In just a few days it will be Thanksgiving believe it or not. With the hustling and bustling of the holidays approaching and the presser our email inbox is spamming us to consume and buy it is challenging to stay grateful for what you have and to truly believe it is enough. Graham is my greatest teacher in this. He reminds me constantly that, “the gap between more and enough never closes.”
The desire to “have more” will never make you truly happy and living in peace. The more you can become grateful with what you have and believe it to be enough is when you are able to live in happiness and be at peace. What would life be like if I could live like this all of the time? Rather falling into the internet rabbit hole resenting others that seem to have it all, instead be more grateful for the love I have in my life. Sounds simple.
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have you will never, ever have enough.” -Oprah Winfrey
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” -Theodore Roosevelt
Living in abundance in every way of the word does not have to come from material things, food or acceptance. You are very much enough, right now, just as you are. There is so much to be grateful for.
(Vegan + Gluten-free)
Total Time: 30-40 Minutes
1 small head of cauliflower
4-6 yukon gold potatoes
½ cup coconut milk, unsweetened
2 cups packed, sliced cremini mushrooms
(optional: remove mushroom stems also use different varieties of mushrooms)
1 yellow onion, diced small
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ dry white wine
1 cup Mushroom or vegetable stock
Dashes of fresh thyme and rosemary (optional)
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons gluten-free flour
Sea salt & freshly cracked black pepper
These mashed potatoes are chunky and rustic. I like to leave my skins on my potatoes and leave some potato and cauliflower chunks, which is totally optional. If you traditionally peel your potatoes prior to boiling and press your potatoes through a ricer, and like them to be smooth and creamy – go right ahead – the cauliflower might go through your ricer, if not – no worries, pulse in a food processor, blender or hand blender until smooth. If you would like a chunky, rustic mash follow me..
First up, bring a pot of salted water to a roaring boil. Wash and slice your potatoes and cauliflower into small bits. This will help them to cook quickly and also evenly. The potatoes will take a few more minutes to cook then the cauliflower, so I start them first then cut my cauliflower. When cutting your cauliflower avoid the stiff stems, they tend to stay fairly crunchy and hard after being cooked and do not fit in with our mashy business. Boil potatoes for about 15-20 minutes and cauliflower for about 10 minutes, boil until both can be pierced with a fork smoothly.
While your veggies are boiling… get out your gravy ingredients. Wash and remove the stems (optional) of your mushrooms. Slice mushrooms thinly and place into a large tall lipped sauté pan. Add your diced yellow onion, garlic, sprinkle of salt and pepper. Drizzle your olive oil over your mushrooms, onion, garlic and sauté over medium heat for about 5 minutes until onions of translucent and mushrooms have a little browning happening. While pan is hot, whisk in your nutritional yeast and flour; Stir this in bit by bit to avoid clumps and cook for about 1-2 minutes. Deglaze your pan; pour your white wine into the pan and stir your ingredients quickly for a few seconds then turn your burner down to a gentle simmer. Add your stock and stir your ingredients gently with a whisk. Taste test, option to add fresh herbs such as rosemary or thyme and more salt and black pepper. Now, depending upon your burner you can either turn your burner off right now to avoid scorching or you can keep your burner on extra-low simmer to hold you gravy.
When your cauliflower and potatoes are done cooking, strain and place into a large bowl. Add your coconut milk and salt and freshly cracked black pepper and begin to mash. I use a potato masher and leave a good amount of chunky bits in my mash. Always taste test as you go to avoid adding access salt. You are ready to serve, if you are not hosting I like to bring this in a oven safe and serve ready bowl mash first then gravy on top. Maybe bring half of the gravy in a microwave safe container for the bottom of the bowl’s mash. If you are hosting, keep this stuff hot, place in a warming drawer or in a second oven on low heat.
