Let me be totally honest with you. Not that long ago, I hated cabbage and cole slaw. No ifs, ands or buts about it. I wouldn't even try cole slaw, and if someone put it on my plate, it would end up in the garbage disposal or trash. Then I turned vegan, started using maple syrup on a few dishes to sweeten them up, and my taste buds changed. It was a transformation that seems very strange to me.

I started liking a lot of foods that I wouldn't have even looked at in the past. The fact I like cole slaw now even blows my wife away.

Cole slaw is one her favorite side dishes. It tastes good and is very healthy for you. Cabbage is very low in saturated fat and cholesterol. It is also a good source of protein, dietary fiber and vitamin C, among other things.

To make it into a main dish, you can mix it with some whole wheat rice, kidney beans and some tofu. Give it a try, and enjoy that vegan thing.

1 head of cabbage

1/2 green pepper

1/2 orange pepper or 1/2 red pepper

1/3 cup of vegan mayonnaise (Vegenaise)

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

3 tablespoons maple syrup

1 tablespoon fresh basil

Dash of salt

Core the cabbage and cut in thin 2- to 3-inch slices. Seed and cut the peppers into thin slices as well. Combine the cabbage and peppers into a bowl. In a separate bowl, stir or whisk together the Vegenaise, Dijon mustard and maple syrup. Add salt until you like the taste. Then add to the cabbage and mix well to ensure that the cabbage is coated. Chop the basil and add into bowl. Refrigerate a couple hours to allow the flavors to mix, and then serve.

 

When we first went vegan, Peanut Butter Pad Thai Noodles was the second meal we ever had.

It's pretty easy to make Asian dishes that are vegan. For the most part, you just leave out the eggs and meat and add some extra vegetables.

In this case, you lose the animal products and add tofu and peanut butter to get a delicious flavor and health benefits.

There is a misconception that vegans don't get as much protein as meat eaters do. That is the furthest thing from the truth. Many vegetables contain all the essential amino acids your body needs.

Tofu is very high in protein. It also has plenty of fiber and helps to lower your cholesterol.

Two things people say when it comes to tofu: "What is it?" and "I think it tastes gross."

It's curd made from mashed soybeans. And I think it's the texture, not the taste, of tofu that some people think is bad. Tofu basically takes on the taste of whatever you are cooking. In this recipe, the tofu tastes like peanut butter.

This meal is delicious, but get ready to spend some extra time in the grocery store and the kitchen. You will need to buy several products you may not have in your cabinet or refrigerator.

Also, this recipe takes lots of patience. It took us well over an hour to prepare and cook it, but it was time well spent. Enjoy that vegan thing!

PEANUT BUTTER PAD THAI NOODLES

1/4 cup soy sauce

1/2 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons peanut butter

2 tablespoons hot sauce

1/4 cup sugar

1 block tofu, diced

1 onion, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons sesame oil

1/2 cup bean sprouts

1/4 cup chopped or crushed peanuts (optional)

4 green onions (scallions), sliced

1 pound of Asian-style rice noodles

Cook noodles according to package instructions. Whisk together the soy sauce, peanut butter, lime juice, hot sauce and sugar.

In a large wok or skillet, saute the tofu, onion and garlic in sesame oil for a minute or two, stirring frequently. Allow to cook for another minute or two.

Add the cooked noodles and the peanut butter and soy sauce mixture. Stir well, and allow sauce to thicken as it cooks for about 3 minutes. Top with peanuts, bean sprouts and green onions and serve hot.

So you are exploring the possibility of going vegan or at least trying a few things. Well, here is a great way to start when it comes to lunch.

When we first made the switch to no animal products, we were looking for meals that were basically replacements for some our favorites.

Just because we don't eat meat any more didn't mean we couldn't enjoy one of our all-time favorite meals -- pulled pork sandwiches.

This is a really easy recipe, and it is delicious and very healthy. The best thing about it is that it looks, smells and tastes like the real thing. Our older children just ate it without any questions.

We have also given this recipe to many friends and family members and it has received glowing reviews.

Instead of pork, you use tempeh, one of the staples of a vegan diet. It is made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans and formed into a patty. You can find it in the produce section of your grocery store.

It is very high in protein and calcium and has a textured and nutty flavor.

However, once you soak it in your favorite barbecue sauce, the textured, nutty flavor will disappear.

Great meal if you are in a hurry, because it only takes about15 minutes to prepare. Give it a try and enjoy that vegan thing.

VEGAN PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

1 cup barbecue sauce, your choice

1 (8 ounce) package tempeh, crumbled

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped

1 medium onion, chopped

4 kaiser rolls or hamburger buns, split and toasted with vegan butter (we used Earth Balance)

Serves 4 to 6, depending on how much you put on the rolls.

Pour the barbecue sauce into a medium bowl.

Crumble the tempeh into the sauce, and let it marinate a little, about 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the red and green peppers and the onion.

Cook, stirring frequently until tender.

Stir in the tempeh and barbecue sauce, and heat through. Spoon the tempeh mixture onto rolls and serve.

For all of you folks who love to eat meat and would have a tough time turning vegan and giving it up, here is a recipe for you. It is called orange pan-glazed tempeh.

It basically looks like a piece of glazed meat, but it's not. It may look a little strange at first when you start preparing it. Instead of chicken, pork or beef, you use tempeh.

Now, tempeh is made from cooked and slightly fermented soybeans and formed into a patty. It kind of looks like a thin veggie burger. Once you put all the spices on, not only does it taste good, but it is good for you. tempeh is very high in protein and calcium.

How does it taste? The good news, for all of you who hate the taste of tofu, is it doesn't taste a bit like it. It really just tastes like the all the spices you put on it, with kind of a nutty texture.

We like to serve it with mashed potatoes or rice and a veggie. To dress it up, you can put the tempeh on a bed of kale.

When I first looked at the dish on the table, I was a little skeptical. But after I took my first bite with that orange pan-glazed sauce, I was hooked.

Serve it up for that meat lover of yours, and see if they like it and enjoy that vegan thing.

ORANGE PAN-GLAZED TEMPEH

1 cup freshly squeezed orange juice (3 to 4 large juicy oranges)

1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger

2 teaspoons tamari or soy sauce (I use soy sauce)

11/2 tablespoons mirin

2 teaspoons maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander (cilantro)

2 small garlic cloves, crushed

About 10 ounces tempeh or extra-firm tofu (I used three-grain tempeh)

2 tablespoons olive oil (I use grapeseed oil instead)

Handful of cilantro (coriander) leaves

Put the orange juice in a small bowl. Squeeze the grated ginger over the bowl to extract the juices, then discard the pulp. Add the tamari, mirin, maple syrup, ground coriander and garlic. Mix together and set aside.

Cut the tempeh (or tofu) into thin bite-sized pieces, and if working with tofu, pat dry with a paper towel.

Put the olive oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot but not smoking, add the tempeh and fry for 5 minutes, or until golden underneath. Turn and cook the other side for another 5 minutes, or until golden. Pour the orange juice mixture into the pan and simmer for 10 minutes, or until the sauce has reduced to a lovely thick glaze. Turn the tempeh once more during this time and spoon the sauce over the tofu from time to time.

Serve the tempeh drizzled with any remaining sauce and a squeeze of lime, with the coriander scattered on top.

As a vegan, you don't eat meat, cheese or eggs. So what happens if you really liked eggs and you want a replacement? Bring on the tofu.

For all of you tofu haters out there, give it another try with this easy tofu scramble. It has the look and the taste of scrambled eggs.

I know what you're thinking. "No way." I would be the first to admit that it does not taste exactly like your favorite breakfast meal, but it comes pretty close. The key to getting the flavor here is the nutritional yeast. They are yellow flakes that you can usually find in the bulk aisle of natural food stores.

It has a strong flavor that many describe as nutty, cheesy or creamy. Many vegans use it in place of cheese. Nutritional yeast is very healthy for you. It has protein, B-complex and vitamin B12. What it doesn't have is even better. How about no sugar, dairy and gluten? And it's low in fat and sodium.

The tofu is good for you too. It is low in calories and high in protein and iron. To spice it up a bit, throw in some sliced potatoes, baby spinach leaves and salsa and put it in a wrap for a breakfast burrito.

Breakfast is served, so enjoy that vegan thing.

EASY TOFU SCRAMBLE

yellow onion, diced

green bell pepper, diced

1 block tofu, drained and pressed

2 tablespoons oil

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

teaspoon turmeric (optional)

Squeeze the tofu until water is out. Then slice it into 1-inch cubes. Using either your hands or a fork, crumble it slightly.

Sautee onion, pepper and crumbled tofu in oil for 3 to 5 minutes, stirring often. Add remaining ingredients, reduce heat to medium and allow to cook 5 to 7 minutes more, stirring frequently and adding more oil if needed.

Add a little salsa to spice it up if you want, and you could always put it in a wrap for a breakfast burrito.

By Jeff Peterson

Easter is coming up on Sunday. Like I really need to remind you.

When it comes to eating on the holiday, many folks decide to serve brunch instead of lunch or dinner. If you're looking for something easy that has no eggs or dairy, I have a pancake recipe just for you.

For all of you who are saying, "Yuck, vegan pancakes for Easter," I challenge you to eat one and let me know if you really can notice the difference.

Basically, all you're doing is replacing the eggs and cow's milk. Suddenly, your pancakes are healthy for you. Bottom line is, replacing those two ingredients means no cholesterol when eating your Easter brunch.

If that's not enough, you get magnesium, potassium and vitamin E in your diet.

Also, almond milk is lower in calories than fat-free, skim and nonfat milk cow's milk. Throw in some fruit and you have quite the healthy and delicious meal.

Make these simple changes, and one of your favorite dishes tastes the same or even better than before.

Have a happy Easter with your family, and enjoy that vegan thing.

1 cup all-purpose wheat flour

1 teaspoon egg replacer (we use Bob's Red Mill)

3 tablespoons of water

1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon of turbinado sugar

11/2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

11/4 cups almond milk

1/2 tablespoon vegan butter (we use Earth Balance)

Fruit of your choice (we use blueberries and bananas)

Mix everything except egg replacer and water into a big mixing bowl.

In a separate bowl, whip 1 tablespoon of egg replacer with 3 tablespoons of water. Then pour it in with the other ingredients and stir for a few seconds. When you pour the mix onto the griddle, add the fruit and cook. Flip them when they bubble on top. After a couple of minutes, serve with pure Maine maple syrup and enjoy.

By Jeff Peterson

What do you do for snacks as a vegan? That's a question I get asked all the time. Most folks probably think all we eat are bananas, apples, carrot sticks or a handful of nuts. All of those snacks are healthy, but come on, why let people who eat a standard American diet get all the tasty treats?

My wife and I came across a recipe for chewy trail-mix bars in one of our favorite cookbooks, Christy Morgan's "Blissful Bites." When we first look at some of the ingredients " like rolled oats, dried fruit, sesame seeds and chopped nuts " we rolled our eyes and admitted that on paper it didn't look like the tasty treat we were looking for.

I have to be honest, they were so good that I had three right away. I know, what a pig! They disappeared in one day. Folks, they were that good. Actually, they were so good that we made another batch a couple of days later.

These bars are not only delicious, but very healthy for you. There is no sugar, and the almonds are a great source of protein.

AND, our children loved them too. All five of our kids chowed down, especially when they found out we put vegan chocolate chips in them. The chips add some extra calories, but they make them a hit with the kids.

Talk about the perfect family snack. Enjoy that vegan thing.

2 cups brown unsweetened Rice Krispies-type cereal

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup your choice of dried fruit

1/3 cup sesame seeds

cup pecans, chopped

cup almonds, chopped

1 cups brown rice syrup

1 cup almond butter

1 teaspoon vanilla flavoring

1/2 cup of chocolate chips if desired (optional; look for brand that has no milk or dairy)

Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Set aside. Heat last three ingredients for about 5 minutes over low flame until melted and combined. Pour over dry ingredients and use your hand or a still spatula to mix until all ingredients are coated with the wet mixture. Line a 9-by-13 casserole dish with parchment paper or lightly oil. Press mixture into dish evenly with parchment paper or wet hands to keep it from sticking to your hands. Set aside to cool for about an hour, then cut to desired size.

Bars will remain pretty fresh for a week if you keep them in an airtight container.

 

One of the biggest questions I get from folks thinking about preparing and eating vegan meals is, "How can I get my kids to eat it?"

Yes, it seems to be the million-dollar question. My wife and I used to struggle with the same thing.

Bottom line is, don't make it difficult. Take their favorite meals and make them vegan. We have done that with burritos, pancakes and shepherd's pie, just to name a few.

Our children love lasagna, so we decided to do the same with their favorite Italian dish. Most people know you can make lasagna without meat, but to make it vegan, there can't be any cheese either.  Instead of ricotta cheese, you use blended up tofu.

We looked up a recipe and with a little help from PETA and some improvising, we came up with a delicious dish. Instead of meat or eggplant, we used spinach.

The green vegetable is very low in calories and fats, contains a good amount of dietary fiber, helps to lower your cholesterol and is fortified with just about every vitamin you can imagine.

Believe it or not, all five of our children loved it. That's a pretty good result when you are dealing with kids and vegetables.

Spinach lasagna is kid-friendly, delicious and good for you. What's not to like?

SPINACH LASAGNA

1/2 to 1 pound (225 to 455 grams) lasagna noodles

2 packages (10 ounces, or 280 grams, each) frozen, chopped spinach, thawed and drained

1 package (16 ounces, or 455 grams) firm tofu (not silken)

1 tablespoon (13 grams) granulated sugar (optional)

1/4 cup (60 milliliters) nondairy milk (such as rice, oat, soy, almond or hazelnut), or as needed

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder or 2 peeled garlic cloves

Juice from 1/2 lemon " about 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters)

2 tablespoons (5 grams) minced fresh basil (about 20 leaves)

1 teaspoon (6 grams) salt (or to taste)

4 to 6 cups (980 to 1470 grams) tomato or pasta sauce of your choice

Preheat oven to 350 F (180 degrees C, or gas mark 4).

Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions or use "no-boil" lasagna noodles. Drain and set aside.

Squeeze as much water from spinach as possible and set aside. (If using fresh spinach, blanch first.)

Place tofu, sugar (if using), milk, garlic powder, lemon juice, basil and salt in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. The tofu "ricotta" should be creamy but still have body.

Transfer to large bowl, and stir in spinach. Continue tasting until you get the amount of salt just right.

Cover bottom of 9-by-13-inch (23-by-33 cm) baking dish with a thin layer of tomato sauce, then a layer of noodles (use about one-third of noodles). Follow with half the tofu filling. Continue in the same order, using half the remaining tomato sauce and noodles, and all the remaining tofu filling. End with the remaining noodles, covered by remaining tomato sauce.

Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until hot and bubbling.

 

By Jeff Peterson

About a year ago I decided to become a vegan.  That means I don't eat or drink any animal products.  It has helped me lose around 40 pounds and drop by cholesterol to 98.  Every week I post a recipe for you to try at home whether you are vegan or not.  Give it a try, you may like it. 

There are many things that you think you have to give up to become vegan. One staple that I just loved for lunch was a tuna sandwich. I thought that went out with my filet mignon and scrambled eggs. That is, until I picked up a copy of a recipe book, "The Blissful Chef."

There, I found something called the Un-Tuna Sandwich. Some cooks call them chickpea sandwiches. In the book, the author claimed it tasted like a tuna sandwich. I had to find out for myself.

First thing I found out was that chickpea and garbanzo beans are the same thing. Who would have thought? I have to be honest; it didn't taste just like a tuna sandwich, but it was pretty close. It was so good, I wanted two. Not only are they delicious, they're very healthy for you.

Garbanzo beans or chickpeas are members of the legume family and very high in fiber. The beans also help lower your cholesterol.

Tastes good and good for you? What's not to like?

This is another opportunity to try the vegan mayonnaise. It is basically egg-free, cholesterol-free mayonnaise.

Try toasting some bread and, using some vegan cheese, you can make it into an Un-Tuna Melt. You won't be disappointed.

UN-TUNA SANDWICH

2 cans garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1 cup of celery, diced

1 medium carrot, grated

cup vegan mayonnaise

2 tablespoons of relish or dill pickle, chopped fine

1 tablespoon yellow mustard

1 tablespoon tamari

1 tablespoon kelp granules

Drain and rinse beans and place in medium bowl. Mash the beans and combine with the rest of ingredients until mixed well. Add sea salt as necessary. Serve with rice crackers, as a sandwich or wrapped in a tortilla.

 

I have now been vegan for a year. In that time, I have had so many people tell me they are interested in trying some dishes with no animal products in them.

One of the most frequent comments I receive is how folks are having a tough time finding recipes. One a week in the Portland Press Herald is a great start, but what about the other six days during the week?

My wife and I basically started from scratch last year when it came to meals. We looked up recipes on websites and bought a few cookbooks to start. One resource you can tap into is the public library.

We just went a couple of weeks ago to the main branch of the Portland Public Library and found a virtual buffet of vegan cookbooks.

If you are just starting out on a plant-based diet, spend some time thumbing through the books and find one with some easy recipes.

We just picked up "The Vegan Family Cookbook." This is a perfect cookbook for folks just starting out with a vegan diet. The best thing about this book is the recipes are easy with not a lot of ingredients.

In the 313 pages, it has vegan beverages, breads, snacks, soups, salads, side dishes, breakfast ideas, main dishes and my favorite desserts. I thought with Valentine's Day coming up, we would find a dessert to surprise your sweetheart with.

Turn to Page 217, and you will find Chocolate Cookies. We added chocolate chips to this recipe and made them Sunday night. By the way, before you bake the cookies, make sure and chow down on some of the batter. The nice thing, there are no eggs, so the batter is safe to eat and delicious.

Do yourself a favor, check out this book at the library or the dozens of other vegan cookbooks available. Remember, "life is short, eat dessert first." Happy Valentine's Day everybody!

1 cups flour

cup cocoa powder

1 teaspoon egg replacer powder (You can buy this at the store or go online and make it yourself.)

teaspoon salt

teaspoon baking soda

cup soy milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 cup sugar

3/5 cup vegan butter (we use Earth Balance)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, egg replacer, salt and baking soda.

In a separate bowl or food processor, cream together the sugar, vegan butter, soy milk and vanilla.

Stir the sugar mixture and flour mixture together.

Drop batter by rounded teaspoonfuls onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Do not flatten.

Bake for 11 minutes or until done. Remember: Cookies will continue to bake when they are taken out of the oven.

Transfer to a cooling rack when slightly cooled.

Eat several cookies and then hide them if you want any later.



 

Before I became vegan, I was pretty boring when it came to fruit.  I basically liked bananas, apples, grapes and cantaloupe.  That was it!  Then when I cut animal products out of my diet and fruit became a bigger part of what I ate, something strange happened.  I started to sample new things and taste test and my taste buds began to change.  I never thought Id see the day that I would be eating mangos, strawberries and kiwis and actually loving it.

I will never forget the day I walked into the kitchen and my wife told me we were having fruit pizza for lunch.  I said, are you kidding me?  Now dont get me wrong, I was slowly but surely increasing the variety of fruit in my diet, but on a pizza?  Well, I didnt have much choice.  Thats what was on the menu.  My wife told me to just eat it and Id like it.  So she put the pizza in front of me and I gave it a puzzled look.  The pizza was just a piece of baked pita bread with peanut butter spread on top.  Then it was topped off with some sliced mango, kiwi, strawberries, some thin white stuff that I later found out was shaved coconut and some green leafy stuff that I later found out was fresh mint.  I seriously closed my eyes and took a bite thinking I was going to be grossed out.  What I tasted was delicious.  After my wife said I told you so, I asked for another one.

This is a simple dish that unlike a lot of other vegan recipes, is quick and easy to make.  In the words of my wife and a line from an old cereal commercial, try it youll like it.


Ingredients

Thinly sliced mango

Thinly sliced kiwi

Thinly sliced strawberries

Whole wheat round pita bread

tbs shaved coconut for each pizza (you can buy this in a bag)

Fresh mint

Organic peanut butter


Directions

Slice the fruit up.  Bake the pita bread in the oven at 350 degrees for about 5 minutes.  Let it cool for a couple of minutes.  Spread about a spoonful of peanut butter on the pita bread.  Cover the pita bread with the sliced fruit.  Sprinkle on tbs of shaved coconut.  Then put a pinch of fresh mint on top and serve.

The Patriots won't be in the Super Bowl, but I'm sure most of you will still watch some of the game or go to a party on Sunday.  When you talk Super Bowl, you need to talk food.  Yes, no doubt most of you will be pigging out  while watching the Ravens take on the 49ers.  Just because you're vegan or looking to eat healthy doesn't mean you need to go hungry on Super Bowl Sunday.  There are plenty of delicious snacks you can devour while most other fans are eating chicken wings and hot dogs.  How about nachos, but with no dairy or meat?  It can be done and they can be yummy.

So you're probably wondering how in the heck can nachos taste good with no cheese?  You still use cheese, but cheese made with ingredients like soy protein, solidified vegetable oil, nutritional yeast, thickening agar flakes, nuts, tapioca flour, natural enzymes, vegetable glycerin, arrowroot and pea protein.  Sounds strange, but all mixed together it gives you a non-dairy product that is a pretty decent replacement, completely free of antibiotics and hormones.  We have tried several brands of vegan cheese and I recommend you do the same, but we ended up with a brand called Daiya.

Make the nachos and don't tell your friends and family they're vegan.  Just like most of the recipes I feature, they wont know the difference.  I guarantee, this recipe will be a winner on Super Bowl Sunday.   Eating healthy during a football game, it could be a first.

INGREDIENTS

1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips  (read the ingredients to make sure there are no animal products like milk)

1 can of black beans drained and rinsed

1 cup of cooked brown rice

1 medium sized pepper diced

2 chopped jalapeno peppers

1 cup of diced olives

cup of chopped cilantro

cup of diced green onions

1 cup of vegan cheddar cheese sprinkled on top or even more depending on your taste (we use the brand Daiya)

DIRECTIONS

Layer ingredients with chips on the bottom.  Broil until the cheese melts on top.  Let cool for a couple minutes and then sprinkle the chopped cilantro and green onions on top.

Serve with salsa and guacamole

Comfort food is defined as a meal providing nostalgic or sentimental feeling. There are a few dishes that remind me of eating at Grandma's house. They are fried chicken, meatloaf, ham and shepherd's pie.

When I decided to become vegan last February, I thought my comfort food would be history. Boy, was I wrong.

I could still have my favorite dishes, but with just a minor change. Yes, you can have shepherd's pie with no animal products.

You still use the mashed potatoes and corn, but when you are vegan you don't use hamburger. That's when you try something called ground meat replacer. It sounds kind of gross, but it really isn't.

For the most part, meat replacement is typically made from textured soy protein or soy protein concentrate.

You can find this in most grocery stores in the produce section. Some of the most popular brands are Gimmie Lean, Ives and Smart Ground. Sometimes they are labeled as beef-style crumbles.

Still not persuaded to try it? My children love vegan shepherd's pie. My 12-year-old daughter actually just requested the meal for her birthday.

You really can't tell the difference between shepherd's pie with hamburger and meat replacer.

To top it all off, it is very healthy for you. Most brands are free of cholesterol and saturated fat and high in protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B-12.

Give it a try. Comfort food has never tasted better or been better for you. Preparing and eating this would make Grandma proud.


4 medium potatoes, diced
2 tablespoon non-dairy butter/spread
cup almond milk
Sprinkle of salt and pepper
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
12 ounces faux ground beef-style crumbles (I like Gimmie Lean, Ives or Smart Ground)
1 10.5-ounce can Campbell's mushroom gravy (we don't use the pieces of mushroom, just the liquid)
1 6-ounce can of corn
Salt and pepper


Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes, or until tender. Drain and mash with the non-dairy alternative. Season with salt and pepper.

In a medium pan, saute the onion in the oil until translucent.

In a medium bowl, mix the cooked onions, faux beef crumbles, mushroom gravy and corn.

Pour into a pie pan. Top the crumble mixture with the potatoes, spreading to the edges.

Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30 to 40 minutes, until the potatoes are browned and the crumble mixture bubbles out the edges.