Tofu Pumpkin "Cheese" Cake with Ginger Snap Cust

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 I love making things that have a surprise ingredient in them that make them super healthy. One of the ingredients that I like to use the most of this is tofu. It is very healthy and it takes on what ever flavors you put it with. So it makes for a great secret ingredient. I think tofu makes for a great alternative to cream cheese and I am always trying to make it into some sort of cheese cakes. This recipe is one that I have perfected and everyone loves. I made this three times last Thanksgiving season. I brought it to scrap-booking night and all of the ladies said they were trying to watch their waistline when they saw my pie. I told them this is practically health food and to go ahead and enjoy. After a few of them gave in and took a few bites they were amazed how great it tasted and wanted to know what made it so healthy. I told them it was made with tofu. Before I know it they all had a slice and some of them had two. The host asked for the recipe and made it for her own Thanksgiving dinner. She said it was the best pumpkin pie she has ever had. My daughter loves it when I make this pie, she loves to lick the beaters.

One important note, I have a deep dish pie pan. If you don't have a deep dish pie pan just double the crust recipe and make two pies.


Tofu Pumpkin "Cheese" cake with Ginger Snap Cust 

Pre heat oven to 350 degrees

Crust
1 1/2 -2 cups ground gluten free ginger snaps ( I used MI-DEL but you could make your own)
1 Tbs butter or shorting slightly melted

Ground ginger snaps in a food processor or in a freezer bag and beat with a rolling pin. Mix with butter and pat into a 9 inch pie dish that has been greased. Use a measuring cup to pat the crumbs into place. Bake for 7 mins. Let cool before adding filling.

Tofu Pumpkin Filling
14oz silken tofu
1 small can pureed pumpkin
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp pumpkin seasoning
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp xanthan gum

Drain tofu if it comes in water. With whisk whip tofu until almost smooth (as smooth as you can get). Add sugar and whisk some more till well combined. Add pumpkin and seasoning, except xanthan gum, and mix will. Add xanthan gum and mix for about 30 sec. Pour onto your crust and smooth the top. Bake for 60-70 mins. Center will still jiggle after it comes out, but will set as it cools. The edges should be golden and start to bubble. Let it set for at least an hour before serving.

Tofu Chocolate Mousse

 
As I was saying the other day I love tofu in desserts. It is so good for you and so easy to add any flavor you want because it really doesn't have any. A friend of mine told me that she had made tofu into a mousse, something I never thought of doing. I've used it before as a cream cheese replacement in cheesecakes, but never a mousse. This recipe that I came up with is very simple and it keeps to the traditional shape, texture and flavor of your standard dairy based mousse. You can make this mousse for a nice light summer dessert, or put it in an ice cream cone for the kids for a bit of fun or put it in a GF pie crust to make a no-bake dessert.


Tofu Chocolate Mousse
1 package of silken tofu drained
2oz of semi-sweet chocolate ( I used baking chocolate)
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 Tbs vanilla
1/4 cup water
1/3 cup brown rice syrup (sweetness depends on your chocolate so sweeten to taste)


Use whisk attachment on electric beaters to break up tofu, you could also use a food processor (I think a whisk does a better job of making the mousse fluffy, while a food processor just liquifies the tofu instead, but use what you have). Whip tofu till almost a cream like texture. 

In a glass bowl or top part of a double boiler, put in the remaining ingredients. Place the bowl over a pot of simmering water. You only want about an inch of water in the pot, the water should not touch the bowl at it's highest bubble. Stir the ingredients until completely melted.

Add the chocolate mixture to the tofu and whisk together on a high for 2-3 minutes. Mousse should be light and fluffy from the air that has been beat into the tofu. Put the mousse into individual serving bowls or in one large bowl, cover with plastic wrap. Mousse will be set after an hour in the fridge. Serves 5-6. Add whipped cream or berries to makes them extra special for your guests. 

Tofu Triangles

 

Tofu is a powerful wonder food.  It is made from soy beans, also known as edamame, which have 8.1g of protein, 5.4mg of Iron, and 350mg of calcium, according to Wikipedia.  This food is perfect substitute for those who need protein in their diet, but limit their meat intake, or for those who are dairy free and need calcium. I like to use tofu as the main source of protein in a meal or hide it in the form of a dessert to add a healthy punch. One of the great things about tofu that most - who don't understand this food or have troubles cooking with it - often misunderstand that tofu doesn't really have much flavor. Tofu will take on what ever flavorings you add to it and soak them up. That is why I can use this for desserts and know one will ever know. To learn how to make your own tofu check out my sister's site Gluten Free, It's A Lifestyle.... By the way, her mother in law, who lives in Japan, loves her tofu.

Cooking with tofu can be a challenge at first, you kind of have to think out side of the box. The first couple times I tried cooking with tofu didn't go so well, until I learned the secrets to cooking with this wonderful food. The key to cooking with tofu is to choose the right tofu. Their are three types of tofu: Extra firm, firm, and silken or soft. The firm and extra firm are perfect frying or adding to soups. Silken tofu is perfect for desserts.  The next tip is to use a non-stick coated pan, otherwise the tofu will just stick and then you have a mess and not so pretty tofu pieces. Also you need to squeeze all the extra water out. This is most important for the firm and extra firm tofu's, the silken doesn't really need squeezed and it is too soft anyway.  So here is my basic how to for frying tofu. Try this recipe the next time you are having a party. Make a bunch of triangles and reduce the sauce or marinade to make a dipping sauce. It will the hit at your next party.

Tofu Triangles

1 package of firm or extra firm tofu

Tamari soy sauce or favorite marinade

A lint free kitchen towel

Take the tofu out of it's package. Stand it on its end and cut into thirds, then lay it down and cut into triangles (you could do strips or cubes too). Lay out the kitchen towel and spread the tofu pieces on one half. Fold the other half of the towel over and push down on the tofu. Don't press down too hard, just a bit of pressure to allow the extra liquid to come out.  Let the tofu drain of the towel for a a few hours. If you so desire you can place the tofu in a bowel with your favorite GF marinade or just soy source for 30 minuets before cooking. Be creative with your marinade. You can mix together soy sauce, mirin, ginger, and brown sugar. Or soy sauce, chili powder, cumin, garlic and lemon juice for a southwestern flair. 

Tofu after it's been flipped and brushed with soy sauce.

When you are ready to cook the tofu, heat up a non-stick pan or griddle on medium high heat. Place tofu on pan or griddle. Use a spatula gently press on the tofu to squeeze out more liquid. Cook the tofu on each side for several minutes to great a nice brown color. I like to brush on my marinade or soy sauce on the tofu after I've flipped it and start cooking the other side. The second side will take less time to brown. Continue cooking till all the tofu is cooked. If you are doing a lot of tofu, preheat the oven to it's warm setting and place the tofu on a plate and keep it warm while you finish cooking the rest of the tofu.  

Stir Fry

Make a stir fry with mix Asian vegetables, you can get a bag of these at any store. Add some soy sauce, ginger and mirin to the vegetables and cook until they are thawed and warmed through. Add the tofu and spoon over sticky rice. 

Tacos

If you try the southwestern style cut the tofu into 1/2 inch strips. Saute some peppers and onions with a little lemon juice. Grill some corn tortillas. Pan fry the tofu as stated above. Add the peppers, onions, and tofu to the tortillas to make tacos, add some salsa or guac. Squeeze a bit of lemon for some added zest.

Grilled corn tortillas

Homemade White Mac n Cheese

Gluten free mac n cheese, I have to say this simple basic food that is the standard meal for kids in America has been a battle for me. It has been a battle for me because right before going gluten and dairy free I perfected homemade mac n cheese. Now I still make this recipe for moms who just had babies as a quick and easy meal that I can serve for them, but a dairy free version for myself just seemed out of the question. I would try to trick myself in thinking I could eat the boxed gluten free mac n cheese. I would by the box kind, and add my Earth Balance butter and yogurt to it and try to make it as dairy free as I could, but then I found out that yogurt doesn't agree with me and that no amount of organic powdered cheese is going to cut it with my digestive system. So I gave up on the mac. I still bought it for my daughter, and for now she has no issues with dairy. I make up a box every week and she has it for lunches as the week goes by. It's a great cheap meal for her and it lasts us a long time. Now my daughter has gotten into this thing that she has to eat white mac n cheese only. Before going gluten free for her, I would by only white mac and I did that because it doesn't stain like the yellow kind. When she went gluten free it was good to know that they make white gluten free mac since she won't touch the yellow kind still.

Tonight a stroke of genius hit my brain. I could make my own white mac n cheese and I bet I could make it in a way that I can eat it too.  So I put it together and it worked beautifully. Now, my recipe has white cheddar in it and I know some of you will think, "why did she make a big stink about dairy when she has cheddar in this?" I'll tell you why. I can digest aged cheese. Cheddar is an aged cheese and I can eat it just fine. I have the test results to prove it. So in my recipes you will see cheddar as my main cheese, but of course you can use what ever dairy free cheese you like.

Homemade White Mac n Cheese
1 bag of elbow pasta
1/2 of an 8 oz tub of tofu cream cheese 
2 cups shredded white cheddar cheese or your favorite dairy free cheese
1/4 cup hemp milk
salt 

In a large pot bring salted water to a boil and cook the pasta* (see note below for how to cook gf pasta). Pasta is done when it is still a bit firm, drain and set aside. In the same pot, now on low heat, add the tofu cream cheese and hemp milk. Stir together while the tofu cream cheese melts. Add the pasta back to the pot and add the shredded cheese. Keep stirring till well mixed and the cheese is melted. Add salt to taste. Serves 6. 


* To cook gluten free pasta is a bit different from gluten full pasta. I drizzle in some olive oil soon after I add my pasta to the boiling water and stir it all together. Normally you wouldn't do this with normal pasta, but I have found that gluten free pasta is extra starchy and will stick together in a terrible way. So by adding a little more water then I normally would to the pot and olive oil, it keeps the pasta from sticking.