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Vegan

7 Reasons You Should Buy Local

March 30, 2016 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

7 reasons you should buy local

If you are eating a plant-based diet you are probably eating a lot of plants. Sticking to seasonal produce from your grocery store or farmers market will be less expensive and healthier for you.

I’ll admit, depending on where you live, some places are easier than others to buy local seasonal produce. Right now is a great time to live in Arizona. Gardens are producing and local farmers have plenty to offer.

7 reasons you should buy local

You can find out what’s in season in your location using this handy tool: Sustainable Table Seasonal Food Guide.

If you need to be convinced that eating seasonally is better for you and for the environment check out these seven reasons you should buy local when possible. [Read more…] about 7 Reasons You Should Buy Local

Filed Under: Tips for Plant-Based Living Tagged With: Plant Based Diet, Vegan

Creamy Vegan Brown Gravy

March 25, 2016 by Holly Yzquierdo 23 Comments

Vegan brown gravy is a delicious and versatile sauce that can take your plant-based meals to the next level. With its rich, savory flavor and smooth, creamy texture, it’s the perfect topping for mashed potatoes, stuffing, roasted veggies, and more.

Traditional gravy recipes often rely on animal fat, broth, or meat drippings for their depth of flavor, but vegan brown gravy uses plant-based alternatives to achieve the same richness without animal products. Not only does this make it an ideal choice for vegans, but it also caters to those with dietary restrictions, like dairy allergies.

The beauty of vegan brown gravy is in its versatility; once you master the basics, you can adjust it to suit your taste or meal. With just a few tweaks, you can create a lighter, more herbaceous gravy for summer meals or a deeply savory one for holiday feasts.

What makes vegan brown gravy so irresistible? It’s all about the rich and savory flavors that come together to create a velvety-smooth sauce that’s perfect for drizzling over potatoes, tofu, vegetables, or whatever else you fancy. Whether you’re hosting a holiday feast, preparing a cozy Sunday dinner, or simply craving some comfort food on a chilly evening, this gravy is sure to hit the spot.

This sauce tastes a lot like regular savory brown gravy but it’s gluten-free, dairy-free and cholesterol-free. The pepper gives this a little spice that your kids may not love (like mine). Feel free to leave it out.

Ways to Customize Creamy Brown Gravy

This creamy gravy/sauce can be used in many ways. Use it as the “soup” or “glue” for a casserole, pour it over pasta, top a baked potato, pour it over veggies or any other way your heart desires. Here are some simple recipe variations to try depending on your use for the brown gravy:

  1. For a richer and creamier gravy, add a splash of coconut cream.
  2. Experiment with different herbs and spices to customize the flavor of your gravy. Fresh herbs like rosemary, sage, or parsley can add a burst of freshness, while ground spices like smoked paprika or cayenne pepper can add depth and complexity.
  3. If you prefer a smoother gravy, you can use an immersion blender or transfer the gravy to a blender and blend until smooth before serving.
  4. Feel free to adjust the consistency of the gravy by adding veggie broth or more rice milk if it’s too thick, or simmering it longer if it’s too thin.

Serving Suggestions

Vegan brown gravy is wonderfully versatile and can be paired with many dishes. Here are some ideas:

  • Mashed Potatoes: A classic combination that never fails. Vegan brown gravy over fluffy mashed potatoes is a staple side dish for holiday dinners and cozy meals.
  • Stuffing and Roasted Vegetables: Drizzle your gravy over stuffing or roasted carrots, parsnips, and Brussels sprouts for a comforting plate.
  • Vegan Meatloaf: Enhance a slice of lentil or nut-based loaf with a generous helping of gravy for a satisfying main course.
  • Savory Bowls: Use vegan brown gravy as a sauce for savory bowls with grains, roasted veggies, and tempeh or tofu.
  • Shepherd’s Pie: Add a layer of vegan brown gravy to the base before adding mashed potatoes on top. It adds extra flavor and moisture to the dish.

How to Make Creamy Vegan Brown Gravy

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 Tbsp brown rice flour (other flours may be substituted)
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp white pepper (black pepper may be used)
  • 1 dash of sweet (not smoked) paprika (may be omitted)
  • 1 Tbsp Braggs Amino Acids (tamari or soy sauce can be used but it is NOT gluten-free)
  • 1 ½ cup Rice Milk

If you aren’t familiar with Bragg Liquid Aminos,  nutritional yeast or brown rice flour, don’t get nervous! Bragg Liquid Aminos taste similar to soy sauce but is gluten-free. Nutritional yeast is something that most vegans use to get a cheesy or savory flavor. Brown rice flour is a gluten-free flour that I often use in sauces. Try them! most people love them, and you’ll find they aren’t intimidating at all.

If you still aren’t convinced about the brown rice you can also make this with corn starch. The taste is the same but the consistency varies slightly. It’s still delicious. I’ve also made it with wheat flour.

Instructions

Step 1 – Toast Dry Ingredients

In a skillet, add the dry ingredients and cook for a few minutes to toast the dry mixture on medium heat.

Step 2 – Add Liquids

Once you start to smell the dry mix toasting, add the rice milk and Braggs. Stir regularly with a whisk.

Step 3 – Stir

After the gravy starts to thicken switch to a silicone spatula and stir gently so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan. Continue cooking until it reaches a perfect gravy consistency.

Step 4 – Serve

Serve while warm, if gravy gets too dry add a little rice milk

Storage and Reheating Tips

If you make a big batch, you can store leftover vegan brown gravy in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. It also freezes well, so consider freezing single servings to reheat later.

To reheat, warm it slowly on the stove, adding a bit of vegetable broth or water if it’s too thick. Whisking it as it heats helps maintain the smooth texture.

Vegan brown gravy is the perfect addition to any plant-based meal, adding a rich, savory flavor that satisfies cravings for classic comfort food. Whether it’s for a holiday feast or a cozy dinner, vegan brown gravy is sure to impress both vegans and non-vegans alike!

More Plant Based Sauces

If you like this recipe, you’ll love these plant based sauces too:

  • Homemade BBQ Sauce
  • Spicy Vegan Ranch
  • Raspberry Vinaigrette Salad Dressing
  • Creamy Italian Dressing (Oil-Free)
  • Homemade Vegan Ranch
Yield: 4 Servings

Creamy Brown Gravy

Creamy Brown Gravy

Rich, creamy vegan brown gravy made with plant-based ingredients. Perfect for mashed potatoes, stuffing, or any comfort dish in need of flavor!

Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
  • 2 Tbsp brown rice flour (other flours may be substituted)
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ½ tsp onion powder
  • ¼ tsp white pepper (black pepper may be used)
  • 1 dash of sweet (not smoked) paprika (may be omitted)
  • 1 Tbsp Braggs Amino Acids (tamari or soy sauce can be used but it is NOT gluten-free)
  • 1 ½ cup Rice Milk

Instructions

  1. In a skillet, add the dry ingredients and cook for a few minutes to toast the dry mixture on medium heat.
  2. Once you start to smell the dry mix toasting, add the rice milk and Braggs. Stir regularly with a whisk.
  3. After the gravy starts to thicken switch to a silicone spatula and stir gently so it does not stick to the bottom of the pan.
  4. Continue cooking until it reaches a perfect gravy consistency.
  5. Serve while warm, if gravy gets too dry add a little rice milk.

Notes

  • Feel free to leave out the pepper if desired
  • Corn starch can be used instead of brown rice flour

Did you make this recipe?

We'd love to see it! Tag us and use #MyPlantBasedFamily!

© Heather Mayes

Filed Under: Recipes, Sauces, Dips, and Salad Dressings Tagged With: Dairy Free, gluten free, Plant Based Diet, Recipes, Vegan

March 21, 2016 Meal Plan

March 21, 2016 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

Plant-Based Meal Plan for Spring

Spring is finally here! While the temps have been lovely in Arizona for a few month’s it’s nice to know it is official. I even planted some veggies in my garden after taking a year off. I can’t wait to start working fresh tomatoes into my plant-based meal plan.

I’ve got plans to plant more soon.

Plant-Based Meal Plan for Spring [Read more…] about March 21, 2016 Meal Plan

Filed Under: Meal Plan 2016, Meal Plan Monday Tagged With: Meal Plan, Meal Plan Monday, Menu Plan, Plant Based Diet, Vegan

Spring Break Week

March 14, 2016 by Holly Yzquierdo Leave a Comment

Plant-Based Meal Plan Monday

It’s spring break this week which means my kids are going to be eating at home more than usual.

If you follow me on Instagram you saw our Costco haul. We did our regular grocery shopping too. This week we have fresh pineapple, cantaloupe, honeydew melon and strawberries to be excited about.

I bought store-bought hummus as a time saver.  I’m hoping this will make snacks easier. I’ll cut up some raw veggies for easy snacks.

Most of the time I’m focused on how to save time and cook less but I’m trying to rethink things. I want to spend more time cooking. Why? Because when I’m focused on eating healthy it usually requires that I spend a little more time in the kitchen.

My husband is on board and is taking on some of the cooking. He already made a huge batch of Minestrone Soup we will enjoy this week.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not going to spend hours in the kitchen every day. I work full-time and do freelance in the nights and weekends. I’ll still use my Instant Pot for quick meals but my focus will be on nutritious food, not quick food.

Plant-Based Meal Plan

Plant-Based Meal Plan Monday [Read more…] about Spring Break Week

Filed Under: Meal Plan 2016, Meal Plan Monday Tagged With: Meal Plan Monday, Meal Plans, Menu Plan, Plant Based Diet, Vegan

What to Eat Plant-Based Meal Plan

March 7, 2016 by Holly Yzquierdo 5 Comments

A Plant-Based Meal Plan

What do you eat? I get emails from people asking what to eat on a plant-based diet, let me tell you, there is a lot of variety. Maybe nuance is the better word.

Typically people who eat a whole food plant-based diet avoid meat and dairy but that just tells me what they aren’t eating, not what they are eating.

It is easier to say what we don’t eat. 

There are people who high carbs, low carbs, no carbs. Others who are grain-free, or legume-free or nightshade-free. There are also food allergies, intolerances and other restrictions. The list goes on.

What to eat or not eat is a personal choice. I rarely offer opinions unless I’m specifically asked and even then I’ll usually evade the question. I don’t even try to talk people into going plant-based but once they decide for themselves I’m there to coach them along.

I say all of that to ask, what do you eat?

I regularly post meal plans so you can see what I eat, or at least what I plan to eat but what do you eat? Inquiring minds want to know!

A Plant-Based Meal Plan [Read more…] about What to Eat Plant-Based Meal Plan

Filed Under: Meal Plan 2016, Meal Plan Monday Tagged With: Meal Plan Monday, Meal Plans, Plant Based Diet, Vegan

Weekly Meal Plan 02/15/16

February 15, 2016 by Holly Yzquierdo 1 Comment

Weekly Meal Plan

What a week! Two giveaways ended and the winners have been contacted, my boys have been sick and I was in a car accident. (I’m ok.) I’m not quite up to cooking but my friend Melodee brought us a couple of plant-based meals.

This week’s meal plan will be pretty sparse because I don’t plan on doing much cooking. Thankfully it isn’t slowing my pinning down. My 40+ Meatless Recipes for Lent post is doing well on Pinterest this week.

Weekly Meal Plan

Weekly Meal Plan

[Read more…] about Weekly Meal Plan 02/15/16

Filed Under: Meal Plan 2016, Meal Plan Monday, Uncategorized Tagged With: Meal Plan Monday, Meal Plans, Menu Plan, Plant Based Diet, Vegan

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