Sunday, August 7, 2011

Vegan Pie

Vegan Key Lime Pie

Ingredients:

2 8 oz. containers vegan cream cheese
2 tablespoon soy milk
1 cup natural sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 teaspoon grated lime peel
4 tablespoon lime juice
2 tablespoon cornstarch
1 9inch vegan graham cracker crust
sliced strawberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend cream cheese, soymilk, vegan sugar, vanilla, grated lime peel, lime juice and cornstarch until smooth. pour mixture into graham cracker crust, place on baking sheet and bake for 40 minutes. Let cool, refrigerate overnite. Top with sliced strawberries.

Serves: 8

Preparation time: 1 hour



Tofu Pot Pie

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

2 prepared pie crusts
1 1/2 large potatoes, chopped
water, veggie broth or bouillon to boil potatoes
2 handfuls white onion, chopped
1 pound frozen mixed veggies (I use carrot/pea/corn/green bean blend)
3/4 pound extra firm tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
6 cloves garlic, minced
1 stick (1/2 cup) vegan butter (I use Earth Balance), divided
whole wheat flour, as needed
dried thyme, to taste
dried poultry seasoning, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
nutritional yeast, to taste, optional

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and set aside one of the pie crusts on a baking sheet. Boil the potatoes in a large pot of vegetable broth (water is fine too, but you'll have to add extra spices later). When the potatoes are almost done, add the onions and at least half the bag of vegetables.

2. Let them cook a few minutes, then pour off some of the broth, if needed. You're going to be adding flour to the mix to make a thick saucy filling, so it's up to you how much liquid you want to keep. Up to 1" liquid over the veggies is usually fine.

3. Add the tofu, garlic (save a couple small pieces), and about half the stick (1/4 cup) butter. Gradually stir in the flour until you've reached a nice, thick consistency. Add salt, pepper, poultry seasoning, thyme, and nutritional yeast, to taste.

4. Melt the rest of the butter with the extra garlic and a few pinches of thyme and pour some of it into the bottom crust. Dump the filling in to crust. Place the other crust on top and press the two edges together. Cut a few slits in the top crust and pour the rest of the melted butter mix on top. Bake about a half hour or until the crust is browned.

Serves: 6-8, Preparation time: 1 hour



Peanut Butter Pie

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

2 cups raw cashes
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup refined coconut oil
2 cups crushed graham crackers
6 tablespoon vegan butter
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
12 ounces vegan cream cheese
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
1 tablespoon nut milk (prefer almond)
1 cup mini chocolate chips

Directions:

Whipped Cashew Cream
1) To make the whipped Cashew Cream, put cashews in a bowl and add enough cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight (around 12 hours of soaking). Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place them in a blender with enough fresh cold water to barely cover the cashews. Blend on high for several minutes. I use a food processor and leave it on for about 5 minutes. Your want it to be ground as much as possible. If you don't have a food processor or a good blender, use a fine mesh sieve to give you a nice and smooth cream. Now you have thick cashew cream.

2) Place 1 cup of the cashew cream in a blender (there will be extra cream left over, you can make another batch of the whip cream for some pumpkin pie, which is what I tend to do). Add the agave nectar, vanilla, and a 1/4 cup of water to the cashew cream in the blender/processor. Blend until thoroughly combined.

3) At this point you need to have your coconut oil ready. You do this by warming it up on the stove until it becomes an liquid.
With the blender running, slowly drizzle the coconut oil in through the hole of the blender. Blend it until it is emulsified.
Pour into a bowl and chill in the refrigerator, covered, for 2 hours. Stir before serving.

Peanutbutter Pie
1) Prepare the pie crusts. Using a food processor, crush graham crackers and cocoa powder. Then slowly add the melted vegan butter until it is combined. Press onto a pie pan. DO NOT COOK. The crush is suppose to be a bit crumbly. Set aside while you prepare the filling.

2) Mix the vegan cream cheese, peanut butter, powdered sugar and almond milk with an electric mixer until it is smooth. Fold in the whipped cashew cream and mix until smooth. Add the chocolate chips and then pour the mixture into two prepared pie crusts. Freeze for at least 5 to 6 hours, preferably overnight. Thaw for 10 minutes before serving.

Source of recipe: I went on a quest to make my mom's frozen peanut butter pie vegan. I was successful and boy does this pie taste amazing! The cashew whipped cream is an adaptation of the Conscious Cook's version but mind adds very little water to keep it more firm, necessary for the pie. Keep in mind this pie has a few steps that require chilling and freezing. The cashews must be soaked over night. The whipped cream must be chilled for a few hours as well. So plan ahead! This frozen desert will definitely impress!

Makes: 2 Pies, Preparation time: 1hour prep and 5hr freezing, Cooking time: None




Mediterranean Vegetable Pie

Ingredients (use vegan versions):

1 eggplant, sliced
2 zucchini, sliced
2 onions, sliced
olive oil, as needed
1 head garlic
1 cup frozen corn
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 pie shells
3 roasted red peppers
1 (8 ounce) package vegan mozzarella
oregano, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Brush two large baking sheets with olive oil. Place zucchini, eggplant, and onion on prepared baking sheets and brush with more olive oil.

2. Chop off top of garlic head, leaving the skin on. Place on tray with veggies and drizzle with olive oil. Roast in oven for 30-40 minutes, switching trays halfway through.

3. Mix roasted eggplant, zucchini and onions with tomato paste and the frozen corn. Squeeze roasted garlic from the head and divide between 2 pie shells, spreading on the bottom.

4. Spoon a layer of the roasted vegetable mix on top of the garlic, followed by the roasted red peppers, then vegan cheese, pepper, salt, and oregano.

5. Repeat layers (not including garlic). Bake pies in oven for 30 minutes or until the crusts are golden and cheese substitute is melted.

Serves: 5, Preparation time: 90 minutes

Monday, August 1, 2011

Vegan Muffins

Vegan Banana Muffins

Yields 6 Giant Muffins

1 cups soy milk (additional quarter cup may be needed)
1/4 cups oil
2 cups whole-wheat flour
1/4–1/2 cup brown sugar (for a sweet muffin, use 1/2 cup or more)
3 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2-3 ripe bananas, mashed (potato masher works well)
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup walnuts, rough chopped

Pre-heat oven to 400º. Oil a 6-cup muffin tin. Mix together all ingredients until incorporated. Mixture will be quite thick. Add more soy milk if dry. Do not over mix. Mound the batter into the 6 muffin cups so it stands about an inch or so above each hole in the tin. Place on a cookie sheet (in case there is spillage) and bake for about 40-45 minutes, checking every 15 minutes. If muffins are browning too fast, lower temperature to 375º. Remove muffins and let cool 10-15 minutes before carefully removing and placing on serving platter. Delicious!

Recipe by Laura Theodore, The Jazzy Vegetarian.




Vegan Apple Muffins

For the muffins you'll need:

2 cups strong cinnamon tea (or any tea you love)
2/3 cup uncooked quick oats
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1 1/2 cups unbleached white flour
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger (use more for a spicier cake)
1 1/2 cups vegan sugar (you can use white sugar if you like)
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 apple, peeled and diced

Prepare the tea ahead of time by steeping three teabags in two cups of boiling water until cool.

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease 13 X 9 baking pan.

Combine the dry ingredients, including the sugar, in a large mixing bowl. In a separate smaller bowl combine the tea, applesauce, vinegar, extract, and the diced apple. Mix the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Bake for 25 minutes or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out free of crumbs.



Vegan Oatmeal Cranberry Muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup of all purpose flour
1 cup of oatmeal flour*
1 cup of soaked, dried cranberries, preferably sweetened
1/2 cup sugar
3 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
egg substitute to equal one egg
1/4 teaspoon salt (may be omitted)
3/4 cup soy or rice milk
1/3 cup neutral-tasting oil
a handful of sunflower seeds, chopped almonds, etc.

Directions:

*To make oatmeal flour, whizz oatmeal in a food processor until finely ground

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine dry ingredients in a medium-sized bowl. Add wet ingredients, adding the egg replacer first. Add cranberries. Add seeds and/or nuts. Fold in until the batter is just moist; do not over-mix.

Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 of the way full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18 to 22 minutes or until light brown. Let cool in pan for one minute; remove from pan to finish cooling.

Soy protein powder may substitute for a small part of the flour to boost the amount of protein in each muffin.

Serves: 12

Preparation time: 15




Vegan Blueberry Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup nondairy milk
2/3 cups brown sugar
6 tablespoons applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup blueberries (OR 1/2 cup raisins OR 1 chopped apple OR any combination of any fruit/nut of your choice!)

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine wheat bran and milk; let stand for 10 minutes.

2. In another bowl, beat brown sugar, applesauce, vanilla. Add to wheat bran mixture.

3. In another bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry. Fold in blueberries (or filling of your choice)

5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 16 to 20 minutes!


Makes: 12 muffins, Preparation time: 15 minutes, Baking time: 20 minutes


source: www.vegweb.com , http://www.foodaphilia.com