My-oh-my, vegan pumkin pie....

So Thanksgiving is upon us.  Let's face it, as much as we are unprepared (ok, so maybe I am just talking about myself here...) Thanksgiving is a week away.  Yikes!  I don't know if any of you dear readers are hosting this year, but this very-nearly-vegan surely is.  At the time I am writing this, I haven't gone shopping, my house is a wreck, and I don't have a menu in mind.  Ah, the tribulations of a wannabe domestic diva... ok, ok, pity party over.  I will instead share with you the only thing I know I am making for sure, which is pumpkin pie!  I don't care if you are carnivore, vegetarian, vegan, raw foodist, nudist (??), WHATEVER... you will most likely be serving some form or variation of pumpkin pie this year.  Since I usually just buy the giant one at Sam's Club for $3.50 (which is not even nearly vegan...), until this year I had no idea how to make a pumpkin pie, and figured I should give it a little trial run before the big holiday. 

I admit, I was worried about how it would turn out, but good news folks, it was actually a smashing success!  I took a Williams Sonoma recipe that sounded tasty, and veganized it.  I also made it low sugar with some artificial sweetener for my dear old dad, BUT.... I know there is a lot of debate about artifical sweetener, so please feel free to use regular sugar.  That's just not an option for my dad, being as sugar is his mortal enemy. :) 

You wil need:

1 can pumpkin
3/4 cup brown sugar, OR half that amount Splenda brown sugar mix (which is what I used)
2/3 cup tofutti cream cheese, room temp
3 tsp ground flax seed, mixed with a little water
1 1/2 cups plain coconut creamer
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 unbaked whole wheat (make sure it's vegan!) pie crust (I found mine at whole Foods)

Make sure your oven rack is at the lowest rung, and preheat oven to 425.

Mix everything but the pie shell in a kitchen-aid style mixer, and pour into the shell.

Cook for 15 minutes at the high temp, and then another hour at 350.  Check the pie, and it may need more time, even a lot more time, because you want it to be just barely jiggly.  Also, and this is important, because of the cream and cream cheese substitutes, this will look much lighter than most pumpkin pies.  Don't burn the crust waiting for it to look orange!  Top it with a little Soy Whip, and you are good to go,  see? :)

Good luck readers, and have a great Holiday!  I am thankful for each and every one of you! :)