Award-winning cookbook author


Deborah Madison, author of Seasonal Fruit Desserts: From Orchard, Farm, and Market, in Galisteo, New Mexico, preheats her oven to 375° F. “Cut the squash in half, the pump- kins into quarters, scrape out the seeds and brush the cut surfaces with a vegetable oil such as sunflower or safflower,” she suggests. “Place the squash or pumpkins cut-


side-down on a sheet pan. Prick sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Bake the veg- etables until tender, about 40 minutes,” says Madison. When baked, scoop out the flesh, discard the rinds or skin and purée the flesh in a food processor. About two cups of purée equals a 15-ounce can of pump- kin, sweet potato or butternut squash. Pies made with fresh purées will have a lighter color and flavor. Madison says she prefers natural


sweeteners. “Honey and maple syrup are so dynamic—they’re more like foods in their own right than just sweeteners.” Maple and date sugars give pies a deep, caramelized flavor. Always taste test during preparation,


recommends Alissa Saenz, of Phoenix- ville, Pennsylvania, who blogs at ConnoisseurusVeg.com. She loves a big dose of chai spices and little dose of sweet- ener in her Vegan Chai-Spiced Sweet Potato Pie. But pie is personal. “I recom- mend tasting your batter to decide if you’d prefer a little more or less of each,” she says.


Finishing Touches An ethereal cloud of coconut whipped cream can taste just as delicious as the dairy version, says vegan baker and cookbook author Fran Costigan, of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She refrigerates a 14-ounce can of unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk for at least 24 hours. Aſter opening it, she spoons out only the solid coconut cream into a chilled bowl, saving the remaining liquid coconut milk for another use. She whips the coconut cream with an electric mixer until fluffy, adding a natural sweeten- er and vanilla extract if desired. It all makes for a perfectly healthy plant pie.


Judith Fertig writes award-winning cook- books plus foodie fiction from Overland Park, KS (JudithFertig.com).


Our Pick of Plant Pie Recipes


No-Bake Vegan Chocolate Pie


Yields: Filling for one nine-inch vegan pecan-date pie crust


18 oz vegan or dairy-free chocolate chips 1 (14-oz) can unsweetened, full-fat coconut milk


½ cup almond or cashew butter


Place the chocolate chips in a medium mixing bowl. Spoon the almond butter on top of the chocolate chips. Set aside.


Vegan Pecan-Date Pie Crust


Te crust takes minutes to make and then press into a pie pan. Yields: One nine-inch pie crust


1½ cups pitted dates, preferably Medjool, coarsely chopped


1½ cups chopped pecans ¼ tsp sea salt 2 tsp coconut oil


Soak the dates in hot water for 10 minutes. Remove the dates from the water and pat dry.


Place the dates, pecans and salt in the bowl of a food processor and blend until the mixture sticks together.


Lightly oil the bottom and sides of a nine- inch pie or springform pan.


Press the date mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the prepared pan.


Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.


Adapted from a recipe by Nava Atlas, of Hudson Valley, NY, vegan cookbook author of Vegan Express: 160 Fast, Easy, & Tasty Plant-Based Recipes.


Natural Awakenings recommends using organic, non-GMO (genetically modified) and non-bromated ingredients whenever possible.


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Spoon the entire can of coconut milk into a saucepan. Over medium heat, stir and bring to a simmer until small bubbles form around the perimeter of the pan.


Pour the hot coconut milk over the choco- late chips and almond butter. Make sure all the chocolate is covered with the hot milk. Let it sit for three to five minutes to melt the chocolate.


Whisk by hand until the mixture becomes smooth, shiny and dark. Pour into the prepared crust.


Refrigerate the completed pie until it is firm and ready to serve.


Inspired by and adapted from recipes by Nava Atlas, at VegKitchen.com, Fran Costigan at FranCostigan.com and Ashley Adams, who blogs at TeSpruceEats.com.


photo by Stephen Blancett


photo by Stephen Blancett


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