This weekend we got rain... Lots of rain. For my family it couldnt have been more perfect weather! We had such a long last week of school, graduations and concerts and field days and meetings... I know most of you can relate! The home stretch can be taxing. So the coolness from the storms that rolled in had us watching movies and making tons of food and soaking up some much needed R&R.... The grey skies are always welcome to us here on the Emerald coast... A relief from the almost relentless heat and humidity...

On Sunday morning we had a cloudy beach picnic. The surf was larger then normal and wind was kicking, so again, perfection for us! We ate fresh fruit and sandwiches, made turtles and spiders in the sand, and twirled in the shallows leaving our footprints on the wet white shore. We beat the tourists by leaving the house by 7:30 AM (its the only way!) and headed home before the Florida sun broke through the clouds, blanketing us in her rays of death!! (Its REALLY hot here...:))

Later that afternoon, dear husband and I headed out to the grocery... Maybe my favorite kind of shopping! I had a craving for something hearty, savory... An Autumn meal, since the grey skies and leaves blowing off the magnolia and oak trees gave me a deja'vu feeling of October. I landed on Vegan Pot Pie.

Now I have been making Pot Pie for years... Its a staple in the Fall and Winter around here, one of my kids favorite meals... I have only done a handful of them Vegan since my kids love my chicken version, but we are evolving.... Tonight I did both. A Vegan one for me and husband, with added organic//free range chicken for the kids!!

This recipe is super easy and incredibly versatile... Like almost all of my meals, I usually use what I have on hand! Ill try to add in the substitutes below that I have used ;)

Ingredients:

2 shallots (or yellow onion)

2 cloves garlic

2 carrots

3 ribs celery

3 large baking pots (or a bunch of red potatoes, or sweet potatoes)

2-3 palm fulls of frozen peas (so maybe about a cup?)

1 1/2 tsp thyme

2 bay leaves

1 sprig fresh rosemary

1/4 tsp tumeric

Sea salt and cracked black pepper

Box of organic veg stock

A batch of home made biscuits, organic canned biscuits (Like Annies), pie crust or pastry dough.

I used all organic produce

(For veg you can sub anything you like! We have done green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, etc.. Just have fun with it and make it yours!)

For the kids pot pie I added about a 3/4lb of shredded organic chicken tenders I just cooked up quickly on the stovetop!

Directions:

Grab your Dutch oven, or shallow dutch- I have both and by golly they are worth EVERY penny!! You could use a pot as well, but I have had mine for years and prefer them for almost all of my cooking... Add a heaping teaspoon of vegan butter (I like Organic Earth Balance) and turn on med-low...

While that is warming, grab a medium pot with a lid-

Start out by peeling and cubing 3 baking potatoes, I like organic russets. Add them to your pot and cover with water, pop on the lid and boil until fork tender. Then drain and set aside...

While this is boiling, dice up your shallot, carrot, garlic, and celery... Throw into your dutch and cook until translucent, stirring frequently. maybe 4-5 mins... Sprinkle your flour over the veg and stir to cook out flavor, about 3 more mins stirring constantly so it doesnt burn... Add in some sea salt and fresh pep, thyme, and a splash of veg stock. stir until it becomes pasty, then add some more stock. Slowly keep adding more stock 1/4 cup at a time and stirring until your broth becomes creamy... leave about 1/2 cup of broth out tho so as your soup comes together you can continue to thin it out a bit.

Now throw in your frozen peas and boiled potatoes... Add your turmeric, bay leaves, and fresh rosemary... Let this come up to a soft boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 10 mins...

Heat your oven to 325... If your using organic canned biscuits you may want to pre-cook them a bit before hand, so do that now. (Iv made the mistake of not doing that before and they dont cook evenly!) If not then just get out your pie crust or fresh made biscuits and prepare as needed...

Parchment line a cookie sheet (for any over drip)and grab your pyrax dish, ramekins, or baking dish (I used some vintage porcelain cast iron I found at a thrift store for $10!!)

Top with your biscuits or pie crust, and brush with more melted vegan butter--- NOM!

Bake until the top is golden and the soup is bubbly!

This dish is 100% kid approved! Its absolutely perfect for those rainy days, movie nights, cant figure out what the heck to have for dinner times!

Hope you try it and hope you love it! Let me know in the comments below!