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Mashed potato ghosts & seitan bacon vegan gravy

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A Christmas Carol dinner: Mashed potatoes & seitan bacon gravy. Vegan. | cadryskitchen.com

Today’s fluffy mashed potatoes recipe with seitan bacon vegan gravy can be served the traditional way or formed into ghost shapes for a bit of fun.

Cadry and David dressed as Scrooge and Marley from A Christmas Carol.

I love time travel stories.

The thought of being able to see the world throughout history, throughout our own lives, or throughout the lives of those we love is a very appealing idea. Imagine how we might behave differently if we had the vantage point of true perspective on our side.

They say you don’t know what someone else is going through until you’ve walked in their shoes, but time travel would equal things out, giving a real three dimensional perspective on the effects of our actions over time.

When I trace my love of time travel stories, they go back in time from the recent film, About Time, to Doctor Who, to the book, The Time Traveler’s Wife, and of course, Back to the Future.

A Christmas Carol

But I think it all started with A Christmas Carol. Like many of us, as a child I’d watch the story play out at Christmastime.

But my love for Christmas couldn’t be held to just a few weeks in December. Along with my favorite Christmas album, in the summer I’d run my VHS tapes ragged with replays. A good story is a good story, you know?

With Doctor Who, they say that the first Doctor you were introduced to is the Doctor who will always be your most revered. (Over the years, multiple actors have played the title role.) I wonder if it’s the same for any story in which different actors will be playing the same part.

Mashed potato ghosts with caper eyes on bed of seitan bacon gravy.

Mashed potato ghost with caper eyes on seitan bacon gravy.

I was introduced to A Christmas Carol with George C. Scott as Scrooge. To me, he is the quintessential Scrooge. (I also have a deep well of affection for him because he looks kind of like my Grandpa did. But my grandpa wore considerably more rainbow suspenders than Ebenezer.)

Every year, it’s David and my Christmas tradition that we watch multiple versions of A Christmas Carol.

This year we watched the Albert Finney version for the first time.

We also hit up The Muppet Christmas Carol, which sticks so beautifully to the original story, despite involving a barnyard of puppets as the cast. Plus, the songs are just terrific.

And how can you not love Cratchit when he’s played by Kermit the Frog? Impossible.

We viewed Mickey’s Christmas Carol, the Black Adder Christmas Carol, and even SNL did a new Christmas Carol sketch, bringing up our total. (I still haven’t seen the version with Patrick Stewart as Scrooge. That’s on my list for next year.)

There’s something very appealing about the idea that we can all change our lives at any time. We have the power to look in ourselves, see where we’ve gone astray, and to do better. Even Scrooge, who was an old man steeped in bad habits, could alter the course of his life for the better.

Mashed potato ghosts with seitan vegan bacon gravy

Text overlay: There's more of gravy than of grave about you... David, dressed as Ebenezer Scrooge, holds candlestick and scowls.

Today’s mashed potato ghosts with seitan bacon vegan gravy were made as a send-up to old Scrooge.

When Marley showed up at Scrooge’s bedside, Scrooge didn’t believe his own eyes.

Marley asked, “Why do you doubt your senses?”

“Because,” said Scrooge, “a little thing affects them. A light disorder of the stomach makes them cheats. You may be an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of an underdone potato. There’s more of gravy than of grave about you, whatever you are!”

(Scrooge needn’t have worried. There’s no underdone potato here and certainly no beef.)

Close-up mashed potato ghost with caper eyes sitting on seitan bacon vegan gravy.

Dish with mashed potato ghosts and seitan bacon vegan gravy.

The potato ghosts were inspired by the adorable mashed potato ghosts at Wing-It Vegan. (River also recently made Chili con Queso with my creamy cauliflower queso, which looks fantastic.)

These potatoes are on the firm-side to keep their shape. I used a pastry bag to pipe cooled vegan mashed potatoes onto the platter and then smoothed them with a knife. (They are easier to form when cool and can then be warmed in the microwave.)

I added capers for eyes and mouths made by forming a hole in the potatoes with a toothpick.

Or serve them the traditional way…

Bowl of mashed potatoes with candle in background.

Seitan bacon vegan gravy in gravy boat.

The rosemary and sage-scented seitan bacon gravy uses one the veggie bacon from Upton’s. I adapted the recipe for Creamy Sage & Pepper Gravy from Vegan Diner by adjusting spices, adding some onions, garlic, browned seitan bacon, and smoked salt.

Dotted with chewy seitan, it is not only marvelous on mashed potatoes (ghost-shaped or otherwise), it would also be the perfect gravy for a biscuit & gravy breakfast.

For another idea, this morning I had it over a tofu scramble in a breakfast burrito. It was three or four levels of delicious.

(Want to keep the gravy train going? Check out this recipe for cashew gravy with chestnuts.)

I hope that this season finds you in good spirits, and that if you celebrate Christmas, all of the guests at your home will be welcome ones. Merry Christmas to you and yours!

Mashed potatoes & seitan bacon vegan gravy on plate with Herbivorous Butcher seitan.

Mashed Potato Ghosts with Seitan Bacon Gravy

Get in the Christmas spirit with creamy mashed potatoes & savory seitan bacon vegan gravy. It's a dish that even Scrooge would love. Serves 2-4 with 2 cups of gravy.
5 from 2 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American, Vegan
Keyword: christmas recipe, comfort food, thanksgiving recipe
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 293kcal
Author: Cadry Nelson

Ingredients

For the mashed potato ghosts

  • 1 batch vegan mashed potatoes cold from the refrigerator
  • Capers optional

For the gravy

  • 1 teaspoon organic canola oil
  • 10 strips Upton's seitan bacon diced
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • 1/2 cup yellow onion chopped small
  • 2 cups non-dairy milk plain & unsweetened
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 3 Tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes
  • 2 teaspoons vegan butter optional
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried rubbed sage
  • 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary
  • 1/2 teaspoon smoked salt
  • Pepper and salt to taste

Instructions

To make mashed potato ghosts

  • Scoop cold mashed potatoes into a pastry bag, adding more to the bag as needed. Squeeze the mashed potatoes into dollops and then smooth them with a knife.
  • Warm the mashed potato ghosts in the microwave. Use a toothpick to form mouths and capers for eyes.

To make seitan bacon vegan gravy

  • Bring a large skillet to a medium heat. Add canola oil to the skillet and brown seitan bacon in oil for a couple of minutes. Add garlic and onions, and sauté for a few minutes, until fragrant.
  • Add the non-dairy milk, all-purpose flour, and nutritional yeast mixture to the skillet. Whisk until totally combined and smooth with no lumps.
  • Add the vegan butter (optional), dried rubbed sage, dried rosemary, smoked salt, and pepper to the skillet. Fully combine the spices with the gravy. Taste for salt and add more to taste, if needed. Remove from heat and serve over mashed potato ghosts.

Notes

The ghosts hold their shape the best when the mashed potatoes aren't overly creamy. Keep that in mind when making your mashed potatoes and don't add too much non-dairy milk. (For the mashed potatoes recipe I linked to above, err on the side of about 2 Tablespoons of non-dairy milk.)
Gravy adapted from Creamy Sage & Pepper Gravy in Vegan Diner

Nutrition

Calories: 293kcal | Carbohydrates: 36g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 640mg | Potassium: 772mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 665IU | Vitamin C: 17.3mg | Calcium: 204mg | Iron: 3mg
Tried this recipe?Tag @cadryskitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #cadryskitchen!
 

A Christmas Carol dinner: Mashed potatoes & seitan bacon gravy. Vegan. | cadryskitchen.com

A Christmas Carol dinner: Mashed potatoes & seitan bacon gravy. Vegan. | cadryskitchen.com

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Posted On: December 24, 2013
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Comments

  1. Hannah says

    December 24, 2013 at 2:47 pm

    Merry Christmas, dear lady! Thank you for always writing posts that make me laugh, smile, and feel fuzzy inside.

    (I remember there was a Sweet Valley High version of this story, too… had totally forgotten until your post!)

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 27, 2013 at 12:39 pm

      Thanks, Hannah! I hope you had a merry Christmas too! I’m going to have to keep my eyes open for the Sweet Valley High version. That sounds hilarious. I didn’t read those books growing up, but I knew people who did.

      Reply
  2. Randi (laughfrodisiac) says

    December 24, 2013 at 2:56 pm

    Merry Christmas Cadry! Oh man you and your husband are too funny! It’s so adorable. The potatoes and gravy (and Upton’s, of course) sound perfect.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 27, 2013 at 12:40 pm

      Thanks, Randi! I’m glad to amuse. I hope that you had a merry Christmas too!

      Reply
  3. Becky says

    December 25, 2013 at 11:23 am

    Those are adorable! You guys make me laugh so hard with your family photos.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 27, 2013 at 12:40 pm

      Excellent! I’m glad to hear it! 🙂

      Reply
  4. thepeacepatch says

    December 25, 2013 at 2:33 pm

    Hmmm…they look suspiciously like daleks in disguise to me. 😉
    Thanks for sharing the recipes!
    We used to watch A Christmas Carol as kids up until one year I remember watching a version that had neon green rats…? Maybe it was a colorized version of an old B&W or maybe it was a 60’s trippin’ version, I dunno, but it scared the Christmas stockings off me! I never watched it after that. Except the Muppets one. 🙂
    Cheers and happy safe harmonious holidays to you and your family!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 28, 2013 at 11:14 am

      Relaaaaaaax, they’re not Daleks. Just sit down and exterminate… I mean… eat one of them. 😉

      Wow, I don’t know the neon green rat version of A Christmas Carol! That sounds crazy! I’m glad you’re still able to enjoy the Muppet version, where the rats are earth toned! 🙂

      I hope you are having a lovely holiday season!

      Reply
  5. Jacqui Pappas says

    December 25, 2013 at 6:10 pm

    My introduction to Scrooge was Albert Finney. He’s still my favorite. Don’t forget Scrooge McDuck played by Donald Duck! LOL
    This recipe is on my “to make” list.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 28, 2013 at 11:18 am

      Scrooge McDuck is a favorite Ebenezer for sure! In that version Donald Duck plays his nephew, Fred. Mickey’s Christmas Carol got a lot of repeat viewing when I was a kid. 🙂

      If you make these mashed potato ghosts, I hope you enjoy them!

      Reply
  6. Herbivore Triathlete says

    December 26, 2013 at 8:51 am

    I love how your husband gets into the fun of your posts with you! Your mashed potato ghosts are too cute, love them!

    As a lover of time traveling books/movies, have you read the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon? It’s my all time favorite book series, I’m currently reading it for the third time.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 28, 2013 at 11:21 am

      Thanks so much! It doesn’t take much arm-twisting to get David to join in the fun. He actually sewed Scrooge’s hat for the picture.

      I’ve never heard of the Outlander series before. I’ll have to look into that one! It’s high praise that you’ve re-read it multiple times.

      Reply
      • Herbivore Triathlete says

        December 29, 2013 at 5:59 pm

        The Outlander series is fantastic! A nurse in Scotland from the 1940s ends up traveling back in time 200 years. There’s a lot more to the story than that, but I don’t want to give too much away.

        I hope you check it out!

        Reply
  7. acookinthemaking says

    December 26, 2013 at 8:06 am

    Beautiful post, Cadry! I hope you had a wonderful holiday.

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 28, 2013 at 11:18 am

      Thank you! I hope you had a wonderful holiday as well!

      Reply
  8. Lisa @ Je suis alimentageuse says

    December 26, 2013 at 10:59 am

    Looks delicious and super cute! I don’t think I’ve ever seen Upton’s up here in Toronto (Canada) but I’ll keep an eye out for it =) As for Doctor Who and Christmas traditions, did you watch this years Christmas special!? All the feels.
    Happy ho ho!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 28, 2013 at 11:24 am

      As far as I know, Upton’s hasn’t made it to Canada yet. However, any vegan bacon, including tempeh bacon, could be used for this recipe.

      I just watched the Doctor Who Christmas special yesterday. I had to wait until we were back from our extended family holiday gatherings. It was a tear-jerker for sure! I wasn’t as attached to Matt Smith as I was David Tennant, but it was still sad to see him go. I thought they did a really good job with the ending. Did you like it?

      Reply
  9. Laura says

    December 26, 2013 at 11:05 pm

    5 stars
    Love this post and this recipe!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 28, 2013 at 11:24 am

      Thanks, Laura! That’s nice to hear!

      Reply
  10. Abby says

    December 27, 2013 at 12:40 pm

    How did I miss this the first time around? Those are so stinking cute! Hope you had a good Christmas!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      December 28, 2013 at 11:25 am

      Thanks, Abby! I had a wonderful Christmas. I hope you had a happy one as well!

      Reply
  11. flickingthevs says

    December 30, 2013 at 4:38 pm

    Such good pics – how did you get so ghostly in the photos?! Those ghosts are insanely cute. Whoever said you shouldn’t play with your food is clearly wrong!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      January 1, 2014 at 10:28 am

      Thanks, Joey! To make the ghost effect, we took pictures of me and David separately. He was in front of the fireplace in our basement, and I was just in front of a white wall. Then with Photoshop, he cut me out of my background, added me to his picture, and changed the transparency on my body. At first we had transparency on my face too, but it looked a little weird with the lines of the bricks coming through my face.

      I totally agree. The most fun food almost always involves a bit of play! 🙂

      Reply
  12. Jackie at Vegan Yack Attack says

    December 30, 2013 at 9:12 pm

    I love these! So adorable. Also, my family and I typically watch A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim as Scrooge and definitely A Muppet Christmas Carol. I love both!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      January 1, 2014 at 10:39 am

      You know, I haven’t seen the Alastair Sim version since I was a child. I remember catching it late at night on Christmas Eve as a kid and getting so spooked out by it! I definitely need to revisit that one!

      Reply
  13. Kylie @ FotV says

    December 31, 2013 at 12:39 am

    I love it!! Mashed potatoes in ANY form are ok by me 🙂 I definitely recommend the Patrick Stewart Scrooge, it’s pretty fantastic!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      January 1, 2014 at 10:40 am

      Excellent! I knew it would have to be great since Patrick Stewart is wonderful in everything.

      Reply
  14. Rika says

    January 2, 2014 at 2:44 am

    Three Mashed Potato Ghosts and Seitan Bacon Gravy? I’m in love! I’m a Doctor Who Fan, too (I miss Amy Pond and her hubby, I didn’t like the new girl character)…and can’t wait to catch up with the new episode on Sherlock! Hope you had a great Christmas and thank you for all of these wonderful and funny posts! I enjoyed reading them! Wishing you guys a fabulous 2014!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      January 3, 2014 at 9:22 am

      Oh, that’s interesting! I liked Rory a lot, but I tired of Amy. Her sassy/tough girl thing felt inflated to me, like it was just being put on. Donna was my favorite companion, but I know that she wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea either. I’m enjoying Clara’s sensitivity and sense of self. I’m looking forward to seeing where her story goes with the new Doctor.

      I’m so eager to watch the next episode of Sherlock! We’ve been re-watching all of the old episodes, so that all of the details are fresh in my mind when we get to the new one.

      Thanks for the kind words, Rika! All the best to you in 2014!

      Reply
  15. luminousvegans says

    January 6, 2014 at 2:19 pm

    Mmmm, I am still craving all the carby holiday dishes like this! Chewy seitan in mashed potatoes sounds perfect. And I know the capers are added for the ghost eyes but I am really liking the idea of adding capers to mashed potatoes. The combo of that with the savory gravy just sounds so comforting to me right now.

    PS I love the holiday family photos!

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      January 15, 2014 at 1:21 pm

      Mashed potatoes are always a welcome addition! I don’t know why I only think of them at the holidays. They really are delicious anytime and so easy to make.

      I’m glad you liked the family photo! We used it as our Christmas card picture this year. It was cracking me up that everyone else dresses up for their holiday photos, and in mine I’m wearing cheesecloth around my head! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Anonymous says

    January 14, 2014 at 8:47 am

    Hi! Lauren from Upton’s Natural’s here. This recipe is so cute and looks so yummy! Do you mind if we post it on our blog with a link back to your blog?

    Reply
    • Cadry says

      January 15, 2014 at 1:25 pm

      Hi, Lauren! I’m so glad you like it. I’ve really been enjoying your seitan bacon. I’d be happy to have you share a photo or two on your blog with a link to the recipe here on my blog. (I’d prefer to keep the recipe itself just on this site.)

      Reply
      • Lauren says

        February 12, 2014 at 3:24 pm

        Understood, thanks Cadry!

        Reply

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Welcome

Hi, I'm Cadry Nelson. I'm the recipe creator, writer, and photographer behind Cadry's Kitchen.

Cadry's Kitchen is a vegan food blog featuring comfort food classics. Most recipes are ready in about 30 minutes.

Contact me at cadryskitchen@gmail.com.

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