Vegan

Another no-roll piecrust—life is good.

The key to this amazingly thin and flaky crust is to freeze the butter (or butter substitute for a vegan version) and chill the flour so both are super-cold. Doing so creates lots of flaky air pockets in the crust. Easy as pie.

Here’s a picture-perfect apple pie—filled mile high with juicy apples. Sprouted spelt flour makes the crust unbelievably flaky and easy to work with. Serve it hot with a generous helping of vanilla ice cream and listen to the raves. For a vegan version, use butter substitute instead of butter, and serve with Soy Vanilla Ice Cream (page 83).

This is a delectably creamy vegan pie with a deep, rich chocolate almond flavor. I love it topped with soy whipped cream. This dessert will satisfy the most discerning chocoholic—guaranteed.

This refreshing apple pie is made with enzyme-rich raw apples and contains no fat. Completely fat-free, dairy-free, egg-free, sugar-free, and wheat-free—it’s totally guilt-free.

This delicious vegan pie was another wildly popular dessert at my market bakery. The crumbly oat crust goes great with the cool, creamy filling. And, if awesome taste is not enough to tempt you, it’s quick and easy to prepare.

This blueberry topping can also be used over ice cream or yogurt.

This is a new take on an old favorite. Dates add great flavor and texture to the creamy spiced filling in this vegan pie. The nutty pecan crust is the perfect contrast to the velvety smooth pumpkin filling. Don’t wait until Thanksgiving to try this one!

This low-fat vegan cake is incredibly delicious served warm from the oven and topped with a cool lemon tofu crème. Using fresh ginger makes a great difference in its taste. I prefer this cake without the nuts and raisins, but others enjoy the texture and sweetness they add. Either way, this flavorful cake is sure to become a favorite of yours

This is a special vegan cake that’s an impressive dessert for dinner guests. The custard and fruit make a delightful topping that’s fat-free and looks like you toiled for hours over it.

These are my all-time favorite bars; I just love dates and nuts together. These bars have a crumbly texture with a creamy date center enhanced by raspberry juice.

This is my cleaned-up version of those legendary rice crispy squares. The difference is that these are full of whole grain goodness and nutrients from the nuts and fruit. Try these out on your kids for a guaranteed hit. You can find nut butter at any health food store.

I created this cookie recipe as a way to sneak some veggies into my daughter Sofia’s diet when she went through the “I’m not eating any vegetables” stage. She loved them then and still adores them, zucchini and all. These moist, soft cookies are low-fat, high fiber, and a perfect not-too-sweet treat. They also freeze well.

For variety, substitute prunes for the apricots in these fat-free (and guilt-free) bars. Sweet and chewy, they make a nice lunch box treat.

A cross between apple pie and crumb cake, these cookie bars are perfect for parties, picnics, and crowds, and a great addition to any cookie platter. For the best taste and texture, I recommend you use any combination of Macintosh, Cortland, or Golden Delicious apples for the filling.

These chewy low-fat cookies make the perfect afternoon snack. Chock-full of fiber and protein, they’re a nutritious pick-me-up—and they’re quick and easy to make.

A great treat for children of all ages. Who can resist PB&J? For peanut allergies, substitute soy nut or other nut butter of your choice. For gluten allergies, replace the spelt flour with garbanzo bean flour. Although not essential, organic peanut butter will offer the best taste and quality.

My husband, Joe, asked me to come up with a healthy version of a delicious cookie we once tasted at a gourmet foods shop. I decided to go one better and make them vegan so everyone can love ’em as much as we do.

These irresistible cookies are so versatile. For something special, fill them with peanut butter and juice-sweetened jam to make a cookie sandwich. Dip half the sandwich in chocolate ganache and place on waxed paper–lined baking sheets to firm up the chocolate. There’s only one word for this—outrageous.

This is a great cookie for children with gluten sensitivity. Using my daughter, her friends, and her baby-sitters as my most critical testers proved these cookies will definitely be a holiday tradition at my house. The best thing is, you can freeze part of the dough, unbaked, for later use. Just defrost in the refrigerator, roll out, and bake according to the directions for a wonderful spicy-sweet treat any time of year. If the kids, and maybe the adults, are clamoring for gingerbread people, you can add eyes, nose, and buttons by pressing raisins or currants gently into the dough before baking.