VeganMoFo 29: Saturday = Book Review (Vegan Pie in the Sky + A Recipe and GIVEAWAY!)

  • Home
  • /
  • Uncategorized
  • /
  • VeganMoFo 29: Saturday = Book Review (Vegan Pie in the Sky + A Recipe and GIVEAWAY!)
Standard / by / October 29, 2011 / 81 Comments

Here’s what you need to know about today’s post:

  1. It’s late because, well, I had to bake a pie! (Oh, okay, I baked a cheesecake but it was in a pie cookbook!)
  2. You will get a book review.
  3. You will get a pie recipe.
  4. You can enter for a chance to win your own copy of the cookbook!

***

Baking pies isn’t my thing (but it’s my cousin-in-law Emily’s thing, check out Pie Eyed), mostly because it makes me nervous and it’s completely outside of my comfort zone.  But as soon as I opened up my review copy of Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero’s latest cookbook, Vegan Pie in the Sky, that all changed.

Perhaps it’s because the book is so cute–it’s small, colorful and playful.

Perhaps it was because I read this in the introduction and immediately felt at ease:

…we feel that anyone should be able to bake a pie whenever the situation calls for it, no matter what their level of experience

and

Learn how to make a pie and really take your time to enjoy doing it; it’s as calming as a yoga class or a day at the beach.

Perhaps, quite simply, it’s the book.  It’s incredibly thorough and entirely accessible.

I did kitchen yoga this morning.  I baked a cheesecake for the first time in my life.  I’m going to share pictures of that pie — and the recipe (thank you, publishers!)– shortly.  First, let me tell you about Vegan Pie in the Sky

Part One:  The basics:  essential pie ingredients, pie-making equipment, types of pies and how to make great homemade pie crust.  Isa and Terry share valuable information on types of “creamy things”, flours and starches, sweeteners and staples.  I found the section on pans very helpful and couldn’t believe that when I decided to make a cheesecake I needed a springform pan. Actually, what I couldn’t believe is that I had one.  (I bought one after a raw cooking class and never, ever used it.)  As a result of reading this book I finally checked the accuracy of my oven’s temperature.

Turns out that 350 really is 350 but it took much longer than 15 minutes pre-heating for it to balance out to 350.  Good to know! The tips on working with fat, rolling, chilling, pie edges and pie tops are informative and easy to understand.

Part Two:  The recipes!  This part is broken out into six sections:  pie crusts, fruit pies, creamy pies, harvest pies, chocolate pies (woot!) and “a few toppings”.  Folks, they cover everything in this book!  From buttery, puffy, shortbread tart and graham cracker crusts to cherry, basil peach, key lime, maple pecan, Boston creme cake and Manhattan mud pies. Can you stand it?  And the toppings!  Rad Whip, Sweet Coconut Cream, Macadamia Creme and Chocolate Drizzle.

Finally the addition of metric versions is terrific because as a non-metric thinking gal (I blame my U.S. public school–no, I blame me) who has discovered some terrific non-U.S. based blogs via Vegan MoFo, this has already come in handy.

Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero have packed tips, techniques and fantastic recipes into 223 pages– all with their trademark sense of humor:

Alas, just as love shouldn’t be complicated, neither should cashews, but somehow they both manage to be!

You’ll want to add this cookbook to your collection.  One lucky reader will get to add it to their collection soon … because the publisher offered to give one away!  But first, my very first home-baked cheesecake!

Blueberry Bliss Cheesecake (p. 95)
From the book Vegan Pie in the Sky by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group.  Copyright © 2011. www.dacapopresscookbooks.com

THE CRUST

  • 1 and 3/4 cups finely ground graham crackers (made from 10 ounces of whole graham crackers)
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 4 tablespoons melted nonhydrogenated margarine, melted coconut oil, or canola oil
  • 1 tablespoons plain soy milk or almond milk
  1. Preheat the oven to 350F and lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.
  2. In a mixing blow, combine the graham crumbs and sugar.  Drizzle in the oil or melted margarine.  Use a spoon to blend the mixture thoroughly to moisten the crumbs, the drizzle in the soy milk and stir again to form a crumbly dough.
  3. Pour the crumbs into the pie plate.  Press crumbs into the sides of the plate first, then work your way down to the bottom.  Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

THE PIE

Filling

  • 1/2 cup whole raw cashews, soaked in water for 2 to 8 hours or until very soft
  • 1 cup blueberries
  • 1/3 cup mashed banana (about 1 medium-size banana)
  • 1 (12 – 14 ounce) package silken tofu, drained
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 3 tablespoons coconut oil, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

Topping

  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 cups blueberries
  • 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  1. Keep the oven on 350F after preparing the graham cracker crust.
  2. Prepare the filling:  Drain the cashews and pour into a food processor or blender.  Add the blueberries, banana, tofu, sugar, coconut oil, cornstarch, salt, lemon juice, and vanilla extract.  Puree until very smooth; this could take up to 5 minutes depending on your blender.  Pour the filling into the pan.
  3. Bake the cheesecake for 55 to 60 minutes, until the top is lightly puffed and the edges of cake are pulling away from the pan.  Remove it from the oven and let cool on a rack.  In the meantime, prepare the topping.
  4. Combine all the topping ingredients in a small saucepan.  Stirring often, bring the mixture to a boil, so that the blueberries burst.  Lower heat to a simmer and cook for about 5 more minutes.  Remove the topping from the heat and pour it over the cheesecake.
  5. Let the cake cool until it’s okay to handle, about 30 minutes, and wrap it in plastic wrap.  Place it in the fridge to set for about 2 hours.
  6. Once completely set, release the springform and slice the cake with a sharp knife dipped in cold water.

I was so thrilled with how the cheesecake came out!  Perfection!

Oh.

My.

If I can make this delicious cheesecake, a Curried Macaroon Pie (p. 160) can’t be far behind! Thank you Isa and Terry for helping me along in my pie baking journey!

Now for what you’ve been waiting for! A giveaway!

This is my third and final VeganMoFo giveaway.  It’s easy. Leave one comment below and say anything you want about pie. What’s your favorite? What pie do you want to veganize? Do you love baking pies or fear it? Anything!

I will select one lucky winner (open to anyone in the U.S. and Canada) and am accepting entries until the end of VeganMoFo (Monday, October 31, 11:59 p.m. EST).  Thank you, Da Capo Lifelong, for sponsoring the giveaway!

Tags:

81 thoughts on “VeganMoFo 29: Saturday = Book Review (Vegan Pie in the Sky + A Recipe and GIVEAWAY!)”

  1. That is simply gorgeous! I need this book! My favorite pie is apple or pumpkin. I once made a macadamia nut pie (like pecan pie in texture) that was insane but so rich I only made it that one time! 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe!

  3. I think my favorite pie has to be pumpkin pie or pecan pie. I once made a pumpkin pecan pie (in my non vegan days) and I thought it was the best of both worlds. I’d love to win this book!

  4. I’m glad this book got you to do kitchen yoga – because you seem to have a natural affinity for cheesecake making. That Blueberry delights looks incredible.

    xo

  6. Oh my, that pie (I mean, cheesecake) looks divine!! I have been dying to get Vegan Pie in the Sky! I’ve not yet had a vegan pumpkin pie that knocked my socks off–somehow, I imagine Isa and Terry might have the recipe to try. Thanks for the giveaway and nice job on that gorgeous cheesecake. 🙂

  7. Wow, this looks amazing! And brought back memories of the only blueberry pie I ever had in my life – it was crazy good and I do not know why I have never had it since! This book would definitely remedy that! 🙂

  10. That cheesecake looks amazing!  I like that it doesn’t call for vegan cream cheese, since so many of them have hydrogenated oils in them.  The pie I would like to veganize is French Silk.  It was my favorite pie in my non-vegan years.

  14. I’d love to learn how to bake my very first pie and would definitely put this cookbook to use with the holidays coming up!  Gotta introduce the omni family members to some good vegan desserts 🙂

  15. What can I say about pie? I love it 🙂  Pumpkin, blueberry, banana cream?  It’s all amazing 🙂  Thanks for the giveaway!

  16. It seems virtually impossible to be vegan and not own all of Isa and Terry’s books, haha — and there’s a very good reason for that: they make ridiculously awesome food! I’ve never made pies from scratch before and although it sounds kinda daunting (time-consuming and with a higher chance of fucking things up) it also seems totally exciting and a great challenge! I gotta admit though: I’m totally curious what they’re using for a chocolate “cheesecake” if not tofu; that may just blow my mind! As for which pies I might prefer for myself, well, I suppose I’m a traditionalist because it’s apple pie (with suitable non-dairy ice cream!) for life. Noms4evs!

  18. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. How I want this. I have a No More Buying Cookbooks ban due to the budget constraints of being a single Mom with three hungry teenagers……………………. BUT… I can and will enter EACH AND EVERY CONTEST I CAN FIND!! That’s still free, right? 

  19. Congrats on conquering your first cheesecake! I’ve been eyeing this book for a few weeks now. As much as I love baking, I still need practise in the pie-making department.

  20. that pie looks amazing. i’d love to veganize a coconut cream pie. i love no-bake pies, or ones with a crumb crust, but i’m not big on rolling out dough.

  21. My daughter is a pie fanatic! I would be thrilled to learn how to make great vegan pies for her. And hopefully she’ll share her beloved pies with the rest of the family.

  22. Ohh that looks yummy! I never liked pie much growing up but then I tried a strawberry rhubarb pie a few years ago and I was instantly transformed into a pie lover! 

  23. You’ve convinced me pie baking is easier than I thought. My favorite pie is pumpkin, but knowing Isa and Terry’ work, there must be dozens of pies I’ve never even considered!

  25. Funny, I don’t usually go for pie, but that looks incredible. It may even convince my family that my new vegan lifestyle isn’t so odd after all. Knowing her other books, I bet the rest are just as tempting!

  26. My favourite pie has always  been strawberry rhubarb. I haven’t veganized it yet but am eager to!

  27. Damn, JL – this looks incredible! I spent a good two minutes staring at that close up, not even kidding. I love the how the colour from the blueberries bleeds into the filling – it looks so pretty 🙂

    Ps. I know I’m not based in the US, but I have an address where you could send this to if I do win – could you consider this as an entry? I understand if not!

  28. I need to learn how to make pies! Everything I’ve seen from this book looks great! Can’t wait to try some of these out. I love vegan pumpkin cheesecake-this looks amazing toooooo! 🙂  

  29. Growing up, my mom and aunt would always make pie , never,ever cake!  I had cake once a year for my birthday. But the pies were plentiful!  Love to make  pie ‘cuz I always think of them.(though I’m not near as good at it as they were)

  30.  my thoughts on pie: I want a piece of that pie you made, I am excited about pumpkin pie this Thanksgiving, I am wary of baking, since I am now vegan I will need to make my own pumpkin pie this year – unless you want to send me one 🙂

  31. That cheesecake is beautiful! I can’t wait to get my copy of Vegan Pie in the Sky and start trying the recipes.

    I love baking pies. I actually do most of the baking for my family for holidays. My favorite to make is sweet potato pie with a little bit of vanilla and cloves. Oddly, it used to be my least favorite to eat when I was kid.

  34. This looks great! I’d still love to make a vegan version of a peanut butter chocolate pie I had many years ago before I was quite so vegan. Fluffy creamy peanut butter with a layer of silky chocolate.

  35. Shoo-fly Pie is my utter favorite. Well…there are others…but I Shoo-fly …I could eat a whole pie of that stuff. AND…it is so easy to veganize. 

    That blueberry cheesecake looks amazing!

  36. I love pie, but I haven’t cooked pie in ages!  My favourite is Pumpkin, but I don’t get to eat it often, becuase my boyfriend is deathly allergic to cinnamon 🙁

  37. Thanks to this entry I know have hope of veganizing the cherry cheesecake pie recipe that used to come on Eagle brand condensed milk labels

  39. That looks so good!

    I love my apple pie best (plug for me).  Also, raspberry pie with vanilla “ice cream.”

  40. Ha, that looks delicious.  Unlike many, I’m still trying to lose that last 3 … oh, did I say 3, sorry, I meant 30 pounds.  But a treat is a treat and if I’m going to cheat with a treat what a treat it must be.  This cookbook would make the decision about which to bake so much harder but so much more on target.

    Marty from Marty’s Vegan Flying Review

    Thanks for the month of MOFO JL!

  41. Pingback: VeganMoFo 30: Oat, Amaranth & Carrot Porridge + Weekly round-up of vegan news and MoFo recipes (10/30/11)

  43. My favorite pie is pumpkins pie! My mom always made it with butternut squash rather than pumpkin. =]

  44. Wow.  I have to say that I do miss the decadence of cheesecake.  That looks fantastic!  I’ve been waiting and waiting for this book to come out.. I love Cookies and Cupcakes!

  46. Here’s my comment: I did an extensive but informal poll a few years ago about pie versus cake (that is, given the option of the best pie imaginable to you or the best cake imaginable to you, which would you choose).  Almost 99% of women answered cake, and an equal percentage of men answered pie (except for a few who said “a sandwich”!).  What’s up with that? I love pie and cake!

  49. Been meaning to veganize chess pie and shoo fly pie (a Pennsylvania Dutch favorite). Oh my my, your pie, cake, cheesecake, whatever it is, it looks delectable.

  52. I do love making pie but my pastry crust sometimes turns out a little tough which is frustrating.

  54. With Thanksgiving just around the corner I’m starting to crave Pecan Pie. I’ve never made a vegan version so I am looking forward to doing so in the coming weeks!

  57. What is there to say about pie’s other than they ROCK! Every year on my birthday I ask for apple pie rather than a cake. I would actually take any kind of pie over cake (except for pecan or mince meat). Fresh seasonal fruit pies are me very favorite. VEGAN pies are just as good. PEROID!!!! veganfork

  58. I’m not vegan, but I’d love to veganize pumpkin pie for my mom (who’s allergic to eggs).

  60. I’d love to learn to make home-made pie crust. I don’t know why I find the thought of doing that so intimidating.

  62. Pingback: VeganMoFo 31: The End

  65. I baked my first pie this summer (besides Tofutti-based cheesecakes) and it went pretty well. I bought a pretty rolling pin and a pie pan, so I’m ready to try some more!

  67. That pie looks delicious! I think my favorite pie is probably pumpkin but I was a huge cheesecake fan and would love to try out this recipe 🙂

  68. While I love to bake, pie is the dessert that gets the least rotation, solely because I don’t know how to make pie. If there’s anybody that can teach me how to make a succulent creme pie or a piping hot dutch apple, it’s Isa and Terry! If not, I don’t have a prayer…

  69. My favorite pies to bake, eat and share are sweet potato pies. Maybe because it was my grandmother’s favorite, and when I veganized her recipe, felt like I was channeling her a bit. Bought me a Babycakes pie maker during MoFo, and the fun part is making and eating the individual pies. Winning Isa and Terry’s latest would help me get the most out of the Pie maker!
    Thanks for the giveaway, and your posts.

  71. Oh JL. That looks delectable. If there’s one thing I miss as a vegan, it’s cheesecake. Not that I ate it that often, but you really can’t beat that creamy mouthfeel with those delicious flavors. Ohmygod I need to make this. And I love the review of the book! I’m inspired to check my oven temperature! And kitchen yoga sounds like the best kind of yoga. I picture it happening in PJ pants and slippers 🙂

    Cheesecakes scare me because they’re so tough to get right, but now I’m inspired! (Pies too…)

  72. I made a vegan blueberry pie this summer on vacation in maine and it was amazing.  okay that’s a lie — I made two.  probably one of the best things I have ever made.  i cannot wait to try this cookbook!!!

  73. I love baking pie and cheesecake is one of my favorite veganized items.  Your pictures our mouthwatering, thanks so much for sharing.
    P.S. LOVE Isa and Terry!!!!

  75. Please let me know win the Vegan Pie in the  Sky book!! I’ve never made a pie before especially one that is Vegan and I’m a new Vegan in my 50’s!!

  76. Not that I think luck will strike twice, but your pie looks amazing! I finally got power restored after that horrible snow storm – just in time to leave a comment!

  77. This is beautiful! I’ve always been intimidated by pie crust…maybe that would change with this book! 🙂 Thanks for the giveaway!!

  79. oh my pie!  yours looks amazing JL!

    i’ve been looking forward to the release of pie in the sky since seeing terry do a cheesecake cooking demo in september – would love to cross this one off my xmas list early 🙂

  81. Pingback: Pre-Thanksgiving Vegan News You Can Use (11/13/11)

Comments are closed.

Archives

Meta