Because One Pie is Never Enough

Here is the second pie I made for Thanksgiving this year! I have never actually had pecan pie before and figured my switch to veganism would completely rule it out for me, but then I found this recipe. My dad, who loves pecan pie, says it's the best he's ever had. My mom, who hates pecan pie, went back for seconds, and my brother and my aunt will love any pie as long as it's drowned in whipped cream. This pie was the overall favorite dish at my family's dinner- which is saying a lot, because we ate some amazing food! 

Maple Pecan Pie (recipe from here)

1 9-inch pie crust

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup nonhydrogenated margarine

6 ounces extra-firm silken tofu (1/2 of a tetra pack)

1/4 cup cold, unsweetened, plain nondairy milk

2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups pecan halves

1. In a medium saucepan, mix the sugars and maple syrup. Heat on medium-low and stir occasionally until bubbles begin to form, then stir constantly for 10 minutes. DO NOT let it boil too much, or you will end up with this. It should turn into a thick, syrupy caramel. After 10 minutes, stir in the margarine. Remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool.

2. Crumble tofu into a food processor then add the milk, cornstarch and salt. Puree until smooth.

3. Preheat oven to 350º. Once the caramel is cooled (it can still be warm), add the tofu mixture and vanilla and stir. Fold in the pecans and pour it all into your prepared crust.

4. Bake for about 40 minutes, let cool and store in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve!

Crispy and filled with maple custard- the perfect winter treat.

Perfect Pumpkin Pie

I can't even count how many things I am thankful for in my life, but on my long list of friends, family, health and other gifts, pumpkin pie is most definitely included. Pumpkin is a flavor that always reminds me of the holidays and sitting around a fireplace with the people I love most. It encompasses fall and the inner warmth that comes with colder seasons. Maybe that's a lot to put on one dessert... but I think this pie can handle it!

This is the first time I've tried this particular recipe for vegan pumpkin pie and it was amazing! The texture is perfectly silky smooth and it is just bursting with flavor. My whole family absolutely loved it. It's also super easy to prepare, especially if you have a store-bought crust like I did.

Pumpkin Pie (recipe from here)

1 9-inch pie crust (I used Whole Food's whole-wheat vegan crust)

1 15-ounce can of pumpkin (or about 2 cups fresh cooked)

1 cup vanilla soy milk

3/4 cup sugar

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp nutmeg

Preheat your oven to 350º. Mix all of the ingredients together in a food processor or blender, pour into the pie crust and bake for 60 minutes. Once it is out of the oven, let cool for about 10 minutes then stick it in the refrigerator for about an hour, or until you're ready to eat. Serve with vegan whipped cream, soy ice cream, or just eat it plain! Enjoy!

Creeping Cat

Happy T(of)urkey Day!

See what I did in the title there? Tofurkey? Hah. This is my first completely vegan thanksgiving! My house smells wonderful right now- onions and garlic, pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar, and sweet potatoes. Because I am now the official baker in the family, I have been put on pie duty. Tomorrow I'll post all the recipes and tell you about the whole delicious dinner, but here's a sneak preview while we prep everything...

All ready to go in the oven!

Onions and garlic and peppers for the vegan meatloaf.

Oops... I already had my first baking mishap. See that sugar above? Yeah, that's supposed to be caramel sauce for my pecan pie. I think I just let it boil too much. Luckily it worked the second time I tried!

Mmm caramel. Problem solved. 

How is YOUR thanksgiving experience going? 

Check back for recipes tomorrow!