Pumpkin Pie

Pumpkin pie. It seems like we should be allowed to make such delicacies more than once a year... or for a certain holiday... Yes, Thanksgiving is special because of such treats, but must we leave it to only one day a year? I say not. I say it will still be a special occurrence no matter when!

 

Perhaps you stocked up on extra canned pumpkin, or maybe you still have a chance to hit the grocery sale shelf before it's December. Or maybe you baked off a handful of fresh pie pumpkins and stuck that liquid gold in the freezer for all winter long. Then we can be long lost friends and talk about how much we love pumpkin and what a gift it is sent from heaven above.

It's true, I'm crazy about pumpkin and have made many varieties of pumpkin pie or pudding bars over the years (and more and more pumpkin). It's hard for me to make a version more than once, maybe twice, so this new recipe is my latest invention over the past holiday. So naturally I'm most in love with this one :) And this one contains some DATES for sweetness and texture. So amazing creamy caramel-like taste and texture. Delicious on so many levels.

I'm sharing it because I ate my last piece today and I'm missing already. Maybe I could convince my loved ones that we may need to celebrate some of our Christmas festivities with another one. Because. Just one pie a year?!?  No, way baby! This one is too good!

Maybe it's the taste, or maybe it's just the feelings of being around a table with family and friends that share their hearts about what they are thankful for and how this year has brought pain and love. Every soul shares in this journey of moving through life with the pain, sorrow, but also the joys and abundance too. This pie has a part in that story too. It is almost as if it has a seat at the table of such thanksgiving and gratitude.

Pumpkin Pie Recipe
{gluten, dairy, soy, nut, seed and refined sugars-free} contains eggs

Crust Recipe:
3/4 cup finely ground certified GF oat flour
1/2 cup rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1/4 cup potato flour
1/2 ts. sea salt
2 TB of palm oil shortening
2 TB of room temperature coconut oil
2 TB maple syrup
2 ts. apple cider vinegar
1 ts. of water

In a medium bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together first, then add in the oil and shortening and make it a sandy mix, and then add in the syrup, water and vinegar and mix it well together. It may be a sticky dough but it will start to form a dough ball and you can knead it and let it sit for it to all meld together well. Then toss into a pie pan and press it into all the sides of the pan, or you can roll it out to size of a 9 inch pan, and put it into the pan and cut accordingly. Its a pretty easy recipe to do either way. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes until lightly golden and slightly firm. Let it completely cool before putting the pumpkin filling in and baking again.

Pumpkin Filling:

2 cups of fresh pumpkin puree
1 can of full-fall coconut milk

1/2 cup of date puree (this can be omitted- I add it for flavor and texture)

1/4 cup of coconut palm sugar

1/4 cup of of maple syrup

3 beaten eggs  *you can omit these if you are allergic or vegan, the texture is just different

2 TB of tapioca flour

1 1/2 ts. of baking powder (I use the Hain brand- to be corn free)

1/2 ts. of sea salt

1 TB of pumpkin pie spice blend

1 ts. of pure vanilla

For date puree: (1/2 cup of boiling water poured over 1/2 cup of pitted dates, soak for 5 minutes and then blend in high powdered blender to make a pudding substance)

In a large mixing bowl, add in all of the wet ingredients and the beaten eggs. Then add in the spices  and whisk together well. Then pour into cooled pie crust. You then can place on a baking sheet or just put in the oven at 350 degrees and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tightened up. This may be confusing because it will still appear to be gooey or giggling, but the baked cracks usually show that it is baked through, but needs to set up while cooling on the counter and in the fridge. So do not be alarmed if it seems too soft after 50-60 minutes of baking. You do not want it to get too browned or burned. Then let it cool on the counter after baking for 1-2 hours. Then lightly cover with some kind of wrap and put in the fridge for overnight or for 6-8 hours. 

Then, after refrigerating for 8-10 hours it will be ready for eating. I like cutting into it and removing one slice so that the rest of the slices are easier to fork out. It is so good by itself, but if you are looking for a great dairy-free alternative to pure dairy fresh whipped cream-this Coconut Whip from So Delicious is fabulous and made from better ingredients and brings back all cool-whip-feelings from younger years.

Each bite is fabulous and you don't want it to end. I also have no problem and recommend such wonderfulness for breakfast the day after :) I mean it has a good full servings of veggies and much lower on the sweetness scale. So with a coffee or chai latte- you just can't beat it.

I confess the above picture was my breakfast for the weekend after Thanksgiving. It really is something I look forward to after all the work of preparing food for a few days. Those lazy mornings after with jammies on till noon and eating pumpkin pie for breakfast- such is the life my friends.

Hope you had a blessed holiday and looking onward to this advent season of longing, and hope. 

Much love as always,

xoxo