VEGAN PUMPKIN COCONUT CREAM PIE

VEGAN PUMPKIN COCONUT CREAM PIE

This was the dessert I made for my boyfriend and I on thanksgiving. Nothing too crazy fancy but its simple and delicious. This recipe works great if you bake it, chill it and eat it the next day. It really helps all the filling form together and makes it realllyyy good. My crust was a little hard so im going to add more oil to the recipe because I think that would have helped a lot. I also used earth balance regular butter spread instead of the shortening sticks. That probably would have helped as well. Anyways here we go!!

Recipe

Filling
1 can organic pumpkin puree
1/4 can coconut cream
2 teaspoons cinnamon
dash of nutmeg
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons coconut shreds

Crust
1 1/2 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup quick oats
1/4 cup graham flour
1 ripe banana, mashed
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup earth balance shortening or buttery spread, melted
dash of almond milk


STEPS

In a large bowl add all your dry ingredients of your crust. Mix them together well with a fork to make sure its all unison. Build a well in the middle and begin to pour all wet ingredients in starting with your banana. Begin to mix it all together. Trying to incorporate all the dry parts so your dough forms. Keep stirring until a ball forms and then begin to mix with your hands. This helps the dough form together really well. Once all your dry ingredients are absorbed and your crust ball has formed you can get your pie pan ready with some oil and begin to roll out your dough. Roll it a little larger than your pie pan so you can make a crust around the edge. Place pie crust on top of the pan and begin to squeeze in dough by pressing with your fingers. Pop it into the fridge and its done until its ready to bake!!

In another large bowl add all the ingredients of your filling. Starting with pumpkin puree and coconut cream then following with all your dry ingredients. Mix it together really well with a fork and give it a little taste test to make sure its sweet enough for you. (I don't make my baked goods very sweet) Pop that in the fridge as well for 15 minutes and you're done!

Once both parts of your pie have been refrigerated for 15-30 mins you can take it out and preheat your oven to 350 F. Dump all your filling into your pie crust and begin to smooth it out with a spatula so it looks nice. I even added pecans all over the top of mine for some extra pizazz! Bake for 35-40 minutes.

VEGAN CALZONES

VEGAN CALZONES

Veganmofo month has come to an end and I loved it! I can definitely say I will be doing it next year and I will be getting much more detailed in my posts! I got 800 views just in the month of September so thanks to everyone who liked or shared my blog :) Calzones are so expensive to buy and so easy to make! I bought a new kind of flour that has made my pizza crust 10x better. Its called caputo flour. A local vegan friendly pizza restaurant, FAMOSO here uses it and they are the best pizzas you can get in Victoria! Really authentic italian. Here's a picture of the store bought kind I got

Its much lighter and fluffier. Alot easier to knead the dough. Its really good for throwing in the air to thin it too. I highly recommend trying this pizza dough if you're really into baking like me:)  Here's my recipe for Vegan Calzones. I hope you enjoy them!

RECIPE

makes 2 calzones

Dough:
3 cups flour
1 cup warm water
1 package instant yeast
1 teaspoon salt
handful of fresh thyme
1 1/2 teaspoons rosemary
1 1/2 garlic powder
1 tablespoon olive oil



Filling:
Old newmans honey garlic barbecue sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 purple onion, diced
6 manzanilla olives, sliced
1 can of corn, drained
handful of artichoke hearts, chopped
1/2 orange pepper, diced
1/2 package of yves ground chicken
Your choice of vegan cheese

Me and my boyfriend got to try this new kind it rules!!!

STEPS

Preheat your oven to 400 F

Get one cup of warm water in a measuring cup and sprinkle your yeast on top. Be careful to make sure your water isn't too warm or it'll kill your yeast. Let the yeast stand in water for 10 minutes.

While your yeast is mixing you can combine all your dry ingredients in a large bowl for your dough. Mix together well and create a well in the middle. Add your yeast water mixture and your olive oil and begin to mix together to form dough. Once your dough is formed begin to knead fro 10 minutes. The longer you knead your dough the better. Cover and let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. 

While your dough is rising you can prepare all your vegetables. My boyfriend and I made ours with bbq sauce but this recipe would work great with tomato paste! The nice thing about calzones is you can put anything you want inside!

Fry your chicken for 5 minutes before you put them into your calzone. I added a couple drops of liquid smoke to make mine even better. 

Once your dough has risen for 30 minutes it should be about double in size. If its not let it rise longer! Knead your dough for ten minutes and split into two equal halves. 

Roll out your dough on a lightly floured surface, nice and thin. It should be about a 1/4 inch thick. Its easier to make the calzones if you roll your dough into a rectangle rather than a circle. Once you've reached your desired size you can begin to add your toppings starting with the sauce and ending with the cheese. Add your toppings to one side of your dough so you can fold it over and seal it. 

Press the sides with a fork to seal your 

calzone completely. Place on a lightly oiled pan. Rub oil on the outside so the top browns and pop it in the oven. Bake for 20 minutes:) I broiled mine for 5 minutes at the end to make the top perfect.