Good Eats: Simple Vegan Chocolate Pie

June 18th, 2013 • BY Kate Siber

Once upon a time, traveling as a vegan was a radical thought. Beef broth hides in the most unlikely places—and try avoiding cheese in Italy or steak in Argentina. Nowadays, however, vegetarian and vegan restaurants are cropping up from Reykjavik to Madrid, and it’s easier than ever to find a decent meal as a conscientious herbivore. Perhaps this is partly because of the efforts of people like Carolyn Scott-Hamilton, a nutritionist, vegan chef, cookbook author, and web-video host.

“These days it’s easier than ever,” says Scott-Hamilton. “Stocking up on produce and snacks at the grocery store and local farmers markets is great and you can always find healthy, special diet foods in hip, young neighborhoods and near colleges. Plus, you can find a salad or juice anywhere.”

Scott-Hamilton has devoted her career to helping vegans eat well while on the go—and inventively while at home. Her website, healthyvoyager.com, is a trove of vegan recipes from across the globe, travel advice, videos, and recommendations on restaurants.

And her book, The Healthy Voyager’s Global Kitchen Cookbook, includes 150 recipes, like Colombian empanadas and Greek gyros, from 20 countries. One gripe: Many of the recipes call for esoteric stuff like vegan butter and vegan sausage, so be ready to substitute if you can’t find the goods. Nonetheless, Scott-Hamilton’s unusual dishes are bound to joggle some creative juices in the kitchen. Take this sinfully simple and inventive take on vegan chocolate pie.

No Bake Chocolate Pie

Crust

• 1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup almonds
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 8 pre-soaked pitted dates
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 3 tablespoon cocoa

Place all raw pie crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse/blend until well processed but still slightly mealy/chunky.

Spray an 8-inch pie plate with a healthy cooking oil and press mixture down evenly into the pie plate to create the crust. Refrigerate until ready to fill.

Chocolate Filing

• 2 large, ripe, pitted and peeled avocados
• 6 tablespoons cocoa powder
• 2/3 cup agave nectar
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional (but it brings out the flavor of the cocoa and adds great flavor depth!)
• Coconut milk (add small amounts incrementally as you blend to reach desired consistency. It should be more of a thick pudding other than a thin mousse)

Pie toppings

• Sliced fresh strawberries
• Vegan whipped cream

Blend everything in until very smooth, only adding coconut milk in teaspoon amounts until you reach desired consistency. Pour into prepared pie crust, using a spatula to smooth and even it out. Place in the refrigerator for at least an hour.

Slice, top with sliced strawberries and vegan whipped cream, and enjoy!