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When Girl Meets Kitchen



The Best Vegan Pumpkin Pie Recipe

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vegan-pumpkin

Be Thankful for Vegan Pumpkin Pie.

That spicy and creamy custard filling. That flaky and rich buttery crust. You know what I’m talking about… pumpkin pie! The time is finally here to indulge in this classic taste of the holidays.

Wouldn’t you love to gratify those taste buds of yours while also choosing the healthiest and cleanest version of this pie? With so many diet restrictions these days, I am always looking for ways to make our favorite recipes enjoyable by all. So, when my clients began asking for a vegan, flax free pumpkin pie, I knew I had my work cut out for me. Thus this journey began, to construct a pie void of all the above ingredients, but of course, not while compromising that classic and delicious taste.

Voila! From my kitchen to yours… vegan pumpkin pie. Enjoy

I decided to make my crust from scratch, but you could easily buy a frozen one.

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Ginger Asian Pear Crisp

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It’s that time of the year when the number of farmers markets in Seattle plummets down to just a handful of hearty markets which run year round. One of my favorites, the University District Market recently pivoted its location from a parking lot to the street. I wasn’t so sure about the move when I first heard about it – but the with new addition of some of my favorite vendors from the Broadway Farmers Market, it’s now holding the title of my favorite market in Seattle.

My original thought for this month’s farmers market sourced recipe was to make a simple apple crisp. However, after walking the new market and spotting oodles of pears in the many booths convinced me to try just a little something different.

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I’ve never actually eaten an Asian Pear before, so I figured what better time to try baking with some. The Mair Farm-Taki booth had both some excellent looking pears and fresh ginger, so I came up with this special spiced crisp. This final version came with me to a little dinner party and it turned was a huge hit. Even better, the single portion I had left made a fantastic warmed up breakfast the following morning.

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White Chocolate Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats

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Tis’ the season for peppermint, right? I mean pumpkin pie and turkey… I mean peppermint. These White Chocolate Peppermint Rice Krispie Treats are literally packed to the brim with flavor. The actual Rice Krispie Treats are made with melted white chocolate, peppermint and marshmallow. Plus there are some Andes Peppermint Chips mixed in. Have you had those yet? They are a limited addition that only comes out around this time of year and they are amazing! To top it off, these are covered with more melted white chocolate, peppermint chips and drizzled with dark chocolate.

What’s not to love about Rice Krispie Treats? They are super easy to throw together and can be made in so many different varieties! This recipe uses peppermint mini marshmallows both melted and whole. I saved 1 cup of the marshmallows to mix in whole. That way, when you bite into the Rice Krispie treat you get the added texture of a whole marshmallow!

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Cowboy Stew with Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

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Finally, it’s gotten colder in Los Angeles! I never felt quite right making hearty stew while it was 75 and sunny outside, but I finally got the chance over this weekend. I remember when I was younger, my Mom would make Cowboy stew. I would come home from school and it was always pitch black by the time I got home because I would have to stay in extended care while waiting for my Mom to pick me up. If it was a particularly cold day, my Mom would make stew in the crockpot and simmer it all day until we got home. We’d sit down with a hot bowl and watch Family Matters. Oh how I love Urkel. Those were the good days!

Our traditional Cowboy Stew had chunks of potatoes in it, but I decided to mash mine up for a buttery mashed potato bowl!

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