Dairy-Free Tofu Pumpkin Pie, Vegan Gingerbread, and Scrambled Tofu

Many, many years ago (shhh... almost twenty!), I attended a vegetarian Thanksgiving potluck supper where someone brought one of the most delicious pumpkin pies I’ve ever tasted (before or since). Not an egg in sight in this creamy smooth pie, but everything else you’d expect to replicate this holiday favorite.

The great thing about tofu is that although its pretty tasteless on its own, tofu takes on the taste of whatever you mix it with. You can also match the texture of your dish by using the right tofu. In this case, since I wanted an exceptionally smooth and soft filling, I selected a firm silken tofu from Mori Nu. Unlike other tofus, silken does not require refrigeration before opening.

So... pumpkin pie made with tofu in place of eggs is silky smooth and tastes like pumpkin seasoned with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves.

Oh, and another notable difference is the use of a store-bought graham cracker crust which, if made with margarine, is considered vegan.


DAIRY-FREE TOFU PUMPKIN PIE is best baked, cooled and chilled the day before it is to be used.

Mix in a food processor or blender until smooth:



16 oz. firm silken tofu*
16 oz. pumpkin
1 tsp. each ginger/cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. each ground nutmeg/cloves
3/4 cup light brown sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil

Pour into graham cracker crust (store-bought crusts are made with margarine**). If you make it at home and want dairy-free, don’t use butter.




Bake one hour at 350 degrees Fahrenheit; will set more as it cools

* Mori Nu firm silken tofu usually comes in a 12.3 oz. container, so you’ll need to buy two and measure (weigh) to get the correct amount. The canned pumpkin that I used was Libby’s Pumpkin Filling - 15 oz. My advice would be to use the 15 oz. and only add 15 ounces of tofu, but add the other ingredients in the amounts listed.

** Since this recipe is almost twenty years old, I don’t know if this fact still holds true.






I’ve made this pie many times. This time I used a reduced fat crust and reduced fat whipped topping. I’ve made a note for future reference to stick to full fat next time I make DAIRY-FREE TOFU PUMPKIN PIE. For those who are vegan or simply eating dairy-free, remember that whipped toppings contain milk. Instead try one made with coconut milk, such as this one at Kitchen Simplicity.


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What to do with leftover silken tofu...

After you make the pie, there will be leftover tofu! I put on my thinking cap and came up with the idea of using a gingerbread mix which, for some reason or other, I bought on sale one day. It called for the addition of one egg and some water.

I decided to substitute 1/4 cup of the silken tofu for the egg and the gingerbread cooked beautifully and tasted very good. Again, I had the whipped topping to serve with it.




Still had leftover tofu...

For scrambled tofu (instead of scrambled eggs), I mixed about 1/4 cup of the tofu with sautéed chopped scallions and tomatoes, then cooked it some more. Added salt and pepper, and then topped with shredded cheese. If I’d had some nutritional yeast, I would have mixed in a couple of teaspoons worth for added color and a more buttery taste.



And that was the end of the tofu.

GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE BROWNIES

Believe it or not, these are the most delicious brownies I’ve ever had in my life, and I’ve eaten a lot of brownies in my sixty-six years!

The original recipe comes from Karina Allrich, the Gluten Free Goddess. I can’t recommend her too much -- she is that good. I’ve made minor adjustments to the recipe, but if you want to follow Karina’s exactly, check out her blog. Definitely sign up to receive updates (new recipes!) if you are on a gluten-free diet.

I’m not on a gluten-free or dairy-free diet, but I do like to try out foods I’ve never had before, so I’m exploring gluten-free these days. Because I wanted to stay with a dairy-free theme, I did a lot of label reading and it took a while to find just the right chocolate. Some chocolates include milk; some don’t.

I found all the ingredients at Wegmans supermarket.

I'm sure most of you know that if you click on a photo, you'll see an enlarged version. I can even click on the enlarged picture and get an even larger one. You just might not be able to resist buying these pricey (worth every penny) ingredients to make your own Gluten-free, Dairy-free Brownies once you've seen them close up.



GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE BROWNIES

Ingredients...
5 ounces high quality dark chocolate (I used bittersweet)
1/2 cup coconut oil
1 cup plus 2 tablespoons light brown sugar (Karina recommends organic)
1/2 cup almond meal
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt (I use coarse Kosher salt in my cooking, so I used mortar and pestle to crush it fine)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, beaten (Karina uses organic, free-range)
1 tablespoon bourbon vanilla
1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts (Optional)
1/2 cup dark chocolate chips (Optional - again, I used bittersweet)

Directions...
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Line 8x8-inch square baking pan with foil and lightly oil the bottom. (I lined my pan with a parchment paper and greased it.)


2. Melt the dark chocolate and coconut oil in a saucepan over low heat, gently stirring. (Or melt in a microwave safe measuring cup and stir together to combine.)


3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, almond meal, brown rice flour, fine sea salt and baking soda. If the brown sugar tends to lump together, don’t be afraid to reach in with bare (clean) hands to rub away the lumps.


4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add beaten eggs, vanilla and melted chocolate/oil mixture. Beat on low for approximately two minutes, until the batter begins to come together. At first it may seem thin, like cake batter, but keep beating until it becomes smooth and glossy. (Mine was never thin and I felt like I was making fudge... yum!)


5. If you are adding nuts, stir them in by hand and spread the batter into the prepare pan.


6. Shake the pan a little bit to even out the batter. Layer the dark chocolate chips all over the top and press in slightly.
7. Bake 32 - 35 minutes or until the brownies are set and the top cracks like a flourless chocolate cake.


8. Cool on a wire rack and lift the cooled brownies from the pan by using the foil.
9. Chill for an hour before cutting.

The first time I made these Gluten-free, dairy-free brownies, I couldn’t wait for them to cool. They were delicious warm. They are delicious after cooling and hold together better this way. When I took them from the refrigerator and touched them with my finger, they seemed quite hard, but they cut easily.

Brownie instructions always say to grease/oil only the bottom of the pan. I wonder why.

If the only way you’ve incorporated coconut into recipes is through shredded coconut, you’re in for a treat. Coconut oil has the most heavenly aroma. Don’t be fooled by the word “oil” because this oil is not liquid; at least not the brand I bought.

Both the nuts and the dark chocolate chips are optional. Having made the brownies without them the first time and with them the second time, I highly recommend their addition.



Thanks again to Karina Allrich, Gluten Free Goddess, for this scrumptious treat!

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