Veggie Pot Pies

This recipe is amazing! You may have to modify the actual cook time as my oven has issues. Making this recipe in souffle dishes really makes clean-up and serving very easy! These pies can also be made vegan with ease. I recently modified this recipe to cut back on calories and saturated fat. You may substitute a diced and peeled potato in place of the leek (cook until done with carrots). My margarine of choice is Smart Balance.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 4
• Yields: 4 pot pies

Ingredients

• Crust

• 1  cup all-purpose flour, sifted
• 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
• 1⁄3 cup margarine or 1⁄3 cup  trans-fat free shortening
• 2 -5  tablespoons cold water

• Filling

• 2  tablespoons margarine
• 1⁄2 medium onion, diced
• 3  tablespoons flour
• 2 1⁄2 cups vegetable broth
• 1  bay leaf
• 1⁄2 cup  baby carrots, sliced thin
• 1  stalk celery, diced
• 1  leek, sliced
•  salt and pepper
• 1  teaspoon fresh thyme (or 1/4 tsp dried)
• 1  tablespoon flat leaf parsley, chopped
• 1  cup peas
• 1  tablespoon  agave nectar or 1  tablespoon honey

Directions

1. Pie Crust: Put flour into a mixing bowl with the butter. Using a pastry cutter, cut the margarine into the flour. Add salt and water. Mix until dough is formed. Roll out on flat surface. Cut out circles to fit top of souffle dishes.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F.
3. Melt margarine in large pot and add onion. Saute until transparent. Add flour and brown for about 2 minutes. Add broth and stir. Add bay leaf, carrots, celery, leek, salt, pepper, and thyme. Simmer until carrots (and potato, if using) are done.
4. Stir in parsley and peas. Remove bay leaf. Using a 1 cup measuring cup, scoop into 8-ounce Souffle Dishes. Place pie dough pieces over mixture, cut X in dough, and brush with agave nectar. Place souffle cups on baking sheet.
5. Bake until crust is done, about 25-35 minutes (check crust at 20). The inside will be boiling hot, so be careful!