Enjoy two classic Mardi Gras dishes made completely vegan by Chef Gail Patak.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Makes: Six (12-ounce) servings

Ingredients:

For gumbo:
4 cups vegetable broth
1 lb vegan Italian sausage (Beyond or Impossible recommended), sliced into 1/4-inch coins
3 cups okra (fresh or frozen)
3 cups canned diced tomatoes
2 cups coarsely chopped celery
2 cups coarsely chopped green pepper
2 cloves chopped garlic
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup vegan butter (Earth Balance recommended)
8 bay leaves
6 Tbsp gumbo filé seasoning
4 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp smoked paprika
1 Tbsp olive oil or additional vegetable broth
1 tsp cayenne
Salt and pepper to taste

For steamed rice*:
4 cups water
2 cups rice (basmati recommended)
2 Tbsp olive oil or vegan butter
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp Italian seasoning
½ tsp ground black pepper

Instructions:

For rice: Bring water to a boil in a large saucepan. Add the remaining steamed rice ingredients and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for about 15 minutes. 

For okra: Saute in a saucepan in 1 Tbsp olive oil or vegetable broth over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for approximately 15 minutes. Set aside.

For roux: Cook the flour and vegan butter over medium heat in a large, heavy stock pan until lightly golden, consistently stirring to prevent sticking. 

For the finished gumbo: Starting with the vegetable broth, add all ingredients and the sauteed okra to the prepared roux (omitting the gumbo filé), and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes. Then, add the gumbo filé and let simmer for 10 more minutes. 

Remove from heat and serve over the steamed rice!

*You can substitute a parboil or “quick rice.” It cooks faster, and the glycemic level is much lower, helping those looking to control glucose levels. The parboiling process reduces the rate at which starch is digested, leading to a slower rise in blood glucose levels.

Prep/Icing time: 50 minutes
Bake time: 30 minutes
Makes: 12 (3-inch) slices

Ingredients:

For cake batter:
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup full-fat oat milk
2 envelopes of active dry yeast
⅔ cup warm water
½ cup pure cane sugar
¼ cup unsalted butter
6 Tbsp of Just Egg (or 3 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 6 Tbsp of water)
1 ½ tsp kosher salt
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg

For filling:
1 cup packed dark brown sugar
⅔ cup chopped pecans
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1 Tbsp butter

For icing:
3 cups Confectioners’ Sugar
6 Tbsp each purple, green, and gold sprinkles (or multi-colored sugar) for design
2 Tbsp water
2 Tbsp orange juice

Instructions:

For dough:
Place warm water in a small mixing bowl with ½ teaspoon of sugar, then sprinkle the active yeast on top. Let sit for five minutes; it should bubble.

Heat the milk and butter, then cool and add to the remaining cake ingredients. 

Place all other cake ingredients in a bowl, add the cooled milk-butter mixture, add the yeast-water mixture, and cover with plastic. Let sit in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until it doubles in size. 

For filling: Combine all filling ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a fine crumble forms. 

For icing: Mix all ingredients until combined. This can wait until your cake is baking.

To assemble & bake cake:
Roll dough into a rectangular 12×16-inch size (approximately). 

Spread the filling evenly on the dough and gently roll it to form a tubular piece. Connect the ends of the roll to create a circular shape. 

Place the prepared cake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden.

Remove the cake from the oven and drizzle icing on top while the cake is still warm. Add the colored sprinkles and sugar in rows, alternating between each. 

Did you know that, traditionally, king/queen cakes are baked with a hidden object (usually a small baby doll) inside, and the person who finds the object is king or queen for the day—and hosting the next celebration? If you do this, be sure to use something labeled food-grade.