THE GREAT PUMPKIN PIE
For all you pumpkin pie lovers out there who want to indulge in a creamy, delicious dessert that is healthier than traditional, this recipe is for you. Although I usually try to substitute date syrup for maple syrup, I did not for this recipe because I was baking it for a special occasion and so was willing to splurge. You can proudly serve this at your Thanksgiving feast and no one will realize that it is free of eggs, milk, and processed sugar.
The fabulous recipe is by Dreena Burton of “Plant-Powered Families” recipe blog. Here is what she says about this pie: “This vegan pumpkin pie is dreamy. The crust is buttery and nutty, the filling is a softer set than many traditional pumpkin pies, so it is irresistibly creamy. It’s a must for your holiday menus!”
Make sure you are buying the right cinnamon. Listen to this brief video by Dr. Greger: The Safer Cinnamon
This is a picture from Dreena Burton’s site since I did not take a close up photo.
THE GREAT PUMPKIN PIE
Ingredients
Crust:
2 cups rolled oats
1/2 packed cup pitted dates
1/3 cup raw almond butter
1/8 teaspoon sea salt, omit if almond butter has salt
2 Tablespoons non-dairy milk or more if needed to bring the crust together
Filling:
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree (pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
3/4 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup plain unsweetened non-dairy milk (almond or soy preferred but choice is yours)
1/2 cup + 1 Tablespoon pure maple syrup
2-3 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
1 Tablespoon arrowroot powder
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon allspice
few pinches ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean powder
1/4 teaspoon rounded sea salt
Instructions
Preheat oven to 400°F.
Prepare a pie plate by lining with parchment paper.
In a food processor, add the oats, dates, and salt for the crust. Blend until fine and crumbly. Then add the almond butter and process for about a minute. Add the milk and pulse through until the mixture becomes sticky (it should hold together when pressed/pinched). If it's not holding together, add a little more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it does. You shouldn't need more than another 3-4 teaspoons.
Remove and transfer to prepared pie plate. Press mixture in with your fingers until evenly distributed around the base and up the sides of the plate.
In a blender (high speed works best, for regular blender you will need to blend longer and scrape down jar several times) combine all ingredients for the filling.
Purée until very smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed.
Pour mixture into pie crust (scrape out bowl) and gently tip back and forth to distribute evenly.
Bake for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350F and continue to bake for 25 minutes, until the pie is golden and has mostly set (the center may be soft, but it will set further as it cools).
Remove from oven, transfer to a cooling rack. Let cool completely before slicing and serving (can refrigerate to chill first).
