Vegan

Pistachio Pudding Pie with Raspberry Compote

| Whittier Cooking

Vegan creamy pistachio pudding pie with raspberry compote and chocolate crust

I was watching Everybody Feed Phil (recommend if you like watching someone eat with unbridled joy), and they went to a pie shop in Chicago where they were served a pistachio pie with berries. I immediately started searching for a recipe, only to discover that making a pistachio flavored pie is no easy feat. Do you make a custard pie? An ice-cream pie? How do you get the green color bright enough and also get that authentic pistachio flavor going? I looked through dozens of recipes for inspiration before deciding that I was just going to have to experiment with it to find my answer. The idea of making a vegan pie using coconut products was really appealing since the flavor of pistachio, raspberries, chocolate, and coconut just sounded divine.

The answer to the pistachio flavoring (at least what I came up with), is a super pure, finely ground pistachio paste. You can make this yourself if you own a food processor. Taking raw pistachios, you boil them for no more than a minute, then shock them in an ice bath. Next, you must painstakingly remove the skins of each pistachio (or you can decide to skip this step – honestly I’m not sure how big of a difference it really made). Now grind all the nuts, nothing added, using a processor until a sticky, fine paste forms. This is the gold that will give the pudding a green tint and infuse the pistachio flavor.

You can make this recipe with any berry you think would pair well. But there is something about the slight sourness of raspberries that just makes this pie sing. I made a compote of frozen (yes! frozen!) raspberries, which kind of pulled all the flavors together. I intended the compote as a topping for each slice of pie, but in hindsight, I think it would have been even better to swirl the compote into the pudding before completely set.

Although it has many parts, each part is not too complicated with only a few ingredients and typically 1 bowl or pot. This pie is best allowed to set overnight – so make sure you plan ahead so you prepare your tastebuds to be left hanging until the morning. All in all this pie is a great, lighter-tasting pie that is perfect for a spring celebration with its beautiful green hue.

PISTACHIO PUDDING PIE

with raspberry compote and chocolate crust

Prep tip: For the pie filling, you will need a can of coconut cream left in the refrigerator overnight.

Pistachio Paste:
  • 8oz raw pistachios (de-shelled)

You can either buy this or make it yourself if you have a food processor. Boil the pistachios for 1 min and then immediately “shock” them by putting in an ice bath (cold water with ice).

Peel the skins off of the pistachios using your thumb and 1st finger to pinch the nut and then applying pressure so that the nut slips out of its skin. You can also choose to skip this step (may effect final color).

Grid the pistachios in a food processor until a paste forms. The final product should be a little sticky and finely ground. Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Should yield 1 – 1.5 cups.

Raspberry Compote:
  • 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup or sugar
  • 2 Tbsp water
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla

Add all of the ingredients to a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir frequently to dissolve the sugar and help the berries begin to break down. When the mixture starts to bubble, turn the heat to low and allow to cook for 10 minutes until thickened and the berries have broken-down. Pour into a jar and allow to cool completely.

Chocolate Crust:
  • 3/4 cup flour
  • 1/4 cup bakers cocoa (unsweetened)
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegan butter, cold, cubed (we recommend Miyoko’s vegan butter)
  • 2-4 Tbsp cold water

In a food processor, add the flour, cocoa, salt, and sugar. Blend until combined. Add the cold cubes of butter and process until the dough resembles coarse meal, or appears in larger crumbles. While the processor is on, add one tablespoon of water at a time until the dough pulls together.

Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and form into a flat disk. Wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill/rest for at least 30 min – 1 hour.

Unwrap the dough and place on a floured surface. Roll the dough into a 12-inch round. Carefully transfer the dough to a 9-inch pie pan and press into the mold, making sure not to overwork the dough. Crimp the edges however you desire, making sure that the dough edge is lying against the flat edge of the pie plate. Prick the surface of the dough with a fork, creating air-holes to help the crust from bubbling up during baking. Cover and place in the refrigerator for another 30 minutes to chill before baking.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. You may choose to add pie weights to blind-bake your crust. Add a piece of parchment paper over your crust and pour pie weights, or dry rice or beans into the parchment to weight the dough down. Bake the pie for 20 minutes. Remove the pie weights and parchment paper. Continue baking for approximately 15 minutes more.

Let cool completely before adding filling.

Pistachio Pudding Filling:
  • 2 cups coconut milk + 5 Tbsp coconut milk
  • 7 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 1 tsp vanilla or pistachio extract (we didn’t use pistachio extract here, but doing so may help to boost the flavor as well)
  • 3-4 Tbsp of sugar or sweetener of your choice
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 – 1.5 cups of pistachio paste (see above)
  • 1 13.5oz can of coconut cream left in the refrigerator overnight – make sure you buy a high-quality coconut cream, or a full-fat coconut milk for best results

In a bowl, whisk together the 5 Tbsp of coconut milk, cornstarch, extract, sugar, and salt. Set aside.

In a medium saucepan, heat the 2 cups of coconut milk over medium-high heat until it starts to bubble. Add the cornstarch mixture and whisk as the pudding thickens. Bring back to a bubble and then remove from the heat. Whisk in the pistachio paste until completely incorporated. Taste for flavor and adjust as needed with more paste or extract if using. Cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until completely cool.

When the filling is cooled, prepare the coconut whipped cream. Open your can of coconut cream. The solids and liquid should have separated. Remove the solids (the cream) and leave the clear liquid (could reserve for another use if desired). Add the solids to a bowl and whip using a hand-mixer to incorporate air until fluffy and light peaks form.

Fold the coconut whipped cream into the pistachio pudding. Now we are ready for assembly!

Assembly:
  • Chocolate crust, baked and cooled
  • 1/2 – 1 cup raspberries (fresh or frozen)
  • Pistachio Filling
  • Raspberry Compote, cooled

Arrange a single layer of raspberries in the bottom of your cooled chocolate crust.

Pour the pistachio pudding filling into the crust and over the raspberries. Spread the filling to fill the crust completely. Place in the refrigerator and chill for about 30 minutes. At this point, you can choose to swirl the raspberry compote into the pie or you can use as a topping when serving. To swirl. Add 3-4 dollops of the compote onto the surface of the pie. Using a long chopstick or similar tool, carefully swirl the compote by pulling it into the filling using the chopstick. Continue until the compote appears to be evenly swirled throughout, but be careful not to over-mix as to maintain the different layers.

Continue chilling the pie for at least 3 hours or overnight. Serve the pie with fresh raspberries, a sprinkle of pistachio, or the reserved compote. Will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator, but is best in the first couple days.

Enjoy!

Chickpea Ketchup Curry

| Whittier Cooking

Adapted from the River Cottage Veg cookbook by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall

I came across this recipe a couple weeks back when my sister and I were together. She had brought her copy of the River Cottage Veg cookbook and highly recommended I look through it. This was one of the first recipes I stumbled upon and immediately wrote down. Now finally having gotten around to making it, it is hands down one of my new favorite weekday meals. It is simple, quick, and feels a little bit fancy without the effort. The original recipe called for only curry powder, but in our version, we added cumin and cinnamon as well. Serve over rice, or your favorite grain and with a side of flatbread for dipping.

Ingredients:
  • 1 cup basmati rice (or rice of choice) prepared
  • 3 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion chopped
  • 1 piece ginger grated
  • Pinch of red pepper and/or chili flakes
  • 1 garlic glove crushed
  • 2 tsp of curry powder
  • 1 tsp cumin
  • 1 tsp of cinnamon
  • 1 (14oz) can chickpeas drained and rinsed
  • 5 tbsp of ketchup
  • Juice of 1/2 lemon
  • Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:

Cook the rice using a rice cooker or over the stove in a saucepan. Set the rice aside or keep on very low heat. (Note, if cooking on a stove, most rice instructions note to use 1 cup rice with 2 cups of water. For a firmer/less sticky rice consistency, we suggest using 1 cup rice and 1 1/4 cups water)

Pull out a medium-sized saucepan (we like to use our cast iron skillet) and add the oil. Bring the pan up to medium heat and then add the onion. Cook the onion until translucent and golden brown around 5-8 minutes.

Add the ginger, red pepper flakes, garlic, curry powder, cumin, and cinnamon to the saucepan. Combine with the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes more.

Next, add the prepared chickpeas, ketchup, and lemon juice to the onions. Stir until combined and then add a little bit of water to help loosen the mixture. Bring to a simmer until the mixture is loose but still thick. Feel free to add a little bit more water to reach desired curry consistency.

To plate, place rice at the base on the bowl and top with the chickpea curry. Feel free to add a garnish of your choice and accompany the dish with naan or your favorite bread.

Enjoy!

Ginger Tofu Vermicelli Noodle Bowl

| Whittier Cooking

adapted from Choosing Chia

Tofu Marinade:
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 1 tbsp grated ginger
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 tbsp sugar
  • 1 block tofu (extra-firm), cut into cubes 
  • 2 tbsp oil for frying
Dressing:
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tbsp lime juice
  • 1 tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sugar
Bowl Base:
  • 1/2 pack vermicelli noodles
  • 1 cup lettuce, shredded
  • 1/2 cup purple cabbage, shredded
  • 1/4 cup carrots, shredded
  • 1 handful cilantro, roughly chopped
  • Mint and/or basil
Instructions:
  1. Drain the tofu and cut into cubes. Mix the marinade ingredients together in a bowl. Cover the tofu with the marinade. Let sit for an hour minimum (for ultimate flavor let sit overnight).
  2. Place a medium saucepan over medium heat with the oil. Place the tofu in the pan and pour in any remaining marinade. Cook until desired crispness (ideally until a light black coating appears).
  3. Mix the dressing ingredients together set aside.
  4. Place the noodles, salad, and tofu alongside one another in the bowl. Pour the dressing over the dish and garnish with mint and/or cilantro.

Vegan Chowder with Wild Rice and Cashew Cream

| Whittier Cooking

adapted from Vegetarian Heartland cookbook by Shelly Westerhausen

Curl up with a bowl of this comforting, creamy, hearty, VEGAN chowder.

I was gifted the cookbook Vegetarian Heartland by Shelly Westerhausen a few holidays ago. People who know me know that cookbooks are ALWAYS an acceptable gift for any occasion. Shelly Westerhausen is from the midwest and describes seeking ways to re-create her favorite local staples with a vegan twist. Yes, it is possible to cook in a hearty, satisfying way and not utilize meat product! Her recipe for vegan chowder quickly became a staple in our house, and was frequently requested week after week. Since making Shelly’s original recipes, we’ve probably made the original and variations over ten times or more. It’s the perfect meal for a cold day, for a reheated quick lunch, for a shared bounty with friends and family. It’s adaptable, it’s dependable. You can make it on a Sunday night and keep eating it throughout the week.

VEGAN CHOWDER with wild rice and cashew cream

adapted from Vegetarian Heartland  

The lovely thing about this recipe is you can adapt it with different potatoes, veggies, grains, and herbs depending on what you feel (or what’s in your cupboard). We like it with sweet potatoes, yukon gold potatoes, mushrooms, parsley, kale, wild rice, or barley! There isn’t a lot of spice added to this, but the vegetables and cashews sing well on their own. Feel free to get creative and add any spices that you think would jive well.

Cashew Cream:
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/2 cup cashews

Add cashews to a bowl of water and soak overnight, or for at least 3-4 hours. If you don’t have that kind of time (I often don’t), then you can pour boiling water over the cashews and soak for 15-30 minutes.

Add soaked cashews to a high-speed blender with 1/2 cup of water and blend until smooth and creamy.

Chowder:
  • 1-2 Tbs olive oil
  • 1 white or red onion chopped
  • 2 medium carrots chopped
  • 3 celery stalks chopped
  • 4 medium yukon gold potatoes chopped into bite-size chunks (you can peel the potatoes, but why would you want to miss out on all that good fiber?)
  • 8 oz baby bella mushrooms sliced
  • 1/4 cup flour (for a gluten free, just don’t add the flour – the soup won’t be as thick, but more like a cream soup once the cashew cream is added)
  • 4 cups broth
  • 2 1/2 cups water
  • 1 cup (dry) wild rice, prepared according to the package (cook before adding to chowder)
  • 2-3 cups kale (depending on your preference)
  • 1/3 cup chopped parsley
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions:

Follow directions above for prepping the cashew cream. You can leave the cashews soaking until you’re ready to add them to the chowder, blending them into a cream right before adding.

Prep the wild rice according to the package directions. We like to cook the rice in a rice cooker for easy, hands-off cooking while we’re focusing on the chowder.

In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add your onion, carrots, celery, and potatoes, sautéing until the veggies begin to soften (10-15 minutes). Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 3-5 minutes. Salt and pepper the veggies to taste.

Add the flour and mix until the veggies are coated and the flour turns a light brown color. Add the broth and water and bring to a boil. Turn the heat down to low and simmer for approximately 30 minutes. Stir intermittently. We find that the soup likes to thicken and get a little stuck to the bottom of the pot, so you want to loosen this up every so often.

After its done simmering, mix in the wild rice, kale, and parsley. Then add the cashew cream. Cook for about 5 minutes more as the soup thickens just a bit more. Adjust the salt and pepper levels to taste.

Serve in bowls and garnish with any left-over cashew cream and chopped parsley.

Will keep up to a week in a sealed container in the refrigerator, and reheats well.

Enjoy!