When I was apartment hunting two years ago, I specifically asked various property managers whether the units were air conditioned. When you’ve lived through 3 summers in D.C., the AC becomes pretty much your lifeline. The managers always responded with some spiel that the AC was not necessary as the weather didn’t get too hot. People, you might have to revisit that position. It’s particularly bad around here when I turn on the oven. The place will turn from being uncomfortably warm to an outright sauna. These are the times when I chug ice cold glasses of water around the clock.These are the times when I keep all chocolate in the fridge.These are the times when I turn to no-bake desserts for a moment of zen. During these trying times, I turn to one of my favorite no-bake desserts—banana cream pie. This pie kept me sane during law school. One bite into its banana goodness, and I was able to forget the drudgery of studying for a moment. I absolutely love this pie, but I have not made it that often because it is not exactly the best thing for my waistline. Until now. I found a way to make a healthier banana cream pie! My little secret: soft (or silken) tofu. I know, tofu in your pie might sound strange, but trust me on this one. The tofu adds a nice creaminess with significantly less fat than whole milk or heavy cream, not to mention the extra protein boost. And don’t worry, you won’t be able to taste the tofu in this pie. All you get is rich banana flavor in every bite. I decided to show you two ways to make this tofu banana cream pie because I couldn’t decide which version I prepared more! The first method is more similar to the classic pie, made with a date, walnut, and coconut crust. The alternative is a deconstructed version with a nice layer of crushed cookies or graham crackers at the bottom and banana cream filling on top. Both are easy to make, and both are ridiculously delicious. Be sure to try this with House Foods tofu!
