Holiday recipes: Vegan pumpkin pie? Try it, asks Port Moody ... - The Tri-City News

The Christmas season is about family, friends and fellowship. It's also about food — from grand feasts of turkey and stuffing to boundless snacks stretching our belts.

In the spirit of the holidays, the Tri-City News recently asked some of the people you read about to share their favourite must-try recipes.

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As a 30-year vegan, I have gone through the days of having little to no dessert options when it came to holiday meals.

When I was a kid I felt like I missed out on all the amazing holiday sweets.

Angel Food cake, butter tarts, cakes, gingerbread, and even pumpkin pie were all made with some form of animal product that prohibited me from being able to enjoy those ever so amazingly displayed treats that my cousins would scarf down by the dozen.

My mother, being a pioneer of plant-based food alternatives and alterations had her fair share of tricks to convert some of the most tasty treats into a vegan option.

Sugar cookies, cinnamon buns and even pies seemed effortless for her; however the one that I will remember the most is her vegan pumpkin pie.

Ingredients

• One (1) large can 796 ml pumpkin puree (I use E.D. Smith, but any will do)
• One (1) 300g pack of Sunrise soft tofu (blue package)
• 1 ¼ cup light brown sugar (start with one and add more if you want it sweeter)
• 1 tbsp. cornstarch
• 3/4 to 1 tbsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp. ground cloves
• 3/4 tsp. ground Nutmeg
• 1 tsp. salt

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (no convection, bake from bottom up).

Put all ingredients in a large blender or food processor and blend until smooth and all sugar and tofu is mixed (no chunks or bits). It should look all the same colour (you may need to use your blender tamper to mix it).

Once mixed taste it: Do you want it sweeter?

Add sugar at 1 tbsp at a time and make sure to re blend thoroughly. 

Want it spicier?

Add more spices to your liking. 

This pie is meant to be the more spicy version not the super sweet version you get from the supermarket.

Once you are happy with your flavour pour into your prepared pie shells (follow pie shell thawing or precooking instructions.)

Makes enough to fill two nine-inch shallow pie shells (if you go the tarts route it makes about 20+ tarts and is an awesome alternative.)

Bake for 35-45 minutes on the middle rack.

Keep an eye on it over the last 10 minutes as cook times vary based on shell thickness and you don't want to burn the shell.

The pies will solidify and small cracks may appear across the surface of the pie filling. This is OK.

Let cool and serve with your favourite plant based/coconut whip cream! Extend cook time if using a homemade crust.

Give it a try. I would love to hear if your vegan, dairy free, or even regular guests can tell the difference.

Callan Morrison is a first-term councillor with the City of Port Moody, elected in October this year, and the "juice man" at Squish Juicery in Port Coquitlam.

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Editor's Note: The print version of this recipe calls for 1 ½ tbsp. of ground ginger. This is incorrect. Follow ingredients above.