Being a vegan is a lifestyle choice.  Eating nuts, whole grains, and eliminating dairy and meat has been proven to reduce the risk of heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. More and more people are choosing a vegan lifestyle for these two health benefits alone.   To this end, today we are expanding our culinary experience and health conscience to include a fresh fruit vegan dessert. Sistah/Cousin Beverly Sue  shared her mouthwatering, ambrosial, good, sweet, yummy, tasteful vegan peach pie.

CRUST:  2 cups bleached flour, 2/3 cup vegan shortening, 1 teaspoon salt, 4 to 6 tablespoons cold water.  In a bowl, add the flour and salt stir together.  Using a pastry blender, add the cold vegan shortening.  Stir in water 1 tablespoon at a time until the dough comes together and forms a ball.  Separate the dough into 2 equal balls.  Refrigerate the dough for at least one hour. Remove from the refrigerator, thinly roll out each ball to a 13-inch x 17-inch rectangle. Place one of the crust into a 9-inch x 13-inch baking pan.  Now to make the filling.

PEACH FILLING:  8 cups fresh peaches, peeled and sliced,  2 cups evaporated cane syrup, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1/2 stick melted vegan butter.  Stir everything together and pour into the bottom crust, dot the top with vegan butter.  NOTE:  Vegan butter is a little salty. Taste the filling to see if salt is needed.

Roll out the 2nd crust, put this crust on top of the peaches.  Crimp the edges to close the top and bottom crusts, cut a couple of slits on top.  These slits allow steam to escape. Bake the pie at 375 degrees for 1 hour or until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbly.