Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Makes 1 9-inch Pie

Takes about 1 hour, 30 minutes (not including roasting sweet potatoes)

I was a little tired of the traditional pumpkin pie one Thanksgiving so I made this instead and it was met with unanimous enthusiasm.  The taste is very similar to pumpkin but the pie is a brighter orange and just a little different tasting.  The maple syrup and candied pecans make it heaven.

Ingredients:

Crust:

¾ cup white whole wheat flour

1 tbsp sugar

½ tsp salt

¼ cup coconut oil, at a temperature where it is solid

3 tbsp cold water

Filling:

3 medium-sized sweet potatoes, well roasted

3 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp each cloves, allspice, nutmeg, ground ginger

½ cup maple syrup

2 tbsp olive oil

¾ cup soymilk

3 tbsp xylitol or sugar

Candied topping:

1 tbsp shortening, margarine, or coconut oil

1 cup chopped pecans

2 tbsp sugar

1. To make the crust, combine together the flour, sugar, and salt.  Add the coconut oil in pieces.  Use a fork or your fingers to work the oil into the flour until you end up with crumbles.  Add the water and work it into a dry, flaky dough.

2. Sprinkle flour on a clean surface.  Gently press the dough flat and then use a rolling pin to roll it into a coarse circle (you want it to be about 11 inches in diameter or so).  Be gentle because the dough will break easily.

3. Transfer the crust to the pie pan and fit it to the right size.  Use scissors to cut off any extra that hangs over the sides of the pan.  Crimp the edges of the crust by pinching.  Cover the crust with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place in the refrigerator until ready to use (you can leave it for several hours if you want or use it right away.  If you want to save it for longer, freeze it and then thaw in the refrigerator right before you want to cook it).

4. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

5. Remove the skins from the sweet potatoes and place the flesh in the blender.  Add in all the rest of the filling ingredients and blend until smooth.  Pour the filling into the pie crust.

6. To make the topping, in a pan on the stove, melt the shortening or margarine.  Add the pecans and sugar and cook on medium heat, stirring constantly until sugar caramelizes.  Disperse the pecans over the top of the pie.

7. Cover the pie with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove the foil and then bake for another 15 minutes.  Allow pie to cool before eating.  It is best if it is allowed to chill for several hours or overnight in the refrigerator.  

Eggplant in Date-Tamarind Sauce

After a long hiatus, I return to post some more recent recipes.

Eggplant in Date-Tamarind Sauce for 1

Serves 1

Takes about 40 minutes

This makes a relatively fast and very easy dinner for 1.  Simply double, triple, or quadruple to serve more people (assume about 3 mini eggplants are equivalent to 1 large one).  Mini eggplants are very cute and are sold all other farmer’s markets but they should also be available at grocery stores.

Ingredients:

2 mini eggplants (or 1 small Chinese eggplant), unpeeled and cut into 1/3-inch slices

10 pitted dried baking dates

1 tsp tamarind concentrate

2 tsp lemon juice

2 tsp fresh ginger, unpeeled and finely chopped

¼ tsp allspice

Scant ¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp cumin

½ cup water

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Set the eggplant slices in a colander in the sink and sprinkle them with salt.  Allow them to drain for approximately 10 – 15 minutes.

3. In the blender, add all the other ingredients together and blend.  Wash off the salt from the eggplants and place them in a baking dish or baking sheet.  Pour the sauce over them, making sure to coat both sides.

4. Bake for 15 minutes.  Use a spatula to flip the eggplant.  Decrease heat to 350 degrees and bake for another 10 minutes until eggplant is tender.  Serve with rice and soy yogurt.

Lemon-Basil Potato Summer Casserole

Lemon-Basil Potato Summer Casserole

Takes about 1 hour 10 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 zucchinis, sliced into rounds

2 ½ lbs potatoes, peeled and sliced longwise into rounds

4 medium tomatoes, sliced into thin rounds

1 tbsp olive oil

Marinade:

Zest of one lemon

Juice of two lemons

1 cup tightly packed basil, chopped

¼ cup olive oil

¼ cup water

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1 ½ tsp garlic powder

½ cup white wine

½ tsp salt

Toppings:

¼ cup roasted sunflower seeds

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Mix the potatoes in a bowl with ½ tbsp of olive oil (alternatively you can lay them out on a pan and spray them with baking spray) and then lay out on a baking pan.  Do the same with the zucchini in a different bowl and pan.  Roast potatoes for about 20 minutes and zucchini for 10 minutes.

2. While the potatoes are baking, mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl.

3.  Remove potatoes from the oven and increase the temperature to 450 degrees.  Once the potatoes have cooled enough to touch, begin to layer them with the zucchini and tomatoes in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan or two 9 x 9 inch pans.  Layer like a lasagna with potatoes first, then zucchini, then tomato rounds.  Everything will not match up perfectly but that’s ok.

4. Pour the marinade over the casserole and cover the pans with aluminum foil.  Bake for 40 minutes at 450 degrees.  When the casserole is removed from the oven, top with roasted sunflower seeds.

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Cheesy Broccoli Pasta Bake

Cheesy Broccoli Pasta Bake

Serves about 5 – 6

Takes about 50 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (13-14 oz) box of whole wheat penne

8 oz sliced button mushrooms

1 medium broccoli crown sliced into florets

2 ½ tbsp margarine

¼ cup breadcrumbs

Sauce:

2 cups unsweetened soymilk or almondmilk

3 tbsp chickpea flour

3 tbsp tahini

3 tbsp miso

¼ cup nutritional yeast

1 tsp dry ground mustard

2 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp garlic powder

½ tsp salt

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Cook pasta according to the directions on the package.  Drain and pour back into the pot.  Stir in the margarine until it is melted and then mix in the broccoli and mushrooms.

3. In a separate bowl, mix together the sauce ingredients.  Use an eggbeater to insure that the mixture is smooth and not lumpy.  Pour it over the pasta mix.

4. Oil a 9x13-inch baking pan or two 9-inch square pans.  Pour in the pasta mix.  Sprinkle breadcrumbs ontop.  Bake for approximately 30 minutes or until top is lightly browned.  Serve warm.

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Sesame Asparagus and Yellow Pepper

Sesame Asparagus and Yellow Pepper

Serves 4 – 5, as a side dish

Takes about 35 minutes

This colorful dish is very simple and easy to make.  It pairs well with a fancy dinner or merely with plain brown rice.

Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus, ends trimmed off and cut in half

2 yellow peppers, sliced into strips

2 tbsp sesame oil

3 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp thai chili sauce (optional)

2 tsp sesame seeds

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Mix asparagus, sesame oil, soy sauce, and chili sauce (if using) in a baking pan.  Bake for 8 minutes.

2. Increase heat to 400 degrees.  Add peppers and toss well to coat in liquid.  Continue to bake for another 20 minutes.  Top with sesame seeds. Serve hot.