Friday, October 22, 2010

Secretly Healthier "Chicken" Pot Pie with Mashed Potato Crust

Sometimes I feel like my love of comforting, coma-inducing meals developed as a direct reaction to my being raised and fed by an ex-hippie, health-food-obsessed mother who wouldn't dare let an artificial color or flavor into the house and claims that my first solid food was tofu. I can happily eat tofu and broccoli every day, but sometimes I just need to shove a whole bunch of starch into my face. Anyway, imagine my surprise when I stopped by my parents house for dinner and my mom was whipping up a fake-chicken pot pie with MASHED POTATO CRUST. This recipe is straight out of my own carb-addicted brain, except I didn't write it! Oh and it's dairy-free and way better for you than a regular-ass pot pie because my mom can never fully turn off that side of her culinary personality. But trust me, it's just as delicious as the real thing and because it's lower in fat you can eat twice as much.

1 frozen pie crust
About 2 cups defrosted Quorn Naked Cutlets cut into chunks
8-9 oz. frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted (peas, carrots, green beans, etc.) or any leftover cooked veggies you have on hand
3 tbs. Earth Balance spread
16 oz. (1 container) soy creamer (I used Trader Joe's brand but Silk makes a good one too)
2-3 tbs. flour
1/3 cup fresh chopped onions or frozen pearl onions
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 bag Alexia brand mashed potatoes OR about 11 oz. of your favorite pre-cooked mashed potatoes or leftover home made mashed potatoes.
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. fresh ground pepper or to taste
1 tsp. salt or to taste
Pinch of thyme leaves
1 tbs. olive oil
 
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Make mashed potatoes according to directions. You can doctor them up with some Earth Balance and seasonings if you want. Set aside.
 
In a saute pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat and saute onion for a couple minutes until tender but not browned. Add frozen veggie mix. Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder and thyme. Add Quorn chunks. Cook until veggies and Quorn are heated through. Set aside.

In a large pot or saucepan, melt Earth Balance over medium-high heat. Whisk in flour - starting with 2-3 tbs. (you might need a little more in a bit). Whisk for about 30 seconds. Add a pinch of salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Slowly add in most of the soy creamer, whisking constantly. Mixture should start to thicken - if it gets too thick add more soy creamer, if it's too thin, add another sprinkle or two of flour. Sauce should be smooth and velvety - just slightly thick. Pour vegetable and chicken mixture into the pot with the sauce. Taste and adjust seasonings and needed. Combine well. Pour everything into your defrosted pie crust.

Spread a layer of cooked mashed potatoes on top. Bake 25-35 min. until crust is cooked through and slightly browned. Everything else is already pre-cooked, so it just needs to heat through.