For years, I have been trying to perfect Pumpkin pie.
I started out making pie from fresh pumpkins when I was a teenager. I won’t tell you the whole story but it was a lot of work, took 5 hours, and ended up with less than great results.
Then I moved on to Libby’s pumpkin pie filling in a can. My reasoning there was that Libby is in the pumpkin business so she must have the answers but that recipe called for eggs and condensed milk and was overly sweet. Then I moved to plain pumpkin puree and had a heavy hand with the cinnamon and nutmeg that year to the point that my family members were choking on it. Then I learned that eggs and dairy were allergens for me and I tried a coconut based vegan pumpkin pie. It called for coconut cream and just ended up tasting like coconut, I couldn’t taste the pumpkin at all. After that I took a break for a while. I couldn’t figure out how to make a vegan pumpkin pie that held its consistency and actually tasted like pumpkin.
I have two points in my story today that I want to impart, the first is that when trying to swap out unhealthy ingredients for healthy ones in a traditional recipe there will be trial and error. The next is to think of it as a challenge instead of accepting defeat. If you persist you will succeed.
Finally, I came upon this recipe that I am sharing with you today.
It uses almond milk in place of dairy milk or evaporated milk and cornstarch in place of eggs and I have to say I have made it two times so far and it has come out brilliantly. So of course, I wanted to share it with you. Alternatives to cornstarch are potato starch and arrowroot powder. –Bon Appetite
INGREDIENTS:
1 Gluten free pie shell – thawed, unbaked
2 ½ cups pumpkin puree
½ cup coconut palm sugar
¼ cup maple syrup
¾ cup almond milk unsweetened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
Directions:
Turn on oven to 350 degrees
Mix all ingredients together and blend well. I put it all into the food processor and blend for 2 minutes. You can also put into a bowl and blend with a hand mixer. Pour batter into pie crust and bake in oven for 45-55min. You want the filling to be firm and cooked all the way through, not jiggly. You want the crust to be browned.
The key to avoiding a crack in your pumpkin pie is that when it is done you do not cool it down too quickly. I turn the oven off and leave the pie inside but open the oven door, the pie will slowly cool down with the oven. Then once the oven heat has dissipated, I place the pie on a trivet to continue the cooling process. Once cool, you can place in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Looking for a more Natural approach to your health? We’d be happy to schedule a discovery call with you. During this call, we can discuss your symptoms in more detail and come up with a plan tailored specifically for you.
If you haven’t joined our Private Facebook Group, please go HERE.
DISCLAIMER: The information in this email is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. All content is for general informational purposes only and does not replace a consultation with your own doctor/health professional
