Pumpkin n Chocolate Pie

Although I have not made this recipe, I must admit it's pretty tasty. It's vegan. Now before you close the window of your screen, try to be open-minded. Try! Not all vegan food is disgusting, just most of it. This happens to be a good vegan recipe. Since vegans get such a bad wrap from us non-vegans, I think they're trying to become more creative to coerce us all into conformity. Since we all know that will never happen, but I don't mind throwing them a bone every once in awhile.

This recipe is posted for my Mom's best friend from college's son, Justin Mesina. (Did you get that?)He's a die hard vegan and definitely looks like he could use a hamburger or 2, but I respect his decision to starve himself. This one's for you kiddo!

cookie crust


16 oreos or newman’s organic chocolate cream cookies

1/3 c earth balance

1/3 c flour

filling


1/2 c water

1 tsp agar agar

1 c sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 1/2 cans of pumpkin (about 22 oz)

1 c dark chocolate chunks or chips

start by breaking up the cookies into the smallest bits you can. then add in the earth balance, which will leave it gooey and soft, adding the flour will help to give it a thicker consistency that will hold it together. when completely blended put in the refrigerator to harden. the only way to work with the crust was when it’s cold. so once it hardens, start pushing it into a buttered pie pan with the bottom of a glass. if it begins to melt and stick to the glass, return it to the fridge to harden again. in the end you should have a pie pan evenly coated with a cookie crumb crust.

while you are preparing the crust, add the agar agar to the water and let sit to make sure it is fully dissolved. agar agar is a gelatin substitute derived from seaweed. it will help the pie become firm without baking. after the crust is finished, start preparing the filling by heating up the agar agar solution, sugar and spices in a large sauce pan until they begin to bubble. reduce the heat to prevent it from bubbling up too much.

add the pumpkin and let cook for about a minute.

then turn off the heat and add the chocolate. it will melt completely in since the mixture is still very hot. pour the contents of the pan into the pie crust and smooth the top. garnish if you’d like with cookie crumbs, a cookie in the center, chocolate chips, or if you’d like you can melt the chocolate separately and swirl it in with the filling. refrigerate for at least an hour before serving. it will become firm upon cooling.