This soulful, satisfying and savoury vegan pie was the favourite of many at last night’s Mindful Thanksgiving dinner at Juice Truck, featuring the incredible plant-based cooking of Chef Annabelle Choi. Lucky for us, she is sharing her recipes! Heading to a potluck dinner this weekend? This one is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.
Ingredients & Directions
Serves 6 as a main dish
CRUST:
Olive oil for oiling 9” pie dish 11/4cup toasted walnuts
3/4 regular rolled oats
2 tablespoons brown rice flour 1/2 tspn salt
3/4 spelt flour
3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 plain almond milk or soy milk 2 tablespoons maple syrup
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350F. Throughly oil pie dish, set aside. Grind walnuts, oats, rice flour, and salt in a food processor until coarsely ground, about 20 seconds. Transfer to a bowl and stir in spelt flour. Drizzle in coconut oil; mix with a fork or your fingertips until all incorporated. Dough should be moist but not sticky. Wash and dry hands, then evenly press crust into prepared pie dish, about 1/4” thick. Prick the bottom with a for several times, and bake for 18 minutes or until golden and fragrant. Remove from oven and set
POLENTA:
21/2 cups filtered water 1 bay leaf
1 sprig rosemary
1 sprig oregano
1 sprig thyme
1 cup corn grits
2 onions, sliced thin
DIRECTIONS: In a bit of olive oil, cook sliced onions on a medium-high heat until translucent, then drop to lower heat to caramelize. While the onions are cooking, place water, bay leaf, rosemary, oregano, thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt into a medium pot; bring to a boil. Cover pot, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove and compost herbs. Raise heat to high and slowly pour in the corn grits, whisking constantly until mixture boils. Be careful, as it may splutter as it comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low, and cook uncovered for 15 minutes, whisking every minute or so to prevent it from sticking. Stir in 1 tablespoon olive oil and the caramelized onions. Remove from heat, cover pot, and set aside while you make tofu cheese.
TOFU CHEESE:
4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 15-ounce block, plain firm tofu, drained and patted dry
2 tablespoons +2 tspn brown rice vinegar 1 tspn ground flax seeds
1/4 tspn turmeric
1/2 tspn sea salt
1 tspn minced fresh thyme
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 350F. Warm olive oil in small skillet or pot on medium heat; add garlic, cook till golden, about 2 minutes. Remove and set aside. Crumble tofu in food processor. Ad rice vinegar, flax, turmeric, salt, garlic oil mixture. Blend until smooth, scrap down as needed; add thyme and nutritional yeast and blend. Remove lid from polenta and fold tofu cheese in, stirring until evenly combined. Spread in prepared pie shell, bake for 45-50 minutes or until center is firm and set. Remove from oven and allow to sit for 30 minutes before serving. Leftovers can be covered and reheated in the oven.