-5 Tbsp ice-water

 

Heat olive oil in a heavy pot or saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and sauté for 5 minutes. Add sweet potato and green beans and sauté for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add lentils, sage, thyme, mustard and black pepper and sauté for 1 minute. Add vegetable broth, water and soy sauce and cook for 15 minutes.

Mix plant-based milk with flour until smooth. Stir into vegetable mixture and cook until thickened and bubbling, about 5 minutes. Season with salt, as desired. Transfer filling into a deep pie dish or round casserole that fits 1½ quarts.

While filling is cooking, make the sage pastry crust. Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, mix all-purpose and whole-wheat flours and salt. Mix in sage. Cut in vegan butter with a fork until it makes a crumbly texture. Add cold water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and mix using clean hands until it creates a firm dough that holds together but is not sticky. Do not overwork dough, as it will get tough.

Turn out pastry dough on a floured surface and roll out with a pastry roller to create a circle about 11 inches in diameter. Place the pastry over the top of the savory pie and crimp the edges with your fingers to secure the pastry dough to the top of the dish. Cut several vents with a knife along the pie.

Place the savory pie on a baking sheet (in case it boils over) and place in the oven. Bake for about 20 to 22 minutes until golden brown. Remove and serve.

 

To make this recipe gluten-free, use corn starch instead of flour and gluten-free flour blend instead of all purpose and whole wheat flour.

 

Recipe and photo courtesy of Sharon Palmer.


Recipes:


Tick Talk

Spring officially sprung on March 21. We have turned our clocks ahead. We are looking forward to warm winds, sunny skies and the smell of fresh cut grass. The daffodils and tulips have recently bloomed and we are just starting with the yard work that comes with the warmer weather.  Sadly, another season has started ramping up.  Tick season.

•             The best form of protection is prevention. Educating oneself about tick activity and how our behaviors overlap with tick habitats is the first step.

•             According to the NJ DOH, in 2022 Hunterdon County led the state with a Lyme disease incidence rate of 426 cases per 100,000 people. The fact is ticks spend approximately 90% of their lives not on a host but aggressively searching for one, molting to their next stage or over-wintering. This is why a tick remediation program should be implemented on school grounds where NJ DOH deems high risk for tick exposure and subsequent attachment to human hosts.

•             Governor Murphy has signed a bill that mandates tick education in NJ public schools. See this for the details.  Tick education must now be incorporated into K-12 school curriculum. See link:

https://www.nj.gov/education/broadcasts/2023/sept/27/TicksandTick-BorneIllnessEducation.pdf

•             May is a great month to remind the public that tick activity is in full swing. In New Jersey, there are many tickborne diseases that affect residents, including Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis, Ehrlichiosis, Lyme disease, Powassan, and Spotted Fever Group Rickettsiosis.

•             For years, the focus has mainly been about protecting ourselves from Lyme disease. But other tick-borne diseases are on the rise in Central Jersey. An increase of incidence of Babesia and Anaplasma are sidelining people too. These two pathogens are scary because they effect our blood cells. Babesia affects the red blood cells and Anaplasma effects the white blood cells.

•             Ticks can be infected with more than one pathogen. When you contract Lyme it is possible to contract more than just that one disease. This is called a co-infection. It is super important to pay attention to your symptoms. See link.

https://twp.freehold.nj.us/480/Disease-Co-Infection

A good resource from the State:

https://www.nj.gov/health/cd/topics/tickborne.shtml

 

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