Chocolate Peanut Butter "Cheese Cake"

Super super super yummy! Actually tasted like cheesecake (which completely impressed me since I LOVED me some good cheesecake back in the day). I have made this multiple times and I love it. Rich, creamy, DELICIOUS.

Ingredients:

1 12.3 oz Extra Firm Light Silken Tofu

1 8oz package of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese

3/4 Cup sugar

1/2 Cup vegan Milk (I prefer Rice)

1/4 or 1/3lb of dark chocolate

5 Tablespoons peanut butter

2 Tablespoons lemon juice

1 Teaspoon canilla

3 Tablespoons cornstarch

1 prepared graham cracker crust

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2.Drain tofu and put it and the cream cheese into food processor. Blend until Smooth

3. Add sugar and milk and process until sugar is dissolved.

4. Add remaining ingredients (except peanut butter, chocolate and crust) and process until completely smooth

5. Melt chocolate in microwave safe container so its soft enough to blend. (or heat over stove)

6. Pour half of your blended cream into a separate bowl and fold in the chocolate until its fully incorporated.

7. Pour chocolate mixture into pie crust.

8. Add peanut butter to remaining cream mixture and blend until smooth (taste test and add more peanut butter if you prefer)

9. Pour peanut butter mixture into pie crust over the chocolate mixture.

10. Bake 55 minutes(dont allow it to get brown)

Filling will be slightly jiggly and wont set completely until chilled.

11. Allow to cool and then refrigerate until chilled (longer the better)

A Vegan Thanksgiving

I know, I know. Its April. And Im JUST posting about our Thanksgiving. (Ill just use the excuse that I had a baby end of February, and we'll call it good).

I just HAVE to share with you how delicious and successful our second thanksgiving was. We had some vegan friends over and it was delicious. Last year it was a lot more casual and we had yummy vegan pizza, casserole and mashed potatoes. But this year... we kinda went all out.

We had a Tofurky (YUM), Portobello Green Bean Casserole, Mashed Potatoes, Veggie Pot Pie and Mac and Cheese. For dessert, we had a Peanut Butter Chocolate "Cheesecake" and Apple crisp. YUM.

Starting at the top, going clockwise: Mashed Potatoes, Veggie Pot Pie, Mac and Cheese, Tofurky and Green bean Casserole (in the center)

Tofu Spinach Lasagna

This recipe is AMAZING. I absolutely loved it and couldn't believe how great the tofu filling tasted! Even Levi (3) loved it.

Ingredients:

1/2 to 1lb lasagna noodles (I prefer no bake ones)

2 packages (10 oz) frozen, chopped spinach (thawed and drained)

1 package (16 oz) firm tofu (not Silken)

1 tablespoon sugar (optional)

1/4 cup nondairy milk (I prefer rice)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (or 2 peeled garlic cloves)

2 tablespoons lemon (about half lemon)

2 tablespoons minced fresh basil

1 tablespoon of salt

4-6 cups of tomato or pasta sauce

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350F

2. Cook lasagna noodles (if you arent using no-boil noodles)

3. Squeeze as much water from spinach as possible and set aside

4. Place tofu, sugar, milk, garlic, lemon juice, basil and salt in a lender or food processor and blend until smooth. The tofu "ricotta" should be creamy but still have body.

5. Transfer to a large bowl and stir in spinach

6. Cover bottom of 9x13in dish with a thin larger or tomato sauce, then a layer of noodles, than the tofu filling. Continue in same order, using the remaining tomato sauce and noodles and tofu filling. End with noodles (and a little sauce on top)

7. Bake 40-45 minutes

Veggie Pot Pie

Ingredients:

3 Potatoes

2 Carrots

1 Small onion

8 oz mushrooms

2 Cups veggie broth

1 Cup frozen peas

1/4 Cup flour

1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder or some kind of seasoning

1/2 Milk (I use Rice)

Salt and Pepper

Frozen puff pastry sheets or make your own crust (I look up different kinds of crusts on Vegweb)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400F

2. Pell potatoes, carrots, onions and cut into 1/4 in cubes.

3. Chop mushrooms to desired size (some chop small, some cut in halves, some slice- its up to you)

4. Place broth, potatoes, carrots, onions and mushrooms in a saucepan and bring to boil

5. Cover and simmer on medium-low heat for 10-12 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

6. Add peas to pan.

7. In a bowl, combine flour, seasoning and milk and stir until smooth

8. Slowly pour milk mixture into pan. Stirring constantly.

9. Season with salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, or until sauce thickens

10. Pour mixture into casserole dish and top with the crust. Put 4 slits in crust.

11. Bake 30-35 minutes

Black Bean and Avocado Salad

Ingredients:

1 15oz can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 Cup red bell pepper (chopped)

1/2 Cup red onion (chopped)

1 whole jalapeno pepper seeded (chopped)- optional

1 avocado (diced)

1/4 fresh cilantro (chopped)

4 Tablespoons lime juice

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1/2 Teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 Teaspoon pepper

1/2 Teaspoon salt

6 Cups greens

Instructions:

1. Place 6 ingredients in a bowl

2. In a separate bowl, whisk lime juice, olive oil and seasonings

3.Pour the mixture over the black bean mixture.

4. Pour amount desired over a bowl of greens

Portobello Green Bean Casserole

(located in the center of the plate)

Ingredients

4 to 6 cups fresh green beans, ends trimmed and chopped in 1/2
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
3 cups cremini mushrooms, chopped
1 cup vegan chicken flavored broth (I use Celifibr brand)
1 (8 ounce) container cream cheese substitute (I use Tofutti "Better Than Cream Cheese")
2 cups vegan creamy mushroom soup (I use Imagine "Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup")
2 tablespoons vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
garlic powder, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
1 (6 ounce) container French fried onions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bring large pot of water to a boil. Cook green beans for 6 minutes. Strain and set aside. In a pan, heat olive oil. Add onions and sauté for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and cook until mushrooms are semi soft and the onions are translucent.

2. In medium saucepan, bring vegan chicken-flavored broth to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and add cream cheese substitute, creamy mushroom soup, vegan margarine, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. (You should make it just a little on the salty side because the green beans and onions end up deflecting the saltiness.)

3. Stir until all the ingredients are blended together. In large bowl, mix sauce with onions and mushroom mixture. Add in green beans and toss until evenly mixed. Layer evenly in 9” x 13” pan.

4. Cover with tinfoil and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, take tinfoil off and top with French fried onions. Place back in oven and bake until the onions are browned and the casserole is bubbly, 15 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven, allow to cool for a bit, and enjoy!!!

Found on VegWeb