White Bean Gravy (From Everyday Happy Herbivore)

This is a healthy alternative to regular gravy. I tried it on mashed potatoes and we really liked it. You can also use it for biscuits and gravy. The author likes it so well she says she often eats it as a soup. If you don't have all the seasoning ingredients, just jazz it up the way you like.

1 15-oz can navy beans, (or any other kind of white bean) drained and rinsed
1/4 c vegetable broth
2 T nutritional yeast
1/2  t. onion powder
1/2 t. garlic powder
1/4 t Cajun Seasoning
1/8 t. black pepper

Combine everything in blender and puree until silky smooth, adding more broth as necessary to achieve the desired consistency. You don't want to thin it out too much: it should be creamy and gravy-thick. Warm over low heat. (I always cook up a big batch of white beans from scratch, then freeze them in portions. Much better than canned beans, and much cheaper too!)

Here's a similar recipe from "How to Cook Everything Vegetarian" by Mark Bitman

CHICKPEA FONDU

3 cups cooked chickpeas with 3-4 cups of their liquid
2 cloves garlic
3 T extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
3 T lemon juice

Puree all ingredients in blender until very smooth. Add more cooking liquid, broth, or water until the consistency is like a smooth dip or thick soup. Heat mixture over medium heat. Use for dipping such foods as cherry tomatoes, broccoli or cauliflower florets, slices of cucumber, bell pepper, cubes of cooked potato, etc. This fondu won't harden like cheese fondu. Hummus is also a nutritious dip for veggies.

Pizza Hut Pizza Sauce

3/4 cup canned crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 T. tomato paste
1 T + 1 t. sugar
1 t. dried oregano leaves
1/2 t. garlic powder
pinch of ground black pepper

In a bowl, combine the crushed tomatoes and tomato paste. Whisk until smooth. Add the remaining ingredients. Stir to blend well. Store in an airtight plastic container for up to 5 days. Makes about 1 scant cupt, enough for 4 Personal Pan Pizzas or 1 large.

(Another Devin Alexander recipe)