Sarah Hatfield, dairy-free mom and blogger behind No Whey Mama, wanted her milk-allergic daughter to enjoy all of the traditional holiday dishes, but with an entire family to entertain, quick and easy was a must. Therefore, creating two separate version for traditional dairy-laden favorites was not an option, she needed some delicious food that everyone could enjoy.  A few holidays ago, she addressed this need with dairy-free (and vegan) recipes for a Green Bean Casserole and Mushroom Spinach.  Both use the Shiitake Mushroom Gravy Mix from Chreese as a shortcut i place of cream of mushroom soup, and both are a tasty way to get the whole family to eat their veggies when pumpkin and apple pies loom just around the corner.  Of course you can make one terrific gravy with it too!  Best of all, the packets are fairly easy to find in stores, or you can order them online for less than a dollar a piece.  Ah yes, the recipes ...

Green Bean Casserole

1 package Chreese Shiitake Mushroom Gravy Mix , prepared
1/2 cup plain soy milk
1 tsp. soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups cooked cut green beans
1 1/2 cups french fried onions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
In a 1 1/2 quart casserole dish, combine gravy, soy milk, soy sauce, salt & pepper, beans, and 2/3 Cup onions. Bake for 25 minutes, or until hot. Stir well and then top with remaining 2/3 Cup onions Bake 5 minutes more or until onions are golden.

Makes 6 delicious servings

Mushroom Spinach

1 package Chreese Shiitake Mushroom Gravy Mix , prepared
1 box frozen chopped spinach, cooked and drained
1 teaspoon white vinegar
red pepper flakes

Mix prepared gravy, spinach, and vinegar. Add red pepper flakes to taste. Heat on stovetop until hot.

Makes 4 side dish servings.

The above recipes are now published on the Chreese website, but they were originally contributed by Sarah.