Biscuits & Gravy, Minus the Heart Attack!

Happy weekend, everyone!  It looks like it will be a chilly and rainy one for us.  After a string of clear, crisp autumn days, I’m ready for soft rain and heavy clouds—perfect for large mugs of hot tea and a good book!  Although, since I woke up with a cold this morning, I think there will be tea and books in store for me regardless.  

Sunday will mark one month since we moved to Seattle.  We have transformed our simple little apartment into a snug, neat little home.  Streets and neighborhoods that once seemed cold and unfamiliar are now favorite spots for long walks (and the occasional run).  I had the privilege of getting lost on my way home from an interview the other day and came across a beautiful cemetery, surrounded by huge old trees that were scattering musty-smelling orange leaves all over the sidewalks.  There would be pictures, but I didn’t want to risk putting off my potential supervisor by lugging around a big camera.  You understand.

The mornings are especially cold these days, so we’ve been kicking them off with hot and hearty breakfasts.  Big bowls of oatmeal, blueberry pancakes with maple syrup, and tofu scrambles with sweet potato hash browns—oh my!  All this indulgence has made me long for an old favorite: biscuits and gravy.  Cringe not, health nuts! I abandoned this heart attack of a meal long before going vegan.  However, I remembered that this is 2010.  People have created heart-healthy alternatives to artery-clogging ingredients!  Silly me.  

Biscuits & "Sausage" Gravy

I highly recommend making the biscuits the evening before.  It’s easy and it makes gravy preparation in the a.m. that much faster!

Biscuits:
2 cups whole wheat flour (or 1 cup whole wheat & 1 cup white flour)
1.5 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
¼ cup olive oil
¼ cup unsweetened apple sauce
½ cup unsweetened almond milk (or nondairy milk of your choice)

Preheat the oven to 450 F.

Combine all dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl.  Slowly add the olive oil and stir until little crumbles appear, then add the apple sauce.  Finally, stir in the milk ¼ cup at a time.  You only need enough to form the dough into a ball; don’t add too much!

Knead your dough on a clean, floured countertop for 2-3 minutes.   Roll out the dough until it’s approximately an inch thick and, with a round cookie cutter or (my preference) the rim of a cup, cut out your biscuits.  Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 12-15 minutes.  Yields about 10 biscuits.

Gravy:
Your favorite vegan sausage (4-6 patties, depending on how “meaty” you want it!)
1 tablespoon of olive oil
3 cups unsweetened nondairy milk
Black pepper
2 tbsp whole wheat flour

Cook the vegan sausage according to package directions.  Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a medium skillet.  Add the nondairy milk and bring to a low boil.  Then, reduce to a simmer.

Whisk the flour into the gravy, stirring constantly so as to avoid lumps (ew).  Toss in some black pepper and stir for two or three minutes, letting everything thicken.  When the consistency is to your liking, add the already-prepared vegan sausage and stir.  Cook for one minute.

Arrange 2-3 biscuits on each plate.  If you need to heat them up, do so now.  Otherwise, top with gravy and have at it!

Serves 3-4