No Bake Pies

 These no-bake pies are nothing short of genius. You will be amazed at how easy and delicious they are.

 I never knew what to do with the chocolate tofu I used to see at the grocery store next to my regular tofu. One day, it ended up on my counter. (Sometimes the Boyfriend gets spontaneous and cute). It didn't have to sit in my fridge long. The picture on the tofu container of chocolate mousse looked sinfully good, so I got to looking up recipes, and found the easiest recipe that a monkey could make!

 I have made this no-bake pie a few times now, and each time it has been a success. One time I had a vegan-skeptical friend in from out of town and I took the pie out of the fridge and nonchalantly mentioned it was a chocolate peanut butter pie. I asked if she would like to try it, and handed her a fork. We stood there talking and eating and before we knew it the pie was gone! As she was licking the fork she asked what was in it, and I revealed the main ingredient: tofu. She was surprised but hopefully looks at tofu a little different now.

 Chocolate Peanut Butter No Bake Pie:
1 container chocolate tofu
1/2 cup peanut butter
chocolate chips if desired
oreo or graham cracker crust

Blend all ingredients except graham cracker crust in food processor together. You can taste as you mix to see if you need more peanut butter. Pour into crust and top with chocolate chips if desired. Refrigerate for hours or overnight. At times I have found the chocolate tofu to be runnier than regular tofu, so after you pour it into the pan it will need to sit. It is hard to let a chocolate no bake peanut butter pie sit in my fridge without eating it, so I am guilty of going at it, runny or not, with a spoon. I really don't think anything is wrong with this, it all ends up in the same place :)  However, if you are going for more of a presentation thing, like at a family gathering, you might want to freeze it for a few hours or refrigerate at least overnight so it will stay in place.

 The oreo cookie crust and graham cracker crust both do not have any eggs or butter in them. You can buy them pre-packaged or make your own at home. I bought mine from the store this time.

Second up: Key lime pie. This one was even better, if you can imagine. I attribute it to the pudding mixture, which is dairy-free, by the way.

No Bake Key Lime Pie:
1 package mori-nu extra firm tofu
1 large package or 2 small packages cheesecake or vanilla flavored pudding mix
1/2 cup key lime juice
8 oz vegan cream cheese
1 tablespoon liquid sweetener (agave or syrup, I used syrup)

The mori-nu tofu is hands down the silkiest tofu available. I don't know if I would recommend making this with the same tofu you make stir fry dishes with. Get the mori-nu, I promise it will rock your socks off. I couldn't find mori-nu "package mates" which are pudding mixes made by Mori Nu. I went to the grocery store and found out that the regular pudding mixes don't have dairy or gelatin in them. Score!

Mix all ingredients together in food processor. Try not to eat the entire thing with a spatula before you spread it into a graham cracker crust.

The key lime pie is much thicker than the chocolate one and doesn't need to set for nearly as long. I've even cut it right away. When The Boyfriend's parents visited I served this to them and held my breath. They both wanted seconds, so the pie was gone within half an hour. I guess that means they liked it!

 I'm not sure why I measure my cooking and baking up to omnivore standards. It's not like they measure their gross meat dishes up to my vegan standards. I guess it's because I like to cook things that other people will like, and I search for acceptance of my vegan lifestyle by having acceptance of the vegan foods I cook.  Hopefully one day none of will have to justify our vegan dishes by saying "carnivores even like it!"  Until then, make your loved ones a no bake pie, because it simply cannot dissapoint! :)