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 SEITAN PINTO BEAN ROAST WITH STUFFING

It was thanksgiving the other day in Victoria BC. Which gives me an awesome opportunity to challenge myself. My boyfriend and I usually buy a little field roast quarter loaves for the two of us but since they have ceased shipping to Canada (article will explain) I decided to finally attempt to make my own stuffed roast. WHAT A SUCCESS IT WAS. IM SPEAKING IN CAPS BECAUSE I'M REALLY PROUD OF MYSELF. Making a roast vegan stylez is hard and this one I can confidently say you could feed your meat eatin' friends and they would love it. The stuffing really stepped it up a notch and made it seem like a real roast. 

This recipe also makes enough to invite friends over and have a big meal. I already took 8 large pieces off of it and I still have a quarter of the roast in my fridge. 

The stuffing was too good. It honestly tasted exactly like the kind I used to have back in my meat eating days. 

I used silver hills kings bread for the bread crumbs. If you want to turn your bread into bread crumbs just simply cut up your pieces into small cubes.  Around 1/2 inch in size. Preheat your oven to 400 F. Prepare a casserole dish with some olive oil and toss in your bread. Pour 2 tablespoons of olive oil over top. Spice with whatever you would like. I used garlic powder, pepper and salt. Stir them around well so the oil is spread evenly and bake for 7 minutes or until bread is crispy and brown. 

RECIPE

Vegan Stuffing

5-6 piece of bread cut into bread crumbs = 3 cups bread crumbs

4 stalks celery, chopped fine

1/4 white onion, chopped fine

3 cloves of garlic, minced

half a shallot, diced

2 teaspoons poultry seasoning

1 teaspoon chili spice

pinch of salt

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 drops liquid smoke

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

4 tablespoons garbanzo bean flour

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

STEPS

In a frying pan on medium heat saute your onion, garlic, shallot and celery until soft. Around 10 minutes. Add your bread crumbs, spices, liquid smoke, vegetable broth, garbanzo bean flour and nutritional yeast. Turn to low-med heat and mix everything together really well. Your breadcrumbs should absorb a lot of your vegetable broth but not all of it so if its too dry add some more vegetable broth, 1 tablespoon at a time. Until everything is moist, not soggy. Fry until all your liquids are absorbed. Around 7-10 minutes. Once your stuffing is ready remove from heat and allow it to cool before stuffing your roast!

*This recipe is great for stuffing the roast but if you want to bake some stuff on the side heres the steps, 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Separate your dry ingredients of your stuffing mix into two even batches. One in a frying pan and one in a oiled casserole dish. Cut your liquid ingredients in half for each mix. Add vegetable broth, liquid smoke, garbanzo bean flour and nutritional yeast to your casserole dish. Stir together well and place in your oven. Bake for 15 minutes or until all liquids are absorbed. 

RECIPE

VEGAN ROAST

1 can pinto beans, drained, blended

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten

4 teaspoons poultry seasoning 

2 teaspoons chili powder

2 teaspoons pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon curry powder

1 1/4 cup vegetable broth

2 tablespoons soy sauce

6 drops liquid smoke 

STEPS

Preheat oven to 350 F. In a bowl combine all your dry ingredients and stir together well. Blend your pinto beans with 1 tablespoon of olive oil until smooth. *the bigger the beans are the harder it is to mix it into the gluten

Make a well in the middle of your gluten bowl and add your vegetable broth, soy sauce and liquid smoke.  Start to mix together well and pour your beans in, mixing while stirring. Knead with your hands for 5 minutes. This helps really blend your beans in with the mix. Once everything is mixed together well and your ball of goodness has formed prepare a place on the counter with a large piece of foil. (I used one that was 18' wide) Place your roast on the foil and begin to roll it out forming a rectangle. Roll it out well. If any pieces break its really easy to make it stick back together with your fingers by pinching it. It should be around a 1/4' to 1/2' thick. Any bigger and it won't roll well!  

Once your seitan is ready place a couple big spoonfuls of the stuffing on half of your roast. Make sure theres atleast an inch left on each side of the seitan. Flatten your stuffing down with the back of your spoon. Begin to roll from the side with the stuffing inward. Roll it slightly tight so you can make sure it sticks together but don't squish it. 

Once your roll is all together begin to pinch the open end with a fork. Pressing it into your roast. Make sure its completely blended together. Using your fingers to pinch any loose ends. 

Wrap your roast in foil and bake for 1 hour.