Okay, the oil in this recipe is completely optional. The first thing you want to do is sautée the mushrooms in a Tbs of oil or broth if going that route. Once the mushrooms are sautéed, set them aside. Now the second thing is to caramelize your onions in a medium saucepan. It gives the gravy a nice brown color and adds a depth of flavor to the sauce. I used some oil (about 1 Tbs) to caramelize my onions because it takes less time. But if you want to leave that out, you can use broth. To caramelize your onions, sautee them first, then reduce the heat, stir often and let them cook down until they are a deep brown color. With oil, this takes about 15-20 minutes. With broth, this will take you about 20-30 minutes.

Once the onions have caramelized, add in your carrot, celery, and garlic. Sautee this about 3-5 minutes. Now the bottom of your pan will be a deep brown color, but don't worry. Add in the wine, and scrape the brown bits off the bottom of your pan. Now add in the thyme, cannellini beans, and the broth. Let this cook down for about 15 minutes. Now add in your rosemary and soy sauce. Cook for another 5-7 minutes or until the rosemary is nice and fragrant. Now using a blender, food processor, or stick blender puree the gravy. It should be nice and thick. If it is a bit runny, put it back on the stove over medium heat and let it cook down to your desired consistency. If the gravy is a bit too thick, just whisk in a bit of broth.

When the gravy is to your liking, chop or mince up the mushrooms (I minced mine really fine as my kids were eating this dish, and they have a slight aversion to large mushroom chunks) and add them back into the gravy. Simmer for a couple of minutes to get the shrooms hot, Finish the gravy with the fresh parsley. I served mine over herbed mashed potatoes. However, this gravy works with rice, quinoa, pearled barley, or any sort of veggies. Heck, you could probably pour it over cardboard and eat it. Trust me it is that good.