Vegan Pot Pies

I've been spending a lot of time outside lately, enjoying the nice weather and sunshine. I even spotted a few small budding flowers yesterday! However, it is still freezing up here in British Columbia so nothing is more suited than a cup of tea and a homemade pot-pie after a cold day out.

Pie Crust:
2 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
2 pinches of salt
pinch of sugar
1 cup margarine
glass of cold water
pie tins

Pie Filling
1 cup soy milk
1 cup water
1 large potato
assorted veggies (I used peas, carrots, yellow and green beans)
1/2 tablespoon Maggi
pinch of pepper
Vegetable stock
cornstarch (for thickening)

**note: I made these pies to freeze them for later, so I didn't cook them. If you wish to eat the pies right away however, preheat oven at step four and cook for about 20 minutes or until the top crust is golden brown**

1. Mix the flour, salt, sugar and margarine together until it looks like small pea-sized lumps.

2. Knead together and slowly add a little drizzle of cold water. Keep kneading/adding water until the dough becomes a soft, but moist ball of dough.

3. Chill the dough for about 20 minutes. While the dough is in the fridge you can prepare the filling.

4. In a saucepan, heat up soy milk and water over medium heat. Cut up a potato into small squares and add it to the mixture. Slowly add in a spoonful of Veggie stock. Keep in mind that the amount of veggie stock depends on how salty/strong you want your pies to be. I made mine quite strong and used about 2 heaping spoonfuls.

5. Once the mixture is lightly boiling, add the rest of the vegetables, pepper and the maggi. Turn down the heat and add a spoonful of cornstarch to a spoonful of water in a separate glass, mix well, then pour into the vegetable mix to help the "gravy" thicken up.

6. Once the dough is chilled, roll it out on a floured surface and use a glass to cut out circle shapes.

7. Press the circles into the bottom of the pie tins. Press smaller lumps of dough around the edges until the trays are completely covered in a thin layer of dough.

8. Pour in the prepared veggie filling.



9. With the remaining dough, Roll out and cut into circles, place carefully on top of pies and press the edged together. Don't forget to poke with a fork!



10. Since I froze my pies for later use, I didn't cook them. Instead I wrapped them up individually with wrap and put them in the freezer. If you want to eat them right away, put them in the oven for about 20 minutes at 450 degrees or until golden brown.