Mashed Potatoes

Okay, so here's a SUPER easy one I can't believe I haven't shared sooner! How much easier can it get than mashed potatoes right! So here it is, quick, easy, VEGAN mashed potatoes! I can't stop there, oh no! Part of comfort food when it comes to mashed potatoes is..... you got it! GRAVY! Oh yeah, can't have mashed potatoes without gravy right? Seriously though, VEGAN gravy? I mean this would even get your cardiologist's stamp of approval!! So let's get started.

Potatoes:

1 potato per person (if you have a mashed potato lover, throw in 1 or 2 more)

1 Tbsp. Earth Balance butter per potato

1 tsp salt per potato

1/2 tsp pepper per potato

Optional flavors (any combination of the following):

1 tsp. garlic powder per potato

1 tsp. onion powder per potato

1 tsp. curry per potato

1 Tbsp. Better Than Sour Cream per potato

1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast flakes per potato (for a cheesy flavor) 

1 Tbsp. fresh chives per potato

Decide how you like your potatoes, skin on or skin off, wash well with a scrub to get off all dirt and debris if you like your potatoes with their skin on. FYI: The skin is where you find all of the really great complex carbohydrates, needed for your body to produce energy! So skin on is a good thing! If you'd rather peel your potatoes, feel free to peel and rinse. Cut potatoes into small chunks, place in pot, cover with cold water, add a few dashes of salt, cover, and bring to a boil. 

While the potatoes are coming to a boil, measure out all chosen flavors, including butter, in a small dish. After the potatoes begin to boil, uncover and allow the boil to continue for at least 15 minutes. Check the tenderness of the potato chunks by smashing one chunk with a fork. If it smashes easily, the potatoes are done! 

Save 2 cups of the potato water and drain the rest in a strainer. Return the potatoes to a pan, unless you happen to be in possession of a potato ricer. Put measured ingredients into the pan with the potatoes and 1 cup of the potato water. Using a potato masher or hand mixer, smash/blend the potatoes and spices until smooth and creamy, adding additional water if needed until desired consistency is reached.

Gravy:

1/2 c. vegetable broth (chicken-like) or vegetable stock (beef-like) per potato

1 Tbsp. McKay's chicken-like or beef-like seasoning per cup of liquid used

1 Tbsp. corn starch per cup of liquid used

garlic powder (to taste)

onion powder (to taste)

Bring broth/stock to a boil, mix in seasonings stir until dissolved. As liquid comes to a boil, prepare cornstarch with leftover broth/stock or water making into a thick liquid consistency (not a paste, not too thin). Add cornstarch mixture to boiling stock/broth and stir constantly until desired thickness has been reached. More cornstarch and liquid may be added if needed. Serve hot over mashed potatoes!