Chocolate Peanutbutter Pie (gluten free!)

This pie is so easy and delicious. It honestly can be ready in 20 minutes. If you want to cheat and buy a pre-made crust, some of the graham cracker ones at the grocery are vegan. However, the one below is super easy to make and gluten free!

Here I am making it, seven months pregnant and dying to lick the spoon:


For the crust:
1 & 1/2 cups of almond flour or meal
1/4 t sea salt
1/4 t baking soda
2 T agave
1/4 c neutral oil (like grapeseed or canola)

To make the crust:
Mix everything in a food processor until combined. Press with wet hands into a 9" greased pie plate. Bake at 325 degrees for about 12 minutes (until golden and aromatic).

For the chocolate pudding:
1 can full-fat coconut milk
2 T arrowroot (or corn starch)
1/4 t salt
1-2 T agave (depends on how sweet you want it)
1/2 t vanilla
1 c dark chocolate chips

To make the chocolate pudding:
Boil coconut milk and salt over medium high heat in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Once at a rolling boil, add arrowroot and whisk a bunch for about 2 minutes until thick. Add in agave and vanilla and stir just to incorporate. Take it off the heat. Let it sit (to stop boiling) for a minute or two. Toss in the chocolate chips, whisk to melt them fully and combine them. Let cool in fridge.

For the peanut butter fudge:
3/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup powdered sugar

To make the peanut butter fudge:
Melt peanut butter (the kind with no sugar!) over medium heat in a heavy bottomed sauce pan. Add powdered sugar and stir well to incorporate. This is basically the lazy person's fudge.

Putting it all together!

Take your cooled (or cool-ish) pie crust. Spread the peanut butter fudge all over the bottom. Pour the chocolate pudding on top. Sprinkle on some nuts, chocolate, pickles, whatever your fancy. Chill 4+ hours (over night is ideal). Slice, eat, repeat!

BBQ Pineapple Tempeh Pizza

A new favorite in our house (proven by the fact when I made "regular" pizza last night, we ate it with sad faces on).

10-12 inch pizza crust (I make my own GF crust and then put it on a 10" pizza pan and cook it for 10 minutes before topping it)

BBQ sauce:

scant 1/4 cup margarine (I use Earth Balance)

1 small sweet onion, diced

4 cloves of garlic, minced

1 cup ketchup (I use organic and with no sugar added, if yours has sugar, reduce the amount below)

1/3 cup maple syrup

1/3 cup sugar

1 T blackstrap molasses 

1 T Worcestershire (you can buy vegan bottled)

1 T dijon mustard

hot sauce to taste (I put in about 2 t of chohula)

pinch of salt, pinch of pepper

Cook the onion and garlic in the margarine over medium low heat until the onions are totally translucent (maybe 10 minutes) and then add everything else and whisk to combine. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes or more until it looks and smells and tastes amazing.

While the sauce is simmering...

Pizza topping:

1 T oil

1 sweet onion, sliced

8 oz tempeh, crumbled

6 thin rings of pineapple

1/2 cup of vegan cheese (I like Daiya mozzarella shreds for this)

Saute onion and tempeh in oil over medium heat until onion and tempeh are browned, 15 to 20 minutes.
 

Onto your pizza crust spread about 1/2 c BBQ sauce, sprinkle all of your onion and tempeh topping, then put on pineapple rings, and lastly your cheese.

Bake at 425 for about 12 minutes, or until cheese is bubbly and starting to brown. I like to finish with about 2 minutes under the broiler (set on high); but watch out, you can burn up your delicious dinner pretty quick if you don't watch it carefully!

Vegan Pantry.

Ten Vegan Staples (that you should know about!)

Regardless of whether or not you’re vegan, the following foods are nutritional powerhouses, super interesting, and fun to both learn about and cook with. One amazing thing that years of veganism has brought me is knowledge about foods I’d never even heard of. Most of these are now part of my weekly, if not daily, life. And my body’s better for it.

(Keep in mind I’m not going to include things like more commonly used fruits and vegetables, whole grains, whole wheat pastas, various beans, and a bunch of other delicious stuff I think you should be eating all the time. But, if you have questions about any of that, just email me!)

1. Quinoa: a great source of protein. Compared to other grains, quinoa is higher in calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, iron, copper, manganese, and zinc. It's great in unexpected places like stews, curries, and even salads.
   Where to get it: anywhere! Even your local grocer should have some quinoa in the isle where they sell other grains. But it's cheaper, and kinder to the earth, to buy it in bulk bins at a whole foods store.


2. Azuki Beans: azuki beans (try to find organic) contain some of the highest levels of protein and lowest levels of fat in any variety of beans. They also contain high levels of potassium, fiber, B vitamins, iron, zinc, and manganese. They're great in soups, dips, and casseroles.
   Where to get it: Possibly at your grocery store of choice, certainly at a health or whole foods store, and also likely at an Asian (or other ethnic) grocery.


3. Almond Butter: Almond butter is one of the most nutrient dense butters; it lowers cholesterol, and is high in the antioxidant vitamin E. Use it in spicy thai peanut sauce, baked goods, cookies, energy bars, and truffles.
   Where to get it: anywhere! Widely available at any grocery store. Almond butter will typically be with peanut butter.


4. Nutritional Yeast: chalk full of the B-complex vitamins (and generally fortified with B12, which is produced naturally and then added to the nutritional yeast). It is also naturally low in fat and sodium. The taste is nutty and creamy, making it a great cheese replacer. Try it on pasta, popcorn, and in dressings and sauces.
   Where to get it: health or whole food store in the bulk bins.


5. Hemp Milk: there are many non-dairy choices when it comes to milk (soy, almond, rice, and many others) and while all are excellent substitutes, hemp milk is really worth giving a try. Hemp milk contains 10 essential amino acids, making it an excellent source of protein. Hemp milk is…non-dairy, soy-free, gluten-free, sustainable, non-gmo, and herbicide and pesticide free.
   Where to get it: most local grocers, it won’t be refrigerated, so look in the “healthy” food section, it’s usually in a box! (Don’t let that scare you – great things come in boxes.)


6. Miso Paste: so miso paste is really just fermented soy beans (I know, I know…but stay with me here)…but it’s high in protein, rich in vitamins and minerals, and actually tastes pretty great (especially if you make a dressing out of it). Miso comes in different varieties, some are salty, some are sweet, some are earthy. I generally use a light, sweet miso (or a “white” miso) in most of my recipes (well, the ones that call for miso).
   Where to get it: in a tub, in the refrigerated section of your health or whole food store. Also, in the refrigerated section of any Asian grocery store (sometimes in tubs, and sometimes in clear plastic blocks).


7. Agave Nectar (raw and organic if possible): yes indeed, agave nectar (or syrup) comes from the same plant that gives us delicious, dangerous tequila. Agave has a high fructose content, and thus has a low glycemic index, making it a wonderful replacement for sugar. It is slightly sweeter than dry table sugar and can replace sugar in some recipes as honey would. Agave nectar is sold in light, amber, dark, and raw varieties. Light agave nectar has a mild, almost neutral flavor, amber has a medium-intensity caramel flavor, dark agave nectar has stronger caramel notes, and raw agave nectar also has a mild, neutral taste. Raw agave is produced at low temperatures to protect the natural enzymes, so give it a whirl if you can find it!
   Where to get it: Some grocers, all health/whole food stores. Generally with the sugar and/or honey.


8. Raw Cashews: lower in total fat than almonds, peanuts, pecans, and walnuts (those all of those lovely nuts are delicious and also good for you!), cashews provide essential fatty acids, B vitamins, fiber, protein, carbohydrate potassium, iron, and zinc. Raw cashews can be used in both sweet and savory dishes easily. You can powder raw cashews (in a blender) to make sweet cream sauces, cheesy cream sauces, creamy salad dressings, and more!
   Where to get it: Raw, unsalted cashews are easiest to find in bulk bins at your local health/whole food store. The roasted, salted kind that you generally find at the grocery store, while delicious, don’t work in quite the same way.


9. Refined Coconut Oil: Coconut oil is a great moisturizer for your skin and is very heat stable so it makes an excellent cooking oil. Refined coconut oil does not have a strong coconut scent or taste and can easily be used in many sweet or savory dishes. However, like any oil, it should be used very sparingly.
   Where to get it: Some grocers now carry refined coconut oil, certainly all health and whole food stores.


10. Agar: Agar (or agar agar) is a gelatinous substance derived from seaweed, which can be used as a vegan gelatin substitute or a thickener. Agar is also low in saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium and high in folate, calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese, vitamin E, vitamin K, zinc, and copper. Agar generally comes in flakes or powder and can seem tricky at first, but once you work with it, it’s absolutely amazing (think pudding, nacho sauce, block cheese, pie).
    Where to get it: health/whole food store, Asian grocery

Creamy Almond Dressing

Bottled salad dressing has been letting me down my whole life. Luckily, it's easy to make your own and oh-so-much better. 

1/2 Cup Sliced Almonds (blanched or raw)
1/2 Cup Water
2 T Nutritional Yeast
2 t soy sauce (I always use low sodium, if you have regular, back if off to 1 t)
1 T fresh lemon juice
2 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Blend all the ingredients in a high-speed blender until smooth and no pieces of almonds remain. Refrigerate for up to a week (maybe more, you tell me...mine never makes it that long).

Vegan Ceasar

There was a boy I liked once and we used to play Hangman in his bar. One of his puzzles was "Et tu, Brute?" and when I hung myself before I solved it, he made fun of me. I think of him when I make this dressing. In hindsight, he was a jerk.

I love making a bunch of this, buying a fresh head of romaine, chilling it, chopping it up bite size, soaking it in this stuff, and then topping it with fresh ground black pepper. I eat it for dinner with some baked tempeh croutons on top.

1/2 c silken tofu
1/4 c. water
juice from half of a large lemon
2 T. light miso paste
1 T. red wine vinegar (or just plain old vinegar)
1 T vegan Worcestershire (if making GF, check the ingredients here)
1 t Dijon mustard
2 cloves garlic
1/2 t salt
black pepper to taste

Creamy Walnut Balsamic

If you are using bottled salad dressings, stop.

1 cup walnuts, ground (will be a bit chunky) or powdered (will be nice and smooth)
1/2 cup oil (if I'm feeling fancy I go down to the oil shop and buy walnut oil, otherwise olive oil works just fine)
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
3 T agave
1 t salt
juice from half a small lemon
1 T dijon mustard

Blend until smooth and creamy. Pour over mixed greens. Eat 'em up.

AAA Cashew Cream (the As stand for amazing, all purpose, and awe-yeah)

My friend Toby and I have this joke and it goes something like this:

Him: "E, this is amazing! What's in it?"
Me: "Cashew cream."

It's not so much of a joke as a true story. Cashew cream can be savory (lasagna!) or sweet (peach cobbler!) and is a nutritious, delicious substitute for cheesy, creamy anything.

Ingredients:
1 c raw cashews, powdered (they must be raw and unsalted - look in bulk bins at the health food store)
1 c filtered water

Powder cashews using a spice grinder, coffee grinder, or magic bullet is best for this, but a blender will work in a pinch but it's best to then soak the nuts for 4 or 6 hours beforehand to make sure you get a very creamy (not gritty) result. 

Blend the powdered cashews with water until creamy and Voila! you have cashew cream. You can add savory spices (salt, pepper, basil, rosemary) for things like stuffed shells, or you can add agave and lemon zest for sweet things like blueberry pie.