Gluten-free Vegan Gravy

So here's a nifty little gravy that I tried today.  It was so tasty that I felt compelled to share it. 

Now, I do love vegetables, but if I'm going to sit down to a plate of vegetables for dinner, I want them to have some kind of dressing or something on them.  As nice as plain vegetables can be as a side dish, they're just not something I enjoy as a main dish.

This gravy tastes just like I remember real gravy tasting - thick, delicious, and nicely spiced.  I enjoyed it over a root vegetable roast, but really you could put it over anything that strikes your fancy.

The recipe is as follows:

1 cup chickpea flour
1 tsp. dried sage
1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1/2 tsp. dried rosemary
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 (or more) celery stalks
5 tblsp. olive oil
3 cups hot water, freshly boiled
1 tblsp. shiro miso, dissolved in 2 tblsp. water
2 tblsp. umeboshi vinegar
1 tblsp. balsamic vinegar
1 can chick peas, or mixture of chick peas and fava beans

*1/2 an onion, sauteed, would be an excellent addition to this gravy.  So would carrots, or a handful or two of spinach.

Toast chickpea flour in a separate pan on med-high heat for 5-10 minutes.  Remove from heat when it is lightly toasted.  In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil.  Saute celery in oil for 4-5 minutes, until it is cooked but still crisp.  Add spices (including pepper) to this mixture.

Add flour to oil and celery in saucepan.  Cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring frequently.   It will probably stick to the bottem, but don't worry too much about that right now.  Whisk hot water in slowly, 1/2 cup at a time.  Stop adding water once the desired consistency has been found  - you determine how thick you want it!  Once the desired consistency has been reached, cook for another 2-3 minutes, whisking constantly to get the lumps out. 

Remove from heat.  Add miso, umeboshi, and balsamic vinegar.  Whisk in until fully incorporated.  Finish with the beans.  And Voila!  Your own vegan, gluten-free gravy.  Just as yummy as the real stuff!