June 24, 2009

Nasoya Silken Style Creations / banana cream pie / FTC targets blogger freebies

©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

Several years ago I came across a recipe for vegan banana cream pie and was so excited I couldn't wait to try it. I didn't make a single change to the recipe - just followed the directions exactly. That pie was gorgeous, and it was with great anticipation that we waited until dessert to try it. Let me tell you, you could have bounced a ball off that pie. Couldn't crush it with a sledgehammer. Couldn't dent it with a crowbar. Couldn't eat it with a fork. That pie could have stopped a speeding bullet faster than Superman. And it didn't taste good, either. We stared at the pie in horror and disappointment for a brief moment, then collapsed in hysterical laughter. We laughed about it for days, and even now someone might occasionally say, "remember the banana cream pie?" Have you cooked something that brings back memories like this?

©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

So, it was with some trepidation that I decided to try again. The Nasoya company sent me coupons for free samples of three different varieties of Nasoya Silken Style Creations, a new dairy-free, lactose-free, low-fat, gluten-free pudding-like soy product that can be used as a base for creamy desserts. I meant to use the vanilla for a banana cream pie but Whole Foods was out of vanilla, so I made a chocolate banana cream pie instead. I couldn't find a recipe for banana cream pie on the Nasoya Website, so I followed their directions for similar pies and hoped for the best. The filling right from the container has a taste and texture similar to very sweet chocolate pudding, and you could layer it as is with fruit and ice cream for an easy parfait dessert. It was a little too sweet for me, but I imagine a "normal" person would find it quite delicious. And it tastes like "real" chocolate pudding. I doubt that anyone would think it was vegan.

Fill the raw crust with sliced bananas  ©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

I made the pie with a pressed pastry crust, substituting agave syrup for the Sucanot and whole wheat pastry flour for the white whole wheat, but you could use a prepared crust or whatever crust you like to make. Oddly enough, once the pie was baked, it no longer tasted too sweet - it was really creamy and good. And it was unbelievably easy to prepare. The pie tasted richly of fresh banana with the chocolate taking a complimentary role. I definitely want to try this again with vanilla so I can compare the two. (fyi: I served it as a "birthday pie" for my husband's birthday and that's why it has a candle!)

Just out of the oven - still molten and bubbly  ©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

All right then. I present you with a chocolate banana cream pie. But first I have to insert a little disclaimer.
The June 22 edition of our local morning paper had a front page headline blaring, "Bloggers' Freebies are Under Scrutiny." Subhead: "The Federal Trade Commission is expected to issue guidelines for online consumer reviews, which can be tainted by perks." Gasp. The article goes on to describe how bloggers accept "free laptops, trips to Europe, $500 gift cards or even thousands of dollars for a 200-word post." Then it describes how a blogger from New Hartford, N.Y. who earns up to $800 per month as well as assorted gifts from her five blogs, now worries that even an innocent review of a product she purchased herself could bring an inquiry if the FTC gets involved in bloggers' lives. Does this free product thing sound familiar? I have to admit I didn't realize some bloggers were cashing in to this extent.

Anyway, in anticipation of the proposed FTC scrutiny for every little review we bloggers do, I just want to come clean and say that although Nasoya gave me thousands of dollars, a free laptop, a free trip to Hawaii, a Vitamix and a new car, in addition to three coupons for their product, my review is totally honest and above board. I'm stating only what I truly believe to be truly true. And that's the truth.

Birthday pie!  ©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

Chocolate banana cream pie
  • Crust for an 8- or 9-inch pie
  • 4 bananas, sliced (You may need more or less to fill the crust, depending on the size of the bananas.)
  • 1 package of Nasoya Silken Creations chocolate flavor
  • 2 tablespoons arrowroot (or cornstarch)
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1 banana for decorating (optional)
  • lemon juice (if using banana for decorating)
  1. Place the arrowroot in a bowl and add the water. Mix thoroughly until arrowroot is completely dissolved.
  2. Add the Silken Creations to the bowl and mix until completely combined.
  3. Slice the bananas and place in the crust.
  4. Pour the Chocolate mixture over the bananas, covering them completely.
  5. Bake in a preheated 325˚ oven for 45 minutes.
  6. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until completely cold.
  7. If desired, slice a banana just before serving, and toss with some lemon juice so it won't turn brown. Arrange the banana slices on the top of the pie.
Silken Creations Dark Chocolate ingredients: soymilk, dried cane juice, cocoa, rice starch, natural flavors, salt.
1/2 cup has 120 calories, 1.5g fat, 18g sugar, 1g fiber, 3g protein, 45mg salt.
The package contains approximately 5 servings. I used one container plus five bananas in the pie filling. The pie contains 6 to 8 servings, depending on the size of a serving.

©Andrea's easy vegan cooking

16 comments:

  1. That first pie sounds like quite the experience! What was actually in it? Glad the Nasoya worked out much better. Gee, do they sell it in Hawaii so you can eat some on your free trip?

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  2. :D I think the first pie may have had a little too much agar agar. And I believe all the food will be provided on the trip.

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  3. Hahaha...I have often thought of starting a blog just for the freebies! Seriously--I am SO jealous of everything all you bloggers get...including that tofu! I have seen it in Whole Foods but have yet to "splurge" and buy it. Thanks for the review--now I know it will be worth it if I do get it!

    Courtney

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  4. Courtney,
    It's made from soymilk and it comes in a tub like tofu, but it's not really tofu. I would call it a soymilk-based pudding.

    I'm only jealous of the bloggers who got a Vitamix! :D

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  5. Wow, that sounds really good. I have seen those at the store, but didn't know if they would be worth buying. I"ll have to give them a try.

    Man, I only wish I got freebies like that! The best thing I've gotten to blog about was a couple of years ago and it was a box of energy bars. Trips to Hawaii? Where have I been?

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  6. Yeah, I wish I got freebies like that, too. Who are the bloggers who get free trips and thousands of dollars? I mean, I'm grateful for my three coupons, but still...

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  7. if only you got all those goodies for oohing and aahing over some tofu :). No such luck, I imagine.

    I think everybody has a "banana pie" in their kitchen history. "mushroom bread" is mine. funny thing is that I still (after 20+ years) think I should have a second go at it.

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  8. Bethany,
    I laughed out loud when I read about your mushroom bread. Thanks for sharing!

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  9. I love your posts! Colorful and tasty-looking. Keep up the good cookin'!

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  10. Clotilde,
    Thank you for the compliment!

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  11. Thank you, that was extremely valuable and interesting...I will be back again to read more on this topic.

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  12. Thanks for sharing the link, but unfortunately it seems to be offline... Does anybody have a mirror or another source? Please reply to my post if you do!

    I would appreciate if a staff member here at cookeasyvegan.blogspot.com could post it.

    Thanks,
    William

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  13. Cool site, I had not come across cookeasyvegan.blogspot.com before during my searches!
    Continue the wonderful work!

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    tied-net

    ReplyDelete

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