Here is our second of two delicious, and good-for-you recipes for the holidays. These are both healthy veggie side dishes that deserve a place at the table anytime of the year. Amanda, the owner of Craving Thirty, does fabulous things with in-season vegetables and plant-based ingredients. She was kind enough - and creative enough to prepare two wonderful dishes for us to share with you. The first recipe, a warm butternut arugula salad that has the added crunch of pomegranate seeds, diced apples, and peppery balsamic candied pecans. Posted two weeks ago, you can find that here.
This second recipe is an equally delicious side dish. Recipe: potato croquettes with mushroom gravy. Amanda's take on mashed potatoes and gravy with baked potato croquettes (think: crispy and crusty on the outside and light and fluffy on the inside - these guys take a bit of time to make, but are SO worth it!) served with an oil-free mushroom gravy.
Potato Croquettes with Mushroom Gravy
Flavored with Garlic and Thyme
Yields: 25 - 30 croquettes /// Time: ~90 minutes (but they’re worth it!)
8 - 10 potatoes, diced
1 lb mushrooms of any kind, diced
1 medium onion, diced
1 whole head garlic, minced and separated
1 cup panko bread crumbs
1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1/2 - 1 cup water for gravy
6 - 8 sprigs fresh thyme, separated
3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 - 3 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp dijon or german mustard
1 - 2 tsp sea salt
1/2 - 1 tsp ground black pepper
OPTIONAL: 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
Place diced potatoes in a large pot with 4 - 6 cloves garlic and 4 sprigs thyme. Add enough water to cover potatoes. Bring to a boil and cook for about 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender enough to be speared easily with a fork. Remove from heat and pour into a colander to drain and cool.
While potatoes are cooking, heat a pot over high heat. Pot is ready when you sprinkle some water on it and water immediately sizzles and evaporates. Add onions and remaining garlic and cook until translucent, stirring frequently. If they start sticking to the pan, add a few tablespoons of water to help them unstick. Add mushrooms and the leaves of 2 - 4 sprigs of thyme, and continue to cook until most of the liquid from mushrooms has evaporated. Reduce heat to low. Add 1/2 cup water, soy sauce, 1/2 tsp black pepper and if you’d like, 1/3 cup nutritional yeast, mixing until evenly combined. Remove from heat. Using a hand-held or immersion blender, blend until smooth, adding more water if necessary to achieve your desired consistency. If you don’t have an immersion blender, carefully pour mixture into a regular blender (in batches if necessary) and blend until smooth. Adjust seasonings if necessary. Set aside and heat again just before serving.
Once potatoes have cooled, remove sprigs of thyme and add mustard, 1 tsp sea salt and 1/2 - 1/4 tsp black pepper. Mash until consistency is like mashed potatoes. Pour almond milk into a bowl and panko bread crumbs into another bowl. (Note: if you don’t have panko bread crumbs, regular bread crumbs will do.) Using your hands, shape mashed potatoes into whatever shape you’d like for potato croquettes, coat in almond milk and then in bread crumbs and set on a plate. Place in fridge for 10 minutes before baking. If not making right away, store in an airtight container in the fridge until ready to bake. To save time, this preparation can be done 1 - 2 days ahead of time.
To cook croquettes, preheat oven to 425 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and drizzle with olive oil. Place croquettes on baking sheet and roll so that all sides are lightly coated with olive oil. Bake in oven for 40 minutes (turning once), or until both sides are golden brown. Serve warm with mushroom gravy.
Enjoy!
NOTE: Uncooked potato croquettes freeze well. Just place on parchment paper in freezer until frozen and then transfer to ziplock bag. Stores in freezer for 3 - 6 months. When ready, bake straight from freezer.
About the Author
Amanda is the founder of CRAVING THIRTY, a resource for healthy and empowered food and lifestyle choices. She focuses on plant-based recipe development and lifestyle transition programs. Amanda is also founder of The Self Love Project.
For more plant-based recipes and inspiration, check out her blog and follow her on Instagram: @cravingthirty.
