Chef Joeys Vegan Tofu Cheesecake Food

"I DON'T BELIEVE IT'S...." LEMON TOFU CHEESECAKE!

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F.
• In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, maple syrup and almond extract.
• Mix until the graham cracker crumbs are moistened.
• Prep a 9 inch springform pan by spraying the bottom and sides with nonstick oil spray, or by oiling with a paper towel.
• Tip crumb mixture into the prepped springform pan and press it evenly on the bottom.
• Bake the crust for 5 minutes, then remove it from the oven and set it aside to cool while you prepare the filling.
• Blend all the filling ingredients in a food processor (or blender) for about 30 seconds, or until smooth.
• Pour filling into the springform pan over the cooled crust.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top of the cheesecake is lightly browned.
• Remove the cheesecake from the oven and allow it to cool.
• Place the cooled cheesecake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours until it is thoroughly chilled and firm.
• To serve, take a long knife and heat the blade in hot hot water.
• Slide the blade of the knife along the edge of the cooled cheesecake to ensure that it will separate from the pan.
• Release the springform ring, slice, sprinkle with slivered almonds if desired and serve cold.

CHEF JOEY'S VEGAN TOFU CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350'F.
• The first three ingredients are for the Graham Crust.
• Put the graham crackers in a food processor and process to break them up into a fine powder. Then add the sugar, then the melted margarine. Pulse to incorporate.
• Press the crust into a greased 9 inch spring form pan. Bake at 350'F for 10 minutes. Let cool.
• Put your tofu and cream cheese in the bowl of a hand mixer (I used my kitchen aid) and whip until the mixture is smooth and creamy with no lumps.
• Add the remaining ingredients and whip again until well incorporated.
• Pour into the spring form pan with the graham crust and bake at 350'F for 45-50 minutes. Turn off the oven.
• Let sit for 15 more minutes to allow the cake to settle. It should be lightly golden round the edges and should have pulled away from the sides of the cake tin.
• It will wiggle if you shake it slightly. I also gently touched the top and it sprang back.
• Remove the cake from the oven and place on a cooling rack for at least one hour. Then, put in fridge for at least 3 more hours.
• Check your cake as it bakes, you don't want it to burn.
• When you cut a piece of this put a paper towel in the cut section as it will absorb any moisture and prevent soggyness on the bottom of the cake.
• Bon Appetit!

CHEF JOEY'S VEGAN RUGELACH

Steps:

• Prepare the pastry by placing the flour in the bowl of a food processor. Give it a pulse to fluff it up. Add the cut up margarine and pulse again.
• Add the cold vegan cream cheese. I use Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese in this.
• Pulse the flour, margarine and cheese mixture until a ball forms and then remove. Form into a disc. Cut in half and wrap each disc in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for one to 24 hours.
• Once the pastry is chilled, preheat your oven to 350'F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
• Put your jam into a small bowl and stir it to get any lumps out of it.
• Once the oven is heated up, roast your nuts. I did mine at 350 for 7-10 minutes. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn.
• Remove the nuts and set aside until cool. Add them along with your lemon zest and sugar into the bowl of a small food chopper and process until the nuts are about 1/3 their original size.
• Set this aside.
• Remove one of your pastry discs from the fridge. Lightly flour your counter top and roll the pastry out to a large circle. Make the dough very thin as it will crisp up much better if you do.
• Spread the jam on the pastry, then sprinkle 1/2 the nut mixture. Cut the rolled out pastry in 4 equal sections, then cut each of the 4 sections into 3 equal sections.
• Roll from the outside in and place with seam side down on your covered cookie sheet.
• Brush with the soy creamer and sprinkle with some sugar.
• Bake for about 20 minutes. Keep an eye on these, they can burn easily.
• Cool on a metal cookie rack.
• Repeat with the second batch of cookies.
• You can also sprinkle other sugars on these, icing, or fruit might be nice.
• Bon Appetit.

CHEF JOEY'S SPANAKOPITA CASSEROLE (DAIRY FREE)

Steps:

• Remove the puff pastry from its package and let it thaw for at least 40 minutes.
• Cut up your potato and add enough water to cover. Boil until fork tender.
• In the mean time, melt the coconut oil in a large saute pan.
• Saute the onion for a few minutes, then add the shallots and garlic, saute until all are transparent.
• Add the cleaned spinach, kale and nettles. I found I had to add them a little at a time to the saute pan because there was so much.
• Add the chicken broth into the saute pan as you add the greens. When the greens mixture is totally cooked remove from the saute pan and set aside to cool. The chicken broth should have reduced down considerably. Don't use the liquid if there is any left, just discard it or use it in something else.
• Shred the cheese and add the eggs and combine well and set aside.
• Check the puff pastry to see if its thawed out enough to roll. If it is, take one of the sheets and roll it out to fit into a 9x9" casserole dish. Make sure you get all the air bubbles out from under it while placing it in the casserole dish.
• Combine the cooled greens/onion/garlic mixture in the cheese and egg mixture. You might want to stick this in the freezer for 5 minutes to help it cool faster. Don't forget its in there, you don't want it to freeze.
• Add a little more coconut oil to the saute pan and saute the mushrooms until they get soft, then add the liquid smoke. Mix it up a little more.
• Remove the greens from the freezer if they're still in there.
• Layer the mushrooms on the bottom of the casserole first. Then the greens/onion/garlic mixture. Then the potatoes that you cooked.
• Salt and pepper the potatoes.
• The 9 x 9" casserole dish should be full to the top. Fold the sides of the puff pastry over on top of the potatoes and add the top piece of puff pastry tucking the sides inches This will keep the juices inches You don't have to roll out the top piece of pastry, it should fit perfectly on the top of the casserole.
• Brush the top of the pastry with beaten egg if you wish. It makes the top look nice and golden brown.
• Bake in a 350'F oven for 40 minutes.
• When you take the casserole out the top will probably be puffed up. Just let it sit and cool on a wire rack, the top will drop down.
• Serve hot.
• Bon Appetit!

CREAMY THAI CARROT SOUP (VEGAN)

Steps:

• *NOTE: Thai curry paste available at Asian markets or make your own using recipes off this site.
• In a medium saucepan, bring broth, carrots, onion, garlic and ginger to a boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 to 20 minutes; until carrots are tender.
• Stir in Thai curry paste and salt; simmer 1 minute to blend flavors. Remove from heat; cool slightly.
• Add tofu to saucepan and puree in soup pot using an immersion hand blender (or in batches in a blender) until smooth.
• Serve mint leaves on side. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

CHEF JOEY'S VEGAN BREAD PUDDING

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350'F.
• Put the margarine in a bowl big enough to accommodate 2 cups of milk.
• Put the sugar, cinnamon and salt into another bowl and mix well.
• Put the milk in a saucepan and heat until just before the boiling point.
• Pour the heated milk into the bowl with the margarine in it. Mix until the margarine is completely melted.
• In a 9x13" oven safe dish add the bread and raisins.
• Mix the egg replacer with water. I use 1 1/2 teaspoons of egg replacer and two tablespoons of warm water. Stir to incorporate.
• Gradually add the egg replacer to the milk mixture.
• Add in the cinnamon, sugar and salt mixture into the milk mixture. Mix this well.
• Pour the milk mixture over the bread and raisins and carefully move the bread around so that ll the pieces are soaked in the milk.
• Put the dish with the prepared bread pudding into a larger dish and put it into the preheated oven.
• Pour the hot water into the outer dish being careful not to get any in the pudding dish.
• Bake for 40-45 minutes.
• The custard should be creamy. Remember you didn't use eggs here so it won't be set exactly the same. As it cools it will firm up a bit.
• Serve either warm or cold, plain or with your favourite sauce.
• Bon Appetit.