VEGETARIAN RECIPES - NEWS FROM THE YOGA SANCTUARY

Recipes from TYS Kitchen ~ December 2008 Recipe

No-Bake Mini-Cream Pies
from "Super Baby Food" by Ruth Yaron

You can make a few of these mini-pies and refrigerate for up to one week, or make lots and freeze them for up to two months. These make great healthy lunches or snacks. Thaw them overnight in the refrigerator.

Butter or oil 24 mini muffin tins.

Crusts, Mix:
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup ground nuts (almonds or walnuts are good)
1/4 cup melted butter or oil
Press the crust mixture into containers to form crusts that go 3/4 up the sides.

Filling, Mix:
1/2 cup mashed avocado
1/2 cup of yogurt cheese
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup

Spoon mixture into crusts.

Topping:
Sprinkle top with ground nuts and or wheat germ. Or place a small dollop of jelly or jam or a fresh strawberry or other berry on top. After mini pies are assembled, cover well and freeze until solid. When frozen, remove pies and place in freezer bags.

Filling Variation:
Instead of avocado, use all yogurt cheese, or use all cream cheese, or use a mixture or cream cheese and yogurt cheese and mashed avocado.

Yogurt Cheese is nothing more than yogurt with the whey (yellow-tinged liquid) drained from it. To make yogurt cheese use only plain , unflavoured commercial or homemade yogurt with no gelatin added, which prevents the whey from draining out.

Place the yogurt into a container that will allow the liquid whey to drain through it. Use a colander, strainer or steamer and line it with a coffee filter, several layers of white paper towels or damp cheese cloth. Place the colander over a bowl to catch the whey. Cover the colander with plastic wrap and place in the refigerator. Let it drain for several hours in the refrigerator. Stir occasionally with a rubber spatula. The longer you let it drain the thicker it will be, In a few hours the yogurt will be the consistency of sour cream, overnight it will resemble cream cheese.