There is a town in north Ontario, With dream comfort memory to spare

A FEW WEEKS AGO I WAS CRAVING COMFORT FOOD.  IT WAS SNOWY AND COLD (IMAGINE THAT) ONE OF MY FAVORITE DISHES IS BEEF STROGANOFF.  IT HAS ALWAYS BEEN A DISH I CAN MAKE FROM SCRATCH AND WITH NO INSTRUCTION.  SO I INVESTIGATED WAYS ON MAKING THIS VEGAN.  AND I DISCOVERED THAT IT IS JUST AS EASY TO DO SO.  

A COUPLE OF NEW ITEMS I HAVE DISCOVERED THROUGH THIS ADVENTURE IS "TOFFUTI BETTER THAN SOUR CREAM"  AND "BETTER THAN BOUILLON" "NO BEEF BASE"

 FIRST, THE SOUR CREAM.  YES IT IS MADE FROM TOFU. AND YES THAT DOES SOUND PRETTY WEIRD AND ALMOST DISGUSTING.  BUT, I GAVE IT A TRY.  THE FLAVOR IS NOT THAT OF TRADITIONAL SOUR CREAM. BUT I DID NOT EXPECT IT TO BE.  AT THIS POINT IN MY VEGAN LIFE, I DO NOT THINK I WOULD THROW A PILE OF THIS STUFF ON TOP OF A BAKED POTATO. HOWEVER, IT DOES THE TRICK IN MY STROGANOFF MASTERPIECE.

NEXT, THE BOUILLON.  THIS STUFF IS AWESOME.  IT IS MADE OF VEGETABLES BUT IT TASTE LIKE BEEF BASE.  I AM AMAZED IT IS COMPLETELY VEGAN TO BE HONEST. I AM EXCITED TO HAVE THIS STAPLE IN MY REFRIGERATOR.  AND I LOOK FORWARD TO EXPERIMENTING WITH THE "NO CHICKEN BASE" FLAVOR.

EMILY'S "NO BEEF" MUSHROOM STROGANOFF

ABOUT 2 TABLESPOONS COCONUT OIL

ABOUT 1 CUP CELERY,ONION AND CARROT (COMBINED) AND FINELY CHOPPED

ABOUT 2 CUPS MUSHROOMS, SLICED (WHITE OR BABY BELLAS WORK BEST)

2 CLOVES FRESH GARLIC, FINELY CHOPPED

2-3 TABLESPOONS OF BETTER THAN BOUILLON NO BEEF BASE

1 CUP WATER

1/2 CUP ALMOND MILK

2 TABLESPOONS TOFFUTI BETTER THAN SOUR CREAM

ABOUT 3 TABLESPOONS CORN STARCH

SALT

PEPPER

IN A LARGE STOCK POT, HEAT OIL ON MEDIUM HEAT. ADD THE CELERY,ONION AND CARROTS. SAUTE UNTIL TENDER. THROW IN A COUPLE SHAKES OF SALT AND PEPPER.  ADD MUSHROOMS AND GARLIC AND CONTINUE TO SAUTE UNTIL TENDER. REDUCE HEAT IF NEEDED.  ADD WATER AND BOUILLON, STIR UNTIL MIXED. ADD ALMOND MILK AND TOFFUTI BETTER THAN SOUR CREAM AND STIR UNTIL BLENDED.  BRING TO A GENTLE BOIL, ADD CORN STARCH - ONE TABLESPOON AT A TIME AND WHISK UNTIL BLENDED.  CONTINUE AT A GENTLE BOIL UNTIL SAUCE BEGINS TO THICKEN.  REMOVE FROM HEAT. SAUCE WILL CONTINUE TO THICKEN. 

I SERVE MINE OVER NOODLES. TONIGHT IT WAS BOW TIE PASTA. I DID HAVE IT OVER QUINOA ONCE AND THAT WAS DELISH TOO.  

WHENEVER I SAUTE VEGGIES I PREFER COCONUT OIL.  IT HEATS BETTER AND CLEANER THAN OLIVE OIL AND DOES NOT GIVE OFF AS MANY FREE RADICALS.  IT COMES AS A SOLID.  AND IT DOES NOT TASTE LIKE COCONUT.  THE ONLY DRAWBACK IS IT IS RATHER HIGH IN THE SATURATED FAT AREA, UNLIKE OLIVE OIL.  SO I TRY NOT TO USE A LOT OF IT.  ON A BETTER NOTE, IT MAKES A GREAT MOISTURIZER FOR YOUR SKIN!