Impossible Pumpkin Pie - Review and Recommendation

Gluten-free, soy-free, egg-free, dairy-free

I didn't think I'd post another pumpkin pie recipe again this week, but when the kids had some friends over to play and requested pumpkin pie for dessert, I thought I'd look around on the web to see what I could come up with. You see, I don't like making pie crust. I wasn't very good even back in the days when using white flour and lots of shortening. And now when limiting fat intake and using gluten free flours the chances of rolling a crust and getting it to the pie plate without it breaking, cracking or crumbling is very slim. They usually taste ok, but have the look that only a child could overlook.

I found a pumpkin pie recipe at one of my favorite blogs that looked very promising, and makes it's own crust. We gave it a test run the day before the kids came and it looked promising, though I figured out a few ingredients that do not work. I change the flours and starch, the next day and all agreed the pie was a success.

Here are some things I have learned in the process. Arrowroot (replacing corn starch) and Sweet Rice Flour (replacing the rice flour) is not a good combination. It made a pudding like middle with a rubber like crust. Sorghum flour is an excellent replacement for the rice flour. And as for the starch, I went to the store and got some more corn starch, and it worked as suggested. Instead of soymilk, I used hazelnut milk from Pacific Foods for the milk and thought it made a good flavor addition to the pie. In the first pie I used all the sugar recommended, but thought it was a little on the sweet side, so in the second batch I used 1/2 cup, and it seemed sweet enough to me, and I thought I might even try using less next time. (But if you are serving it to sugar addicts, you may need the full amount) I didn't have any vanilla, and it was delicious without it.

You will find the original recipe at http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/10/and-answer-is.html.

Here is my adapted recipe.

>Impossible Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Adapted from http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/10/and-answer-is.html

1 1/2 cups soymilk or other non-dairy milk

1 tbsp. Ener-G egg replacer*

1 tbsp. cornstarch

2 cups pureed or mashed cooked pumpkin

1/2 cup rice flour (or flour of your choice--not whole wheat, which makes it gummy) I used sorghum flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp corriander

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a 9-inch deep dish pie pan with cooking spray. (I used a Pyrex pan, and it came out with no sticking.) A deep dish is recommended because this pie will rise a lot during cooking but will fall back down as it cools.

Put the ingredients in the blender, and blend well for 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides a couple of times to make sure everything is thoroughly blended. Pour into a pie pan and bake for about 60 minutes. The top and edges should be brown, but the edges should not be over-done. (Since this is a custardy pie, using the standard toothpick or knife test does not work; it will remain somewhat moist in the center, but it shouldn't be uncooked.)

Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the counter. For best results, refrigerate until chilled before eating.

Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad

Here is another recipe that I'm making with the produce from my garden. Cucumber salad is delicious all through the year, but is best when the tomatoes and cucumbers are straight out of the garden. It is a nice cooling side for a spicy curry.

Fresh Cucumber Tomato Salad

2 - 3 cucumbers, diced or sliced
3 - 4 tomatoes, chopped or wedged
1 medium sweet onion diced
the juice from one fresh lime (or lemon)*
1 tsp. salt

Mix. Taste. Add more lime or salt if needed. Serve right away.

*Fresh lime or lemon juice is so much more delicious then the preserved stuff in a bottle. Really. Do a taste test. They are not the same thing. And the fresh juice doesn't have added chemicals.

Simple Gluten-free Cornbread

Cornbread is an easy gluten free bread that turns out pretty much like it used to is corn bread. Corn bread normally has some wheat flour, and eggs and milk and lots of sugar and oil. My recipe still has some oil, but it is one of the few exceptions in our diet. We don't eat it every week, and my husband reminds himself not to eat too much. It is an excellent side with a bowl of soup or chili.

Simple Cornbread
gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free

Dry:
1 1/2 cup cornmeal
1/2 cup Masa Mixta (usually used for making tortillas) or corn flour
1 cup brown rice flower
4 tsp. Baking powder
1 tsp. Salt
2 T. tapioca flour

Wet:
1 cup water
1 cup rice milk or other desired milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil of choice, I use grapeseed oil
1/3 cup honey

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Get a 9 x 13 inch baking dish sprayed and ready to go. Mix the dry ingredients completely. Mix the wet ingredients separately, then combine with the dry ingredients. Stir just enough so it gets completely combined, then quickly pour into your baking dish, before it has a chance to rise much. Bake at 400 degrees for about 20 minutes.

Update on 2/19/08: Would you like to make this oil free? I just figured out how to do it. Into your blender place: 1 TBSP flax seeds, and 2 TBSP raw cashews. Substitute 1/3 cup water for the oil, place in the blender along with the 1 cup rice milk and 1 cup water. Blend until smooth and add to the dry ingredients along with the honey.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

This recipe is one of family standbys. We eat it several times a month. It is a great way to get lots of broccoli into tummies. And it tastes delicious!

Cream of Broccoli Soup

Bring to a boil. Simmer until onions are soft, around 10 minutes:
3 cups of water
1 medium onion diced
1 teaspoon salt
1 T onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
4 T Nutritional Yeast

Once the onion is soft, add:
6 cups or more of bite sized raw broccoli pieces
1/2 to 1 whole red pepper, diced (optional)
Simmer 5 minutes or until tender but still bright green

Meanwhile blend until very smooth:
1 cup raw cashews
1 cup water

Add the blended mixture to the cooked broccoli soup and serve.

Optional: Cooked brown rice is yummy mixed into the soup. My husband loves to sprinkle cayenne on his bowl

Simple Cabbage Stirfry

Some blogs are full of fancy food for parties and holidays. And while I admit it is nice to have some of those recipes around, it is most important to have nutritious food to eat every day. Here is a quick and easy everyday dish that is tasty, and oil free.

Simple Cabbage Stirfry.

Make sure you have a good amount of leftover brown rice in the refrigerator, or get a rice cooker of it started first.

I don't know how many people you are going to serve, so adjust your ingredients to fit how many will be eating.

Chop up one onion, and put it in you pan with some water, but no oil. No oil is needed. Start cooking it on medium heat. If it starts to go dry, add a little more water.

Grab a head of cabbage and chop up as much cabbage as you would like to eat. Remember it will cook down smaller. Cut the pieces the size you'd like to put in your mouth.

Add the cabbage to the onions. Add a little more water. Put on a lid, and cook until the cabbage is tender.

Add about 1 teaspoon of salt for a big pan of cabbage, or less.

Mix in your brown rice until it is about half cabbage and half rice. Cook a little to mix the flavors and warm the rice, if it is cold from the fridge.

Serve with a little dill weed or cayenne sprinkled on top, if you would wish.