A joyous Mabon to everyone!

The autumnal equinox known commonly as Mabon is traditionally a day of thanksgiving. The main harvests have been gathered. The store houses are full. Abundance abounds. People celebrate by feasting with their family and friends.

The Druids in the meantime are giving thanks by pouring libations of cider and wine for the trees in the forest. Gifts of fertilizer are given to the earth.

Mother Nature begins her transition from Matron to Crone. The Green Man will shed his finery. The time for labor is drawing to a close. The time for rest approaches.

It is also a time for learning. Tales will be told and wisdom passed around. There will also be plenty of time for quiet contemplation and meditation.

At the Rose household, which is currently camped out at the Kansas City Renaissance Faire and 500 years in the past, we celebrated with a big pot of Christine’s harvest stew. If I’m a really good boy, she might make her famous vegan, organic Pumpkin Cheesecake!

Pumpkin Cheesecake Torte
12 servings — egg- and dairy-free
1 1/3 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 10 double crackers)
1 cup sugar
1 lb. soft tofu, drained
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
15-oz. can solid-pack pumpkin
3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon, plus additional for dusting
4 oz. soy cream cheese ( 1/2 cup), at room temperature (we use Tofutti’s Better Than Cream Cheese)
4 Tbs. soft canola margarine

Crust

• Position rack in center of oven; preheat oven to 350°F. Coat 8 1/2-inch springform pan with cooking spray.
• Make crust: In food processor, pulse graham cracker crumbs and margarine until evenly moistened. Firmly press crumb mixture into bottom and about 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until set, about 10 minutes. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Keep oven on for baking cheesecake.

Filling

• In food processor, puree tofu until smooth. Add pumpkin and process
• until blended. Add soy cheese, sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice and cloves and process until smooth and well combined. Pour mixture into cooled crust and bake on center rack 45 minutes.
• Turn oven off. Let cheesecake cool in oven 1 hour without opening door. Transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and refrigerate cheesecake at least 8 hours or overnight. (Don’t worry if cheesecake seems a little soft; it will firm up during chilling.)
• To serve, run a long, thin knife around inside edge of pan to loosen cake; remove sides of pan. Lightly dust top of cheesecake with cinnamon and serve at room temperature.

PER serving: 201 CAL; 4 G PROT; 7 G TOTAL FAT (2 SAT. FAT); 31 G CARB.; 0 MG CHOL; 100 MG SOD.; 2 G FIBER