Pumpkin Tarts

This is the last of my pumpkin recipes for this fall. It's too late for Canadian Thanksgiving, but these could be a hit at your very own American Thanksgiving. The filling has lots of pumpkin flavour but has a lighter texture than usual pumpkin pie filling. The filling does not have to be baked so these tarts come together relatively quickly. 

INGREDIENTS
Makes 24 tarts
- 24 frozen tart shells, baked

- 1/3 cup unsalted chickpea aquafaba
- 1/8 tsp xanthan gum
- 3 tbsp sugar

- 1/4 cup raw cashews
- 1 cup plain soy milk
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 cup cooked pumpkin (see note below*)
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- large pinch allspice
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1/4 tsp agar powder

- whipped topping

METHOD

1. Bake the tart shells per the instructions on the package. Cool.

2. Soak cashews in boiled water for 15 mins. Drain.

3. While cashews are soaking, add aquafaba and xanthan gum to a mixer bowl. Fix the mixer with a balloon whisk and whisk on med-hi speed until foamy. Add sugar 1 tbsp at a time, and blend until soft peaks form.

4. Put the soaked cashews and the remaining ingredients (but not the aquafaba mixture) in a blender. Blend until very smooth.

5. Pour the blender contents into a saucepan and cook on the stove or medium heat, stirring constantly. When bubbling, cook for two minutes.

6. Let mixture cool for 2 mins, stirring regularly to prevent a scum from forming. Fold in the aquafaba mixture completely.

7. Spoon mixture into the cooled tart shells (save any leftovers in the fridge and call it pumpkin custard). When they reach room temperature, transfer to the fridge to fully cool. I think these taste best the next day.

8. When ready to serve, top with the whipped cream of your choice (I use the recipe from Homemade Vegan Pantry, but you could use a commercial topping as well).

Savoury Stuffing Rolls

What?! A new post?! As I explained on ye olde Vegan Dad Facebook page, I have been battling Crohn's this entire year and that has very much dampened my enthusiasm for cooking and eating. I think I am finally getting it under control, so here's hoping! I have also spent the last three weeks on strike which was the inspiration for these buns. On the picket line we have been blessed by endless treats from supporters. I thought it would be nice to have a handheld savoury snack instead and these fit the bill. They are reminiscent of stuffing, hence the name. You could easily add some cranberries in with the apple, or raisins. Use this as a starting point and go nuts (maybe even add nuts?). Could be great for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 24 rolls
- 1 recipe everyday whole wheat bread (make with all white bread flour, if desired, as I did)
- 2 potatoes and 1 carrot, small dice (about 2 cups total)
- olive oil
- sea salt
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 leek, white and light green part, halved and thinly sliced
- olive oil
- 1 cooking apple, peeled, small dice
- 1/4 tsp sage
- 1/2 tsp thyme
- 1/2 tsp marjoram
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- freshly ground pepper
- soy milk for brushing

METHOD
1. Make the dough per the recipe link above. While the starter is rising, preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
2. Toss the diced potato and carrot in a splash or two of olive oil and season lightly with sea salt. Transfer to a cookie sheet lined with baking parchment and bake for 20 mins, turning the veggies after ten to ensure and even roast.
3. Wrap the unpeeled garlic cloves in a piece of aluminum foil and roast along with the veggies for 20 mins.
4. Set veggies and garlic aside to cool.
5. Heat a splash of olive oil in a small frying pan over med-lo heat and saute leeks until softened (about 5-7 mins). Add apple and cook for a minute more. Skin and chop up roasted garlic and mix through. Remove from heat.
6. Continue making the dough but add the herbs in to the dry ingredients. Add the veggies and diced apple/leek mixture in during the final two minutes of kneading. I like to start this in the stand mixer with the dough hook, but finish on a lightly floured counter to make sure nothing gets too smushed up. Add more flour is the dough is too wet. It should be slightly tacky but not sticky.
7. Transfer dough to a oiled bowl and let rise for an hour, or until doubled.
8. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper (or two smaller trays). Divide dough into 24 equal pieces and shape into rolls (a little tricky with all the veggies and apple, but be patient). Place on tray (in six rows of four), mist with oil, and cover with plastic wrap to let rise.
9. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
10. When rolls have almost doubled and are touching one another, brush tops with plain soy milk and bake for 15 minutes, rotating tray half way through for an even bake. Cool but enjoy while still warm.

Roasted Winter Veggies and Tofu with Orange Cranberry Sauce

I thought I would squeak in one last recipe before American Thanksgiving just in case you aren't sure what you are making this year.  I love this method for roasting veggies because it produces a dish reminiscent of the Sunday roasts of my youth.  The potatoes are my absolute favourite.  All of this can be made in one pan, so it makes for a less busy holiday kitchen.  The real key here is the cast iron skillet, so if you don't have one go borrow one.  

INGREDIENTS
Roasted Veggies
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 3 leeks, halved lengthwise and sliced in 1/2 inch slices
- 3 shallots, halved and sliced
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and sliced
- 4 garlic cloves, chopped
- 6 sprigs of fresh thyme
- a variety of winter veggies: 1 used 3 turnips, 6 large Yukon Gold potatoes, and 6 large carrots,   chopped into large chunks (you want enough to fill up your pan)
- 2 cups vegetable broth
- salt and pepper to taste

Tofu with Orange Cranberry Jus
- 1 pkg firm tofu, cut into twelve pieces
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 2 cups vegetable broth (more as needed)
- 1/8 tsp white pepper
- 1/2 tsp poultry spice
- 1/2 cup chopped cranberries
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp orange juice
- salt and pepper to taste

METHOD
Roasted Veggies
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Heat a large 14" cast iron skillet over med-hi heat.  Melt margarine, then saute leeks, shallots, and onion for 5-7 mins, until nice browned and golden.  Add garlic and thyme and saute for 1 min.
2. Add veggies and mix well to coat.  Cook veggies for 5 mins, stirring regularly to heat through.  Add broth and cook for another 5 mins, stirring regularly.  Season to taste.
3.  Place pan in the oven, uncovered.  Roast veggies for about 45 mins, stirring about every 10 mins, until veggies are golden and tender and broth has reduced.

Tofu with Orange Cranberry Jus
1. While veggies are roasting, salt and pepper both sides of the tofu.  Set aside.
2. When veggies are done roasting, remove thyme stems, transfer veggies to a serving bowl and keep warm in the oven.
3. Without cleaning the pan, return it to the stove over med-hi heat.  Melt margarine and add tofu.  Fry on each side for 3-5 mins, until golden.  Add 1/2 cup of the broth, then sprinkle pepper and poultry spice over the tofu.  Mix around and flip tofu, deglazing the pan until the broth has reduced.
4. Add another 1/2 cup of broth and mix around and flip tofu until broth has reduced.  Remove tofu from pan to a serving dish.
5. Increase heat to high.  Add remaining 1 cup of broth, cranberries, sugar, and orange juice.  Add broth reduces, mash the cranberries.  Reduce by about a third, season to taste, then spoon over the top of the tofu.

Apple Galette

One last Thanksgiving recipe!  I can post this one late because it is really easy, but tastes and looks great.  I started making these in order to use up the extra dough left over from making multiple pies at a time.  So, if you have some dough left over from making pot pies, and still need a dessert, make one of these and top it off with pumpkin ice cream (sans candied pepitas tastes best in this scenario, I think).

INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 recipe pie dough
- 3 large cooking apples (I like Granny Smith for this one)
- juice of 1/2 lemon
- 1 tbsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/8 tsp cinnamon
- pinch of nutmeg
- 1 tbsp margarine

METHOD
1. Make the dough as per the recipe.  Roll out on a floured surface into a 12-14 inch circle.  Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
2. Peel the apples.  Chop in half, from stem to flower end.  Remove stem and flower ends.  Use a melon baller to carefully remove seeds/cores.  Use a paring knife to thinly slice the apple halves, keeping all the slices together.
3. Place an apple half in the centre of the dough.  Fan slightly.  Place other halves around the centre apple and fan.  Sprinkle lemon juice over the apples.

4. Mix together sugars and spices. Sprinkle over apples.  Dot with margarine. Gather dough up into the centre (trim edges first if you like).

5. Place galette in the fridge for 20-30 mins so the dough can firm up.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees with a rack on the bottom third of the oven.
6. Bake for about 45 mins, until crust is golden and filling is bubbling.  Transfer to a wire rack to cool before eating.  

Tofu Pot Pie

I post something like this every Thanksgiving.  There is something about the crisp weather and fall colour that makes me want to put vegetables in a crust.  I mean, look at this scenery!

Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner so I wanted to post this recipe right away.  I love individual pot pies (as previous posts will attest) and I think this recipe delivers more of a vegan comfort food punch than any of my previous posts. It does make 9 pies, which is great if you are having a bunch of people over for dinner.  You can also freeze unbaked pies and bake them up later as needed as per these directions.

INGREDIENTS
Makes nine 4.5 inch deep dish pies
- 1/4 cup margarine
- 1 large onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 stalk celery, chopped
- 1 cup chopped white mushrooms
- 1 pkg tofu, small dice
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tsp poultry spice
- 1/2 tsp sage
- 1/2 tsp rosemary, crushed
- 1 cup plain soy milk
- 1 cup hot water (from cooking veggies above)
- 1 cooking apple, shredded
- 1 cup peas
- salt and pepper to taste

- 2 cups small diced potatoes
- 1 cup small diced carrots
- 1 cup small diced butternut squash
- 1 cup chopped yellow beans

- 1.5 recipe pie dough, minus the sugar
- nine 4.5 inch deep dish aluminum pie plates

METHOD
1. Get a large pot of salted water boiling.
2. Melt margarine in a large frying pan over medium heat.  Saute onion, garlic and celery for 10 mins, until a nice golden brown.  Add mushrooms and fry for another 3 mins.  Add tofu and fry for 2 mins.  Sprinkle flour over and mix/fry for another 2 mins.
3. Add spices, then slowly add soy milk and stir well.  Mixture will thicken.
4. Meanwhile, add potatoes, carrots, squash, and beans to the boiling water.  Boil for about 5 mins, or until potatoes and carrots are slightly tender.  Remove from water (but save the water) and add to tofu mixture.  Slowly mix in 1 cup of the water you used to boil the veggies.  Add shredded apple and peas. Season to taste with salt and pepper and remove from heat.  Let mixture fully cool in the fridge.
5. While mixture is cooling, make your pie dough.  Roll out slightly more than half of the dough (for the bottom crusts) and cut to fit the pie plates your are using.  Make sure to cut a big enough circle to leave you some overhang.  Fill each crust with cooled filling.  Roll out remaining dough for the top crusts and seal as you would any pie.  Poke some vent holes in the top.
6. Place pies in the fridge to cool down and firm up.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees, with your rack in the bottom 1/3 of the oven.
7. Bake for 45-60 mins, or until filling is bubbling and crust is golden.

Pumpkin Ice Cream with Candied Pepitas

Just in time for Canadian Thanksgiving comes this delicious ice cream that is filled with fresh pumpkin, and is lightly sweet and subtly spiced.  The creaminess and smoothness of the ice cream is complemented nicely by the sugary crunch of the candied pepitas.  The recipe for the pepitas comes courtesy of Isa--it is her sugared walnuts recipe from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  Thanks, Isa! The kids were not crazy about the seeds, so you can make it without them if you like.

INGREDIENTS
Pumpkin Ice Cream
- 2 cups diced pumpkin
- 1 cup soy milk
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 cloves
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/3 cup soy milk
- 2 tbsp corn starch
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract

Candied Pepitas
- 1 cup raw pepitas
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4.5 tbsp maple syrup
- pinch of salt

METHOD
Ice Cream
1.  Place pumpkin, soy milk, cinnamon sticks, and cloves in a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Cover and bring to bubbling.  Reduce heat to low and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Remove cinnamon stick and cloves and discard.  Add coconut milk, sugars, and nutmeg.  Blend smooth with an immersion blender, or in a blender.  Return to medium heat, stirring constantly.
3.  Whisk corn starch into the 1/3 cup of soy milk.  When pumpkin mixture is steaming, slowly add cornstarch mixture.  Keep stirring until mixture just begins to bubble.
4. Remove from heat and mix in vanilla.
5. Let completely cool in the fridge, then make as per the directions suited to your ice cream maker.  Fold in the candied pepitas at the last moment, then fully chill in the freezer before serving.

Candied Pepitas
1. Preheat oven to 275.  Lightly grease a piece of parchment paper.
2. Toast pepitas on a baking sheet for 8 mins, stirring the pepitas after 4 mins.  Remove from oven and set aside to cool.
2. Put sugar, maple sugar, and salt in a saucepan.  Bring to bubbling over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon.  Continue stirring for another 3 to 4 minutes, until thick and a deep amber brown.  Remove from heat and stir in pepitas.
3. Spread pepitas on the prepared parchment.  When cool, separate as best you can into individual seeds.  Place in the freezer until ready to go into the ice cream. 

Happy Thanksgiving!

I really wanted to get a few more Thanksgiving recipes posted for those celebrating the holiday tomorrow, but the impending end of term has kept me very busy with non-food related business.  I'm sure you already have your meals planned, but just in case you need to fill in a few dishes, here are some suggestions:

Main Dishes:
Roast Tofu and Veggies
Apple Cider Tofu (with Roasted Pears!)
Harvest Pies
Seitan Roast with Wild Rice and Chestnut Stuffing
Winter Vegetable Mini Pies
Maple Apple Cider Tofu

Baking and Dessert:
Pumpkin Pull-Apart Rolls
Rustic Pumpkin Bread
Apple Tart
Apple Pumpkin Spice Donuts
Pumpkin Spice Sweet Rolls
Pumpkin Custard
Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding Cake

Roast Tofu and Veggies

Good gravy, do I love the taste and texture of roasted potatoes!  They bring me back to Sunday dinners of yore and good times spent with family.  This dish could be your meat-free answer to traditional Thanksgiving fare, or it could be enjoyed throughout the winter months with plenty of gravy.  What follows is not a recipe per se, but more a list of possible ingredients and a method.  I am partial to mushrooms and tofu together, but you may decide against it or even swap out the tofu for beans.

INGREDIENTS
Choose some or all of the root veggies below:
- potato (large chunks)
- carrot (thick slices/chunks)
- turnip (cubed)
- parsnip (thin slice)
- rutabaga (cubed)

- celery (thinly sliced)
- leek (halved and thickly sliced)
- fresh or dried thyme, sage, marjoram, savoury
- salt and pepper
- olive oil

- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 8-10 slices firm or extra firm tofu
- salt and pepper
- sliced onions
- sliced mushrooms

- vegetable stock, or water

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Cut up as many veggies as you see fit to use, or will fit in your roasting pan.  You can use a traditional pan, if you have it, but I use a 9x13 enamel-coated cast iron baking pan covered with a cookie sheet.  Mix veggies together with celery, leek, and herbs.  Toss with enough oil to coat well and season with salt and pepper.  Place into the roasting pan but hollow out a place in the centre for the tofu.
 2. Heat oil and margarine over med-hi heat in a large frying pan.  Season both sides with salt and pepper and fry 2-3 mins per side, until golden brown.  Remove from pan and place into the hollowed out spot in the veggie pan.  The idea here is to have the tofu roast away admist the veggies, not on top of them.  I did two rows of 5 slices each, with the top of each tofu slice overlapping the bottom of the previous slice so they could all fit. The mushroom and onion flavour will seep into the tofu as it roasts.
3. Add onions slices to the pan and cook for about 2 mins, or until just beginning to release their water, then add mushroom slices and cook for another 2 mins, or until their water is beginning to release.  Top the tofu with mushroom and onion slices.

4. Add vegetable stock or water to the pan, about 1/4" deep.  Cover pan tightly and roast for 60-90 mins (it will depend on how big your veggies are).  Check the veggies about halfway through and add more stock if they are drying out.  Baste veggies with stock from the bottom of the pan.  I like to remove the lid for the last 15 mins of roasting to brown up the veggies a bit.
5. Serve tofu slices topped with onion and mushroom, and with your favourite gravy if that is your thing.

Apple Cider Tofu with Butternut Squash and Roasted Pears

Another recipe for all y'all having Thanksgiving in November, or for the rest of us who want a tasty fall meal.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 8 portions
- 8 slices butternut squash (from the top end), about 1/8-1/4" thick, trimmed to the same size as the tofu
- 24 pear slices (i.e. peel pear, cut in half lengthwise, core, then slice vertically)
- olive oil
- salt
- sugar

- 1 pkg firm or extra firm tofu, vertically cut into 8 slices
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp oil
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 1/2 cup apple cider

- 2 tbsp oil
- 1 large sweet onion, halved and thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 cups diced cooking apple
- 1/4 cup apple cider
- 1 cup fresh cranberries
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh sage
- 2 tsp fresh thyme
- salt and pepper

Cider Reduction
- 2 cups apple cider
- 1 tbsp margarine
Bring cider to boiling in a small saucepan, and let reduce over med-hi heat for about 40 mins, until reduced to about 1/3 cup.  Whisk in margarine, and serve warm.

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Toss squash slices, and then the pear slices, in a drizzle of olive oil (just enough to lightly coat).  Place squash and pear slices on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  Sprinkle the squash lightly with salt and bake for 20 mins. Turn over all slices, then lightly salt the squash and sprinkle some sugar (about 1 tsp) on the pears.  Bake for another 20 mins, or until cooked and golden.
2. While the squash is baking, season both sides of the tofu slices with salt and pepper.  Heat the oil and margarine over med-hi heat, then fry tofu for 3-4 mins per side, or until golden brown.  Add 1/4 cup of cider, reduce heat to medium, and cover.  When cider is absorbed, flip tofu over and add remaining 1/4 cup of cider.  Cover, reduce heat to med-lo, and cook until cider is gone.  Keep warm until needed.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat and sauté onions and garlic for 7-10 mins, until lightly golden.  Add apple and fry for 2 mins.  Add cider, cranberries, and herbs.  Cook until apples are soft and liquid is reduced (5-7 mins).  Season to taste.
4. Assemble: tofu slice, then squash slice topped with apple-cranberry mixture and 3 pear slices.   Drizzle cider reduction over top before eating.

French Apple Tart

Apple pie is the quintessential American dish, but maybe you want something a little different this Thanksgiving.  This is a French apple tart, a fairly simple and delicious dessert that showcases the wonderful flavour of apples.  Unclouded by spices and excessive sugar, this tart lets seasonal apples shine through.  The recipe is veganized from Williams-Sonoma's Essentials of Baking, but it is a pretty classic and standard dish: a baked apple sauce on the bottom and glazed sliced apples on top.  It is essential that you use baking apples (I used Royal Gala) so that they maintain some texture and don't reduce to total mush.  Then, you can use this basic recipe and go crazy: apple-cranberry-pecan tart, for example.  Feel free to add some cinnamon or nutmeg, or some brandy to the roasted apples.

Tart Pastry
INGREDIENTS
- 1 1/4 cups (200g/6.5 oz) all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup (60g/2 oz) icing sugar
- 1/2 cup (125g/4 oz) cold margarine (Earth Balance)
- 2 tbsp ground flax seed
- 2 tbsp cold water
- 2-3 tbsp cold coconut milk (or soy creamer/milk)

METHOD
1. Whisk together flour and sugar.  Cut in margarine until mixture has large crumbs the size of peas.
2. Sprinkle flax over the water and 2 tbsp of the coconut milk, then whisk until goopy.  Add to flour mixture and mix with a fork until it comes together into a soft dough, dribbling in more milk if needed.
3.  Press dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least one hour and as much as overnight.
4. When pastry is cooled, roll out into a 12-13 inch circle on a floured surface.  Carefully place dough into a 9.5 inch tart pan, letting the excess hand over the sides.

Trim overhanging dough to 1/2 inch.  Fold overhang into the pan and press dough into the pan to make a smooth and uniform shell.


5. Place shell in the freezer and preheat oven to 400 degrees.
6. When oven is a heat, line shell with aluminium foil and fill with dried beans.

Bake for 15-20 mins, or until crust has dried out.  After 15 mins, pull back some of the foil and check if it is wet/oily.  If it is, replace the foil and check again in two mins.
7.  Once dry, remove foil/beans, reduce heat to 350 degrees, and bake for another 3-5 mins, until very lightly golden (you only want to partially bake the crust).  Let cool on a wire rack.


Apple Tart
INGREDIENTS
- 2 lbs cooking apples (about 5), peeled, cored, and cut into uniform chunks (about 1 inch)
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tbsp margarine, melted

- 2 cooking apples, peeled cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp margarine, melted
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/3 cup apricot jam

METHOD
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Mix together apple pieces, sugar, lemon juice and melted margarine in a large bowl and spread in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Bake for 20-25 mins, or until soft and mash-able.  Mash until chunky and set aside to cool.
2. When cooled, spread into the cooled tart crust.

3. Layer sliced apples over the apple sauce like you see in the pic below.

Remember that the apples will shrink when cooked, so don't space them too far apart.  Brush lightly with melted margarine, then sprinkle sugar over top.  Bake for 45-50 mins, unit apples are soft.  Let cool on a wire rack for 30 mins.
4. Heat apricot jam in a small saucepan over medium heat until bubbling.  Strain through a fine mesh sieve, then brush gently over the apples.  Serve at room temp.

Pumpkin Pull-Apart Rolls

These make a great addition to any Thanksgiving table.  Not only do they look good but they taste awesome.  The pumpkin brings a wonderful moistness to the dough and a beautiful golden colour.

INGREDIENTS
Makes about 28 rolls
- 1 1/2 cups warm soy milk
- 1 tbsp instant yeast
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine, but fresh is better)
- 3 cups all purpose flour (or whole wheat pastry)
- 3 cups bread flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 5 tbsp sugar
- 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp oil
- additional oil for brushing

METHOD
1. Sprinkle yeast over the soy milk and whisk to dissolve.  Add puree, flours, salt, sugar, and oil and bring into a soft dough, adjusting flour or liquid as needed.  Knead for 5 mins, until smooth.
2. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in size.
3. Line two 9 inch round pans with parchment paper.  Slice off 2 oz pieces of dough and work into a ball.  Place in the prepared pan just touching one another.  When pans are filled, brush buns with some oil, cover, and let rise for 30-40 mins, until almost doubled.
4. Preheat oven to 400 then bake for 15-18 mins, or until golden brown.  Remove from pan to cool on a wire rack.  Serve warm, letting your dinner guests pull off rolls as needed.

You can very easily freeze a pan of these when they are cooled, then thaw/warm them when you need them.

Harvest Pies

I am actually on the ball this year and posting a Thanksgiving recipe a full week before Thanksgiving!  Yes, Canadian Thanksgiving is October 10.  So for you American readers I am really on the ball.  This recipe is a slight variation on the Winter Pies I posted a while back.  If you are pressed for time you could make these pies like the winter pies (i.e. like a tasty Hot Pocket) rather than going through all the fuss of making mini pies.  Also, you can probably get 12 pies out of this recipe buy adding another two cups total of veggies, but I have given you some wiggle room with the pastry dough.  The two things that make these superior to the Winter Pies are the roasted cranberries (awesome!) and the roasted squash (equally awesome!).  The crust, as always, remains my favourite.  It is easy to work with and durable, yet still flaky and tender.  Don't worry if the top crust does not totally bond with the bottom--we enjoyed taking off the tops, pouring in some gravy, and putting the tops back on.

Makes 10

Pie Crust
INGREDIENTS
- 1 lb (3.5 cups) all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 10.5 oz (1 1/4 cup + 1tbsp cup) cold Earth Balance margarine, or vegetable shortening
- 5 oz (scant 2/3 cup) ice cold water
- 2 tsp ground flax seed

METHOD
1. Whisk dry ingredients together, then cut margarine into the dry ingredients until it resembles coarse bread crumbs.
2. Whisk flax seed into the water, then add to dry ingredients. Work into a soft dough with a fork and then your hands.
3. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 1/2 hour.

Filling

INGREDIENTS

- 4 cups butternut squash, small dice

- 1 cup fresh cranberries

- 1/4 cup minced shallot

- 1 tsp olive oil

- salt and pepper

- 4 cups total diced veggies (I used potato, carrot, and onion)
- 2 cups cooked white kidney beans
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 tbsp margarine

- 1 tsp sage

- 1/4 cup white wine

- 2 tsp poultry spice (or a mix of thyme, sage, marjoram, and savoury)

- salt and pepper

- you also need some gravy

METHOD

Preheat oven to 400 degrees

1. Toss butternut squash, cranberries, and shallots in the olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper and roast in the oven on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for 30-40 mins, or until golden brown. 

2. While squash is roasting, heat olive oil and margarine in a large saucepan over medium-hi heat.  Add veggies, beans, and garlic and the 1 tsp sage and turn to coat all the veggies with the oil.  Season with salt and pepper, then reduce heat to medium and cover.  Cook for 15-20 mins, stirring regularly, until veggies are cooked and golden.  Remove lid, add wine, and cook until reduced.   

3.  Add braised veggies to the pan of roasted squash.  Sprinkle poultry spice over top and gently toss together.  Adjust seasonings to taste.  Set aside to cool.

Reduce oven to 375 degrees

4. Remove pastry from the fridge and cut off 2/3rds.  Return 1/3 to the fridge.  Roll out dough on a well-floured surface to between 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness.  Cut the dough into circles, big enough to fit your muffin tin with some hang over.  For example, my muffin tins have sections with a 3.25 inch diameter, and I found that a circle of pastry dough with a 5 inch diameter fit perfectly.  Make sure there is a lip of dough so you can attach the top crust on.

5. Mould the pastry into the muffin tin, making sure it is an equal thickness.  Fill with cooled veggie filling, mounding it up as much as you can.  

6. Roll out the remaining pastry dough and cut to the right size to make a top crust for each pie.  Press the top crust on to the lip of dough from the bottom crust.  Cut venting holes/slits in the top and bake for 35-40 mins, until golden.  

7.  Let cool for 5 mins, then gently remove from the muffin tins.  I found it easiest to gently place a cooling rack upside on top of the pies, then invert the rack and the muffin tin at once (like getting a cake out of a pan).  Once out of the tin, serve the pies (right side up) with gravy.

Maple-Apple Cider Tofu with Stuffing and Apple Cranberry Chutney

Here is my contribution to Thanksgiving this year. It may look a bit complicated, but it really isn't that bad. Once everything is chopped and sliced and ready to go, the whole thing comes together pretty quickly. When I go back home for Thanksgiving I am usually responsible for providing the vegan entree (all the sides are made vegan), and this one seems perfect because it incorporates traditional Thanksgiving flavours but can be eaten alongside other holiday fare. The components really work well together, so try to get a bit of everything in each bite.

Apple Cranberry Chutney
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 4 Gala apples, peeled, cored, and chopped (or another cooking apple)
- 1/4 cup golden raisins (optional)
- 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
- 2 tbsp maple syrup
- 2-4 tbsp apple cider
- 10 fresh sage leaves, chopped

METHOD
1. Heat margarine over med-hi heat. Add apples and cook for 5 mins, stirring regularly. Add raisins and cranberries and cook for 3 mins.
2. Add maple syrup and mix well, then add 2 tbsp of cider. Cook until cranberries burst and apples are soft but still have some texture. Add more cider, if needed. It should be moist but not runny. Lower the heat and let simmer while you prep the other components of the dish.
3. When ready to assemble the dish, mix in the sage leaves and remove from heat.

Stuffing
INGREDIENTS
- 2 slices sourdough bread (or so. You will need 1.5 cups of cubed bread when you are done)
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 1 leek, white and light green part, thinly sliced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp apple cider
- 1 tsp thyme
- 4 cups packed baby spinach
- salt and pepper

METHOD
Turn oven on to 300 degrees
1. Heat a frying pan over med to med-hi heat. Lightly butter (margarine?) the sourdough bread on both sides and fry both sides for 2-3 mins, until golden. Remove from pan and cut into 1/4" cubes. Measure out 1.5 cups and put into a bowl.
2. Put the pan back on the stove over medium heat. Add the 2 tbsp of margarine, and when melted add leeks and garlic. Fry for about 5 mins, until leeks are translucent but not too brown. Reduce heat if needed.
3. Add cider and thyme and mix well. Add spinach and cook until wilted but still a vibrant green. Season with salt and pepper then add to the bread cubes. Mix well. Put in an oven proof container and keep warm in the oven.

Maple-Apple Cider Tofu
INGREDIENTS
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 1 pkg firm or extra firm tofu
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 2 tbsp apple cider
- salt and pepper

METHOD
1. Cut the tofu in half vertically, then cut each half into 5 thin slices. Use a 2.5" biscuit cutter to cut out 10 rounds. (The size of your rounds may vary, but since my tofu block is roughly 5 x 2.5 this worked out perfectly).
2. While you are cutting the tofu, heat a frying pan on the stove over med-hi heat. Add margarine and swirl pan to melt, then add tofu circles. Fry for 3-5 mins, only on one side, until a nice golden brown.
3. Add maple syrup to the pan and swirl/shake to distribute. Flip tofu over and swirl/shake again. Season lightly with salt, and a some freshly ground pepper. Add cider to the pan and swirl/shake to distribute. Flip tofu over (i.e. fried side is now back down, and season with salt and pepper. Let reduce for a minute or so, then remove from heat.

TO ASSEMBLE:
This dish relies on a biscuit cutter (or metal ring) that is 2.5" in diameter, and 1.5" tall. Place one tofu circle on a plate, fried side down. Place ring over the tofu, then pack in stuffing, compressing the stuffing down with a spoon. Carefully remove ring, then top with another tofu circle, fried side up. Top that with a generous spoonful of chutney.

The chutney recipe makes plenty, so serve more on the side.

Thanksgiving Roundup

This post won't help my Canadian readers, but perhaps it will be of some use to all you Americans (and anyone else celebrating Thanksgiving some time soon). First, let me apologize for the lack of a picture (of food--this is from our fall hiking trip). I was all ready to snap a pic of the feast when I realized my battery was dead. Sigh. For the entree I made the Thanksgiving Mini Pot Pies than I blogged about a few days ago. I made a triple batch of the roasted mushroom gravy to pour over absolutely everything. Both the pot pies and the gravy went over very well with vegans and omnis alike. I was afraid that the pies would be a little redundant, but that really wasn't the case. The other problem was how to serve the pies since they were baked in a ramekin. I placed them off centre on the plate, then piled all the other dishes around the ramekin--it worked perfectly. The other dishes were pretty standard: mashed potatoes, baked yams, acorn squash, peas, carrots, and corn. I also made stuffing, though it I didn't stuff it anywhere. First, I made Peter Reinhart's Italian Bread recipe, subbing the water in the dough (not the starter) with pureed pumpkin. The result is a wonderfully soft and golden loaf. I cubed the bread and tossed it with onions and celery that had been sauteed in olive oil. I seasoned it all with sage, thyme, and salt and pepper, and added raisins and dried cranberries and baked at 350 in a greased pan for about 1 hr and 15 mins.

Thanksgiving Mini Pot Pies with Roasted Mushroom Gravy

Canadian Thanksgiving is just around the corner so I took our holiday meal for a test run. I am not in the mood for seitan this year--for some reason it just does not appeal. Obviously, this recipe isn't breaking the mold but it really is tasty. After all, Thanksgiving dinner is really like a big plate of pot pie anyway. I suppose that means this entree might be a bit redundant, except that the roasted mushroom gravy takes it to another level. In fact, you might want to make extra gravy to pour over all those other fall veggies you will be serving.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 8 individual pot pies
Roasted Mushroom Gravy
- 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 shallots, unpeeled
- 4 cloves garlic, unpeeled
- 2 tbsp oil
- salt and pepper
- 2 tbsp margarine
- 2 tbsp flour
- 1 cup plain soy milk
- 1 cup water
- splash of mushroom soy sauce (optional)
- sage and thyme to taste
- salt and pepper to taste

- 1/2 recipe puff pastry (sub margarine for butter)
- 6 small potatoes, thinly sliced
- 3 large carrots, thinly sliced
- 19 oz can white kidney beans
- 1 cup (or more) fresh cranberries

METHOD
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
1. Toss sliced mushrooms, shallots, and garlic in olive oil. Spread out on a baking sheet and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 mins, turning a few times to keep from burning. Remove from oven, let cool, the peel and chop shallots and garlic.
2. Heat margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Add flour and stir. Let flour darken slightly, then add chopped shallots and garlic. Slowly add soy milk, water, and mushrooms and bring to bubbling. Add soy sauce, if using. Season to taste with spices and salt and pepper (I like a really sagey gravy). Remove from heat and set aside.
3. Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Blanch potatoes for 1 min, then remove with a slotted spoon and drain. Repeat with carrots.
4. Lightly grease 8 ramekins (1 cup capacity). Spoon a layer of gravy on the bottom. Top with a layer of sliced potatoes, then carrots. Top that with another layer of gravy, then top with beans and cranberries. Top with more gravy, then a final layer of potatoes. Note: don't go too crazy on the gravy or your pies will bubble over and make a huge mess. It's OK to have some gravy left over.
5. Roll out puff pastry to about 1/2" thick and cut into circles to fit the top of the ramekin (use the leftovers to make turnovers). Top each pot pie with the pastry, then bake for 20-25 mins, or until pastry is golden and gravy is bubbling.

Pumpkin Custard

The experimentation with year's batch of pumpkins has begun! Since Canadian Thanksgiving is next Monday, I am in the kitchen trying to plan out this year's meal. I wanted to make a baked custard with a caramel bottom, but the trick is trying to mimic the texture of an egg custard. I tried this recipe a few different ways, and this version is the best. It's not really like a "real" custard, but it is still really good. I'm also not sure if I am complicating the method a bit, but I have run out of time to refine the recipe further. In any event, the end result is still really good and is a great alternative for those who aren't crazy about pumpkin pie.

NOTE: I have revised this recipe here.

INGREDIENTS
Makes 4 custard cups
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger

- 2 cups plain soy milk
- 1 tbsp agar agar flakes
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut cream
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 tbsp arrowroot

METHOD
1. Grease 4 ramekins (with 1 cup capacity).
2. Place sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Without stirring, heat sugar until it caramelizes (turns brown and liquefies). Shake pan to melt all the sugar. Add spices, quickly stir in, then quickly pour 1/4 of mixture into each ramekin to coat the bottom. Set ramekins aside.
3. Whisk agar flakes into soy milk and sugar and heat in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to bubbling, stirring constantly, until agar is fully dissolved. Place in the fridge to cool and set (about 1 hr).
4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Get a kettle of water boiling.
5. When soy milk mixture has set, place in a food processor with coconut cream, pumpkin, vanilla, and arrowroot. Process until very smooth. Pour into the four ramekins.
6. Place ramekins in a 9 x 13 pan, and fill pan with boiling water, no more than 1/3 the way up the ramekins. Bake in the oven for 45-50 mins, until top has browned and center has set.
7. Cool in the fridge until custard has fully set.

To serve, place ramekin back in hot water, or microwave for 10-15 seconds to reheat caramel. Either eat the custard in the ramekin, or run a sharp knife around the edge and invert into a shallow bowl. If some caramel is left behind, heat ramekin again and pour caramel over the custard.

Pumpkin Pasta with Easy Sage Alfredo Sauce

Tonight I made the pumpkin pasta I made last night. It cooked beautifully. As I mentioned in yesterday's post, the pasta only needs to be cooked for 1 min once the water returns to a boil. I wouldn't say the pasta had an overly pumpkiny flavour, but it did have a nice light orange colour. My plan was to make a creamy sage sauce for a nice autumn twist on a pasta dish, but wanted to make sure it did not taste like spaghetti with Thanksgiving gravy. I was worried the kids would not like it but they gobbled it right up. Son #1 even rejected his usual bowl of cereal at bedtime and asked for more pasta. I don't think that has ever happened before.

INGREDIENTS

- 1 lb pumpkin pasta (I made fettuccine)

- 3 cloves garlic, skins on

- 3 tbsp margarine

- 2 generous tbsp flour

- 1 tsp sage

- 1/4 tsp thyme

- pinch of nutmeg

- 1 tsp salt

- 2 cups soy milk

- 1 cup firm silken tofu

INGREDIENTS

1. Cook pasta in rapidly boiling salted water for about 60 seconds, until soft but still firm.

2. While water is heating, make sauce. Dry roast garlic in a pan until soft. Remove from heat, remove skins, and chop.

3. Heat margarine in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and bring to bubbling. Add garlic and spices and mix, then whisk in soy milk. Bring to bubbling, whisking regularly.

4. Add tofu and blend with a hand blender. Adjust seasonings to taste. Mix with cooked pasta and serve.

Happy Holiday!

Happy Thanksgiving weekend to all my Canadian readers! I am fortunate enough to be surrounded by family and so I will keep this post very brief. Enjoy your time with family and friends, and don't forget about my seitan roast if you are looking for good vegan eats. See you all on Tuesday! In the meantime, enjoy these pics from a recent walk through the woods.

Seitan Roast with Wild Rice and Chestnut Stuffing

As I mentioned yesterday, Canadian Thanksgiving will soon be upon us. And by us I mean mainly me since most of my readers are American. I thought I had better take some dishes for a trial run before I make them for members of my family next weekend, like this roast. I will warn you now that the stuffing is a tad finicky. I think when I make it next week I will add in a slice of bread or so to make it all stick together. I also discovered that I made the chestnuts pieces way too big--small is the way to go with stuffing.

INGREDIENTS

Stuffing

- 12 roasted chestnuts, chopped

- 1/2 cup wild rice, cooked

- 2 tbsp olive oil

- 1 tbsp margarine

- 1 large shallot, chopped

- 2 cloves garlic, minced

- 1 rib celery, finely chopped

- 1/4 cup water

- 1 tsp sage

- 1 tsp thyme

- 1 tsp salt

- freshly ground pepper

- 1 cup fresh cranberries

- 1 tbsp flour

- you may want to add a some bread cubes to help hold it all together

METHOD

1. Roast chestnuts and cook rice according to the directions (usually 1/2 cup of wild rice is cooked in 2 cups of water for 50-60 mins. Drain off any excess water).

2. Melt margarine in oil on a saucepan over medium heat. Saute shallot, garlic, and celery for 5-7 mins, until soft and translucent. Add water, spices, and cranberries and cook for 3-4 mins, until cranberries begin to soften. Add rice and chestnuts and cook for 2 mins. Then add flour and mix well. Remove from heat and transfer to fridge to cool. (If you are using bread cubes, omit the flour and toss mixture with the bread)

3. While stuffing is cooling, make seitan. Your stuffing needs to be cool or it will make your seitan break apart during rolling.

Seitan
Get your water on its way to boiling in your steamer
- 1 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp poultry spice
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup soy milk
- 2 tbsp oil
- 1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar

METHOD
1. Whisk together dry ingredients in a bowl. Whisk together wet ingredients in a separate bowl and add to dry. Mix with a wooden spoon into a wet dough. If it seems too wet, add a bit more gluten flour. It should be soft and pliable, but still hold together.
2. Transfer dough to counter top or board. With your hands, flatten into a rectangle, about 1/2" thick. The width will depend on how wide your steamer is. Make sure it will fit.
3. Put stuffing in a line the center of the dough. Compress the stuffing in your hands so the center of the roast will be firm. Gently but firmly roll the seitan with the stuffing in the middle (i.e. make sure there is a cavity in the middle with the stuffing in it--don't roll it like a jelly roll). Seal the ends and seam as best you can.
4. Transfer the roll to a piece of extra wide, extra strength aluminum foil (it is important to have this), and tightly roll up like a Tootsie Roll.
5. Steam for 30 mins, turning over after 15 mins. While steaming, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Then, place roast in a loaf pan and bake for 25 mins.

6. Let roast stand for 15 mins before unwrapping and slicing with a very sharp knife. Serve with your favourite gravy.

The roast, unwrapped, after coming out of the oven.

Autumnal Mash

Thanksgiving is fast approaching for us Canadians (next Monday), so tonight I experimented with a few dishes to prepare for our holiday meal with family. This dish is easy to make and tastes great (and is a great way to get kids to eat squash), and is also easy to blog. I am spending tonight working on my cookbook, so I will leave the more complicated dish for tomorrow's post.

INGREDIENTS

- equal parts of:

- peeled and cubed potatoes

- cauliflower florets

- peeled and de-seeded squash, chopped

- water

- margarine

- salt and pepper

METHOD

1. Place all veggies in a large pot (quantity will vary depending on how many people you are planning to serve). Cover with water, cover pot with a lid, then bring to a boil. Simmer for 30 mins, or until veggies are good and soft. Drain well.

2. Add a large spoonful of margarine to the pot, then mash well with a potato masher. Season with salt and pepper and serve.