A Yummy Vegan Pink Mess

Or, Dairy Free Strawberry Cream pie with Peaches, Cashew Coconut Creme, and Brazil Nut & Coconut Crust

This was a great idea in my head. But by being shy on the Agar because I didn't want it to gel too much, I didn't use quite enough so I didn't get that layered look I wanted. I'm still working with Agar trying to get the right amount for the desired texture. After the first piece was cut this beautiful pie became a big delicious pink mess.  I'll try again, practice is yummy.

The crust is a mixture of 1 cup raw Brazil nuts, soaked for 2-4 hours, 1 cup shredded or flaked coconut, 1/2 cup spelt flour, 1/2 cup sucanot, 2 tsp. cinnamon, and about 5 TB vegan margarine. Mix in the food processor until it becomes a coarse dough.  Press on the bottom and sides of a springform pan and bake at 350° for about 7- 10 minutes.

When the crust was cooled, I added a layer of my canned peaches and a layer of sliced strawberries, frozen right after they were picked in July.

The strawberry filling: I blended 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2-4 hours, about 2 cups strawberries, 2 TB Agave, and a bit of coconut milk.  I added about 3/4 cup hot water and 3/4 TB Agar flakes, until they were dissolved, to the strawberry mixture, blended a little more, and poured it on top of the layers of fruit. (I should use the whole cup next time.) I poured the filling on top of the fruit.

The topping: Cashew coconut cream with a mixture of 1/4 cup hot water and 1/4 TB of agar flakes.  This chilled for about an hour.  The topping came out with a really nice texture and gelled nicely.  The strawberry portion could have used a little more agar, but this is really a tasty mess. 

Winter Squash Polenta - Vegan

I made some polenta this weekend with a roasted sweet meat squash.  I made the polenta per the basic directions, 6 cups water, 2 cups polenta.  Simmer about 30 minutes, stirring frequently.  When most the liquid was absorbed, about 15 minutes in, I added about 2 cups roasted squash puree and a can of coconut milk and continued to cook for another 15 minutes, stirring a lot.  Then I removed it from the heat, added about 3 TB sage olive oil, a dash of sea salt, and a TB of pumpkin honey.

I served it warm in a bowl of marinated mixed vegetables.  The vegetables all came from our garden and were marinated and canned by my friend, Morgaine.  She has a real knack for combining herbs and oils in interesting ways.  The flavor is really nice.  That is one of the fun parts of sharing the garden, sometimes it comes back in different forms.

Winter Sun

We had some sunshine all around this weekend.  Clear skies most the weekend. We even got a chance to get out to the garden and do some winter clean up and just be outside.  My son is in Alaska awaiting a plane to Hawaii, it's taken about three days so far to get from Afghanistan to California.  He called from Siberia Friday morning, stopped in Germany, Alaska, Hawaii, and then will be in his own home sometime next week.  I know his family is thrilled, I am.  His wife called last night to tell me she received a text and then he called right after that. He made it back!

The Brussels Sprouts are Happy

New Garlic

The other son has also been given a clearance to be able to live at our house when he gets to come home.  We were told that wouldn't be possible and the thought that this could never be his home again hasn't been fun. That was a ray of hope.

So, it's on to the holiday season and I've decided to get a tree, decorate a little, and celebrate the love this holiday season.  I went to a few bazaars to see if I could drum up a little holiday spirit and it worked.  I wandered through the pretty things and handmade goodies and talked to artists and old ladies and shared some smiles. I picked up some nice gifts and got some great ideas for my own crafty projects. We are still a family, if only two, but we are a family.  Our granddaughter has also been placed in our daily lives to help with this empty nest. That is a big blessing. There is a lot of love in my life!


"If you are patient in a moment of anger, you will escape a hundred days of sorrow." 
Chinese Proverb

The Jewels of Remembrance - Rumi

The spirit is like an ant, and the body like a grain of wheat
which the ant carries to and fro continually.
The ant knows that the grains of which it has taken charge
will change and become assimilated.
One ant picks up a grain of barley on the road;
another ant picks up a grain of wheat and runs away.
The barley doesn't hurry to the wheat,
but the ant comes to the ant, yes it does.
The going of the barley to the wheat is merely consequential:
it's the ant that returns to its own kind.
Don't say, "Why did the wheat go to the barley?"
Fix your eye on the holder, not on that which is held.
As when a black ant moves along on a black felt cloth:
the ant is hidden from view; only the grain is visible on its way.
But Reason says: "Look well to your eye:
when does a grain ever move along without a carrier?"

The Mathnawi of Jalalu’ddin Rumi

Mathnawi VI: 2955-2962