grasshopper pie.

I’ve said it before, but something about the holidays (especially easter!) makes me want to make pie. Last year I made a delicious chocolate pie; and this year its this frozen grasshopper pie (found here). This pie is crazy good. and its made with avocados and marshmallows. Yep. Avocado and marshmallows. Dont knock it. Try it and you’ll see how crazy good it is.

Chocolate Crust:
15 trader joejoes or other chocolate sandwich cookie
4 Tablespoons Earth balance, Melted

Mint Filling:

1 Cup Pureed Avocado (From About 2 Small, Ripe Avocados)
1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1/4 cup soymilk
1 10-Ounce Package Dandies Marshmallows
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
1 1/2 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Begin by combining the cookie crumbs and melted margarine in a large bowl, and stir well until there are no dry spots. Transfer this mixture to a 9-inch round pie tin, and use your fingers to press it evenly across the bottom and up the sides. Place the crust in your freezer until firm, at least 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, you can start preparing the filling. Puree your avocado using a blender or food processor, along with the lemon juice and soymilk. Scrape down the sides of the bowl periodically ensure you have no lumps of avocado. Set aside.

Place all of the marshmallows in a medium sauce pan, and set it over moderate heat. Stir continuously until the marshmallows have completely melted, and quickly transfer the marshmallow goo into your food processor or blender. Pulse to combine, and add in the salt, mint, and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides once or twice between pulses, until the mixture is homogeneous. Pour into your frozen crust, and return the whole thing to the freezer. Let freeze for at least 4 hours, until set and sliceable. If desired, top with chocolate shavings, curls, or ganache. (recipe to follow)

Ganache
1/4 cup soymilk
4 oz choc chips
2 T maple syrup

In a small saucepan, heat up soymilk until its a rolling boil; remove from heat and stir in the chocolate chips and syrup. Top pie with it, and put back in the freezer to cool.

* I made my pie, and put in the freezer for about 2 hours, then made the ganache, topped the pie with it and put it back in the freezer for another 2 -3 hours before serving.

carrot muffins

i was pretty skeptical when making these muffins because they called for ALOT Of carrots, were low in sugar and had alot of healthier type ingredients (spelt flour?!).  They are probably one of THE BEST muffins i have ever made. I will be making these again and also try experimenting with adding some other things (maybe zuchinni in the summer?!).

8 oz. carrots (chopped and peeled)
1 egg replacer
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup applesauce
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup whole spelt flour (or oat or whole wheat flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease a muffin tin.

Place carrots in food processor and pulse a few times until they are grated. Add in the egg replacer, sugar, applesauce, vanilla and coconut oil and blend until combined.

In a separate bowl, sift & mix together together all dry ingredients (flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt).

Pour wet ingredients into the dry and gently fold together. Don’t over mix.

Scoop batter into the greased muffin tin – approx 1/3 cup batter per muffin.

Bake for 15-18 minutes, use a toothpick to check for doneness. Don’t over bake.

278. pumpkin pecan donuts.

I made donuts! and pumpkin ones to boot!

Thanks for the recipe tracy! I followed her recipe, only I veganized it using earth balance and soymilk for the milk and butter in the frosting and powdered egg replacer for the egg in the batter. Mine are minis. I baked them for 11 minutes. They were pretty darn tasty!

121. mexican hot chocoloate snickerdoodles.

One of my favorite cookies from vegan cookies invade your cookie jar.

Recipe can be found here

59. smokey maple seitan.

Over the weekend I made this seitan recipe.
It turned out pretty good and is very versatile. Tonight I followed her recipe to make it into a smokey maple seitan sandwich…and it was GOOD.
Here’s how you do it:
1 tsp liquid smoke (splash in drops over seitan)
1-3 tsp maple syrup, grade B is my fave
fine black pepper to taste
salt to taste if needed
for saute: 1-4 tsp safflower or olive oil

To Cook Seitan: Saute Seitan in olive oil. Add the maple and liquid smoke during saute. Add fine pepper to taste. Saute for about 2 minutes on each side until seitan is heated through and crispy browned edges form. Cool for a few minutes before piling onto sandwich.

I topped my sandwich with spinach and avocado. Dj piled his up with pickles, spicey mayo and avocado.