Hey everyone!

I can’t believe it’s already Thanksgiving. It seems like just the other day I was writing about last Thanksgivukkah. Too bad this year hanukkah is later.

I haven’t gotten a chance to post about it but I had this really great Vegan Thanksgiving Food Demo along with Rhode Island Vegan Awareness and Urban Greens Co-op in Providence, RI. I taught a large (being that only 13 people were supposed to be there based on sign ups) group of 23 people, mostly all vegan or vegetarian how to make my butternut squash and sage ravioli. It was a really fun time, and the first time I’ve ever done something like that. I’d say it went really well. I am looking forward to doing more events like that in the future.

I had pre-cooked the Gardein holiday roast and brought it to my family’s thanksgiving gathering. I had also made sage cashew cheese for an appetizer. My mom brought a vegan green bean casserole. My great aunt had made vegan mashed potatoes with oil, almond milk, and chives. I was most excited about this one recipe I created for us to eat for dessert, which I will now share here.

Sweet Potato Marshmallow Mini Pies with Cookie Crust (Speculoos or Ginger)

Ingredients:

For the crusts:

• 1 1/2 cup cookie crumbs made in a food processor (Speculoos or Swedish Ginger cookies–I used some cookies called Anna’s Ginger Swedish Thins instead of the Speculoos)
• 1/4 cup coconut palm sugar
• 6 tbsp melted Earth Balance

For the pies:

• 3 cups worth baked sweet potatoes without skin
• 1 tbsp flaxmeal
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp melted Earth Balance
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup evaporated cane juice
• 12 Large sized vegan marshmallows

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. Grease a cupcake tin with either a generous amount of cooking spray or melt some extra earth balance, put some on a paper towel, and spread around the cavities of the pan until well coated. This is very important because otherwise you will have a really hard time getting them out.
3. In a food processor, mix together the cookie crumbs, sugar, and Earth Balance.
4. Scoop out an even amount (use spoons to measure, about 1 1/2 table spoonfuls) into each cupcake cavity. Press up the sides as much as you can while still keeping the bottom crust in tact. I did not have the crust going totally up the sides and it came out fine.
5. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes. It may be a little bubbly but it will crisp up a bit as it sits while you make the rest.
6. Meanwhile, in a food processor, blend the sweet potatoes until smooth.
7. When the crusts are baked, turn the heat of the oven up to 350 degrees.
8. Whisk together the flaxmeal and water until goopy.
9. Pour the flaxmeal and water into the pureed sweet potatoes in the processor, along with the Earth Balance, maple syrup, cinnamon, vanilla, and sugar. Blend until fully combined and smooth. Taste for sweetness. You can add more sugar if desired.
10. Place 2 full tablespoons of the mixture on top of the crusts.
11. Stick a marshmallow in the center of each.
12. Bake for 25 minutes.
13. Take out of the oven and allow to cool completely. When cooled, take a butter knife and loosen the edges by circling the pie and breaking up the crust’s edges if stuck to the tin.
14. Take out with a metal spoon and place on a serving tray or whatever else. They can be refrigerated if they are not being served immediately.