In this weekly series we have been discussing the many benefits of a vegetarian diet including: better health , food safety, animal rights (turkey) , global food crisis, frugal living and the immense contribution of meat production to climate change/resource depletion/public health
Join Dennis Kucinich for Thanksgiving Dinner
I was inspired to create this series by former Beatle and vegetarian advocate Paul McCartney (Macca) who partnered with the Meatless Monday campaign to promote less consumption of meat. We not only discuss the benefits of a vegetarian diet we also do some cooking, share recipes and listen to great Beatle/McCartney music!
The holiday season begins with Thanksgiving and I am fortunate in that I can always find reason to be thankful in my family and friends. I also have been grateful for my deep connection and reverence for our natural home, the Earth. The closeness I feel for our natural environment has been a source of peace and completeness which has enriched my life.
Our home, the Earth, is facing challenging times and we are fortunate in that the solution lies within ourselves. We will have to summon every persuasive talent we have to encourage policies that will help our planet survive. But, most important are the choices we make every day regarding the consumption of our natural resources. The most effective way to reduce our consumption of carbon intensive resources is to reduce our consumption of animal products.
While we are searching for reasons to be thankful, we can be grateful that reducing our carbon footprint by reducing our consumption of animal products can be easy and delicious just by including plant based meals in our diet.
I began preparation for our Thanksgiving holiday feast last week and this week I will focus on pies, because we gotta have pies, right? For the next few weeks and until the end of the year we will need pies, pies and more pies.I have to admit this diary was motivated by watching the film Waitress and I will include some recipes for pies baked in the film.
PUMPKIN VEGAN CHEESECAKE
Super quick to prepare - just blend and bake! A vegan cheesecake with pumpkin and tofu is great for Thanksgiving, or as a special treat throughout the holiday season.
* 1 12 ounce package silken tofu
* 1 8 ounce container Tofutti vegan cream cheese
* 1 cup canned pumpkin
* 1 cup sugar
* 3 tbsp flour
* 1/2 tsp ground ginger
* 1/2 tsp nutmeg
* 1 tsp cinnamon
* dash salt
* 1/4 tsp baking soda
* 1 pre-made pie crust (I use a simple graham cracker crust)
Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees.
Process all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth and creamy.
Pour into pie crust and bake for 45 to 50 minutes.
Allow cheesecake to cool slightly, then refrigerate. Cheesecake will set more
CRANBERRY PIE
This is my most requested holiday pie recipe and it's also the easiest so it's my favorite.
4 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 tablespoons flour
1'4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon melted butter (or use Earth Balance for vegans)
1 recipe plain pastry
wash berries and chop in food processer and mix with next 5 ingredients.
Line 9" piepan with pastry, pour in filling and arrange strips of pastry over top in lattice design. Bake in hot oven 450 F 10-12 minutes reduce to 350 F and bake about 30 minutes longer.
PLAIN PASTRY
2 cups sifted flour
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup shortening
4 to 6 tablespoons ice cold water (start with 4 add more if needed)
mix this in a processer with pastry blade until dough forms then cut in half and roll out into 2 rounds one to line the piepan and the other to cut into strips for the lattice top.
SWEET POTATO PIE with GINGERSNAP PECAN CRUST
from Epicurious
For crust
* 5 tablespoons unsalted butter (or use vegan butter), melted, plus additional for buttering pie plate
* Flour for dusting
* 1 cup finely crushed gingersnap cookies (5 ounces; 20 2-inch cookies)
* 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans (2 ounces), toasted
* 2 tablespoons sugar
* 1/8 teaspoon salt
For filling
* 2 lb sweet potatoes (4 medium)
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/3 cup water
* 3 large eggs (organic or use vegan sub.)
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 2/3 cup whole milk (or soy milk)
* 1 tablespoon dark rum
* 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
* Special equipment: a 10-inch glass or ceramic pie plate (6-cup capacity)
* Accompaniments: lightly sweetened whipped cream and toasted pecans
Make crust:
Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F. Butter and flour pie plate, knocking out excess flour.
Toss together all crust ingredients in a bowl with a fork until crumbs are moistened, then press evenly over bottom and up side of pie plate. Bake crust 6 minutes, then cool on a rack.
Make filling:
Increase oven temperature to 400°F.
Prick each sweet potato once with a fork. Roast in a foil-lined shallow baking pan until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and reduce oven temperature to 375°F. Halve potatoes lengthwise and cool.
While potatoes cool, cook sugar in a dry 8-inch heavy skillet over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it begins to melt. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally with a fork, until sugar melts into a deep golden caramel. Remove from heat. Carefully pour water down side of skillet (mixture will bubble and steam vigorously), then return to heat and simmer, stirring, until hardened caramel is completely dissolved. Remove from heat.
When potatoes are cool enough to handle, peel, then cut away any eyes or dark spots. Purée potatoes in a food processor until smooth, then add eggs, cinnamon, and salt and blend until smooth. Add milk, caramel, rum, and vanilla, and blend until combined well.
Pour filling into crust. Bake until filling 2 inches from edge is slightly puffed and center trembles slightly when gently shaken, 40 to 50 minutes (top may crack; filling will continue to set as it cools). If the crust begins to brown too much before the filling is done, crimp a ring of foil or use a pie shield to protect it. Cool pie on rack about 1 hour.
Serve warm or at room temperature.
notes
•Crust can be made 2 days ahead and cooled completely, then kept, covered with plastic wrap, at room temperature.
•Sweet potatoes can be baked 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before peeling.
FALLING IN LOVE CHOCOLATE MOUSSE PIE
As promised from the film "Waitress"
9-inch baked pastry shell
1 14-oz. can condensed milk (not evaporated)
2/3 C. water
1 (4 serving) pkg. chocolate pudding mix (not instant)
1 1-oz. square unsweetened chocolate
2 C. (1 pt.) whipping cream, stiffly whipped
In large saucepan, combine condensed milk, water and pudding mix; mix well. Add chocolate. Over medium heat, cook and stir rapidly until chocolate melts and mixture thickens. Remove from heat; beat until smooth. Cool. Chill thoroughly; stir. Fold in whipped cream. Pour into prepared pastry shell. Chill 4 hours until set.
MARSHMALLOW MERMAID PIE
again from the film "Waitress"
9 graham crackers
1/2 C. sweetened, flaked coconut, toasted
5 Tbs. butter or margarine, melted
34 lg. marshmallows (8 oz.)
1/2 C. whole milk
1 1/2 C. heavy or whipping cream
1 oz. unsweetened chocolate, grated
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine coconut and graham crackers in food processor until coarse crumbs form. Combine crumbs and butter with fork. Press to bottom and side of 9-inch pie plate. Bake 10 minutes and cool on wire rack. Heat marshmallows and milk in 3-qt. saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Remove saucepan from heat. Cool completely (30 minutes.) In large bowl with mixer at medium speed, beat cream until stiff peaks form. Fold marshmallow mixture into whipped cream with grated chocolate. Spoon filling into cooled crust. Refrigerate pie at least 3 hours or overnight. Top with mini marshmallows, maraschino cherries and rainbow sprinkles.
I CAN'T HAVE NO AFFAIR BECAUSE IT'S WRONG & I DON'T WANT EARL TO KILL ME PIE
from "Waitress"
2 1/2 C. graham cracker crumbs
1/2 C. brown sugar
1/2 C. melted butter
2 large eggs
1/3 C. granulated sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
2 C. milk, scalded
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
3 egg whites
1/2 C. white sugar
- Mix crumbs, brown sugar and butter until well-blended. Press mixture into a 9-inch pan. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
- Beat eggs slightly in a large bowl. Add sugar and salt. Slowly stir in hot, scalded milk. Add vanilla. Strain mixture into pie crust. Sprinkle top with cinnamon.
- Bake on lower shelf 25-30 minutes, or until custard is firm.
- In larger glass mixing bowl, beat egg whites until foamy. Gradually add 1/4 C. white sugar, continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
- Spread meringue over pie after custard is set, return to oven until meringue is slightly brown. Cool 15 minutes.
PEAR CRANBERRY CRISP
Easy, light holiday dessert for when you don't have time or just don't want to bake a pie. This is a go-to dessert for me...serves 4
* 3 very ripe pears, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
* 1 cup whole cranberries
* 1/4 cup maple syrup
* 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
* 1/2 cup rolled oats
* 1/4 cup lightly packed dark-brown sugar
* 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
* 1 tablespoon unsalted butter (or use vegan butter)
serve with frozen vanilla yogurt or tofutti soy 'ice cream' if desired
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. In a medium bowl, combine pears, cranberries, maple syrup, and lemon juice, and toss; set aside. In another bowl, combine oats, brown sugar, and flour. Cut in butter until the consistency resembles coarse crumbs and the dough just barely holds together. Spoon the cranberry mixture into an 8-by-8-inch baking dish, and spoon the dry mixture over it.
2. Bake until the topping is brown and crisp, about 10 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake until the fruit is bubbling, 20 to 25 minutes more. ...
For you who are still looking for a vegetarian Thanksgiving entree this is from Vegetarian Times and looks awesome. I haven't tried this before but you can bet I will be making this over the holidays. It looks gorgeous, easy and fun to make!
"Cry Baby Cry" The Beatles
"Honey Pie" The Beatles
What have you all been cooking? Please share your holiday recipes and fave Beatle/McCartney music here!