Lemon Meringue Pie

Texas is a pretty big place. Don't believe me? Pull out a map! You can drive for 15 hours and still be in Texas after driving 90 miles an hour on the highway. Now on your little, or rather lengthy road trip, to escape the Lone Star State, you'll find yourself driving through hundreds of sleepy little towns filled with antique shops and Mom and Pop eateries. Now most of the time you can count on these little treasures housing some some made bread/rolls, very limited vegan options, and pie. Like honest-to-goodness-southern-perfection pie. Being vegan of course I don't partake in the pie eating ritual, but I can appreciate how cosy, comforting and special it can be. Pie is like the ultimate expression of southern love and appreciation. I mean cakes and cookies are great don't get me wrong! And hell if you cook me a 5 course dinner I won't complain, but if you make me a pie, well I may get a little sentimental. There's just something about pie that is so honest, unimposing and just generally good. Pies, from the busy mom to the professional chef, all seem to maintain this quiet but persistent message of love and appreciation that I have yet see in other kinds of foods. As much as I love pie, it took me a while to get a recipe of one up on the blog. I wanted it to be delicious and vegan of course, but I also wanted to maintain that southern twist that makes my heart flutter. Eventually I decided no other pie would do but Lemon Meringue. This pie is the perfect combination of sweet and tart, and it's sure to be a hit at family gatherings or with just you and a special someone on a Sunday afternoon.

Ingredients
1 pre-made vegan graham cracker crust (I purchased mine at the store)
Pie
1 package of extra firm silken tofu (pressed for 30 min-1 hour)

5 tbsp agave

1/4 tsp tumeric (for color)

Juice from one large lemon (about 3 tbsp)

1 tbsp coconut oil

1 tbsp cashew milk

Meringue 
2 tsp cream of tartar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
liquid from a can of chickpeas (roughly 3/4 cup)
1 cup of powdered sugar
Method
1. Blend all of the pie ingredients in a blender until smooth then carefully pour it into the graham cracker crust.
2. Using a standing or electric mixture whisk the chickpea liquid until stiff peaks form. Add in the cream of tartar, vanilla extract and powdered sugar then whisk on high again until the stiff peaks have reformed.
3. Pipe or scope the meringue on top of the pie filling then refrigerate the pie overnight to allow the meringue to stiffen.
4. When you are ready to serve you can lightly brown the top of the meringue by using a kitchen torch or by placing the pie under the broiler for 2-4 minutes. Top with powdered sugar if desired.