Three’s Company Pie (aka Chocolate, Peanut Butter, ‘n Banana Pie) wheat-free option, gluten-free option, soy-free

All combinations here are winners – chocolate and peanut butter, banana and peanut butter, and chocolate and banana.   Together, three’s company, not a crowd!

1 cup non-dairy chocolate chips
2/3 cup natural organic peanut butter (can also use a nut butter like cashew or almond, see note)
1 cup ripe banana, sliced (not too overripe as for banana bread, but just lightly flecked)
1 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 ½  tsp pure vanilla extract
¼ tsp (little scant) sea salt (see note)
3/4 cup plain or vanilla non-dairy milk

1 prepared whole-grain pie crust (I use Wholly Wholesome brand) or  can use “Rustic Pie Crust”* or “Gluten-Free Pie Crust”*
 *recipes for these wheat-free and gluten-free crusts will be in LTEV.

Toppings:
1 - 2   medium-large ripe banana, sliced
½ - 1 tsp orange or lemon juice (to toss with bananas to prevent discoloration; use full tsp if using 2 bananas)
1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
¼ cup chopped peanuts (or other nuts)

Preheat oven to 375 F.  Fit a metal or glass bowl over a saucepan on medium-low heat and filled with several inches of water (or use a double-boiler). Add the chocolate chips to bowl and stir occasionally as water simmers (not boils), letting chocolate melt. While chocolate is melting, in a food processor, first combine peanut butter with the banana, process through, and then add the cocoa, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt.  Puree, scraping down sides and base of bowl as needed to incorporate the sticky peanut butter.  Then add milk and puree through again until fully incorporated (again scraping sides and base of bowl to work in stickier parts of mixture). Once chocolate is melted, add to food processor and purée with peanut butter mixture, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Pour mixture into pie crust (scraping out all filling) and tip pie back and forth gently to evenly distribute filling.  Bake for 20 minutes.  The pie will be firmer around the edges and a little looser in the centre, but it will set further as it cools. Carefully remove from oven and place on cooling rack. Let cool completely (refrigerate if needed) before adding toppings.  In a small bowl, toss banana slices with juice.  Then, layer bananas (very random/rustic) on pie, use a fine sieve to dust the cocoa powder over top bananas, and then sprinkle the peanuts over top of everything.  Slice and serve!

Ingredients 411:  Some natural peanut butters contain salt.  Try to find a brand without salt.  If the brand you have does have salt, reduce salt from ¼ tsp to just a pinch.

If This Apron Could Talk:  This pie freezes very well, if you have leftovers.  Slice in portions, pop in an airtight container and then freeze.  Take out sometime later when you need a fix!

Another pretty way to decorate this cake is to dust it lightly with some powdered sugar.  Simply use about 1 tbsp of powdered sugar, place in a fine sieve, and tap it lightly over the pie to dust and decorate.

Serves 6-8.

Recipe from Let Them Eat Vegan.