Pumpkin is the ultimate autumn food phenomenon. Whether we are sipping on our pumpkin spice lattes, or plotting our pumpkin pie recipes for Thanksgiving Day, Canadians love pumpkin.
Aside from the actual turkey itself, pumpkin pie in particular is probably the most anticipated fixture on any Thanksgiving Day menu, and for good reason. There is no better or more delicious way to finish off an evening than with a nice slice of home-made pumpkin pie.
What I often find, however, is that after a couple rounds of turkey, stuffing and other delectable delights, I am not exactly in the mood for the usual calorie-laden pumpkin pie that is made with something short of the healthiest ingredients.
That’s where today’s recipe comes in. I have revised a standard home-made pumpkin pie recipe to retain all of its original delicious flavour but to include significantly healthier ingredients.
Pumpkin pie may not normally been known for its nutritious value, but all that changes today!
Let’s take a look at my recipe for The Healthiest Home-Made Pumpkin Pie Ever:
Ingredients
Pie Crust
1 ½ cups Whole Wheat OR Whole Oat flour
1 large Avocado ( ~ ½ cup mashed – make sure it is cold)
~3 tbsp Cold Water
Pie Filling
2 eggs
1 can 100% pure Pumpkin (14 oz/400 ml)
½ – ¾ cup 100% Maple Syrup (depending on how sweet you like it)
¾ cup plain Greek Yogurt (at least 2%)
1 tsp Cinnamon
½ tsp Nutmeg
Instructions
Pie Crust
- Thoroughly blend cold avocado with flour
- Add cold water tablespoon by tablespoon until dough holds together
- Roll out dough and then proceed to unroll over your pie dish
- Trim and style the edges to your liking.
Pie Filling
- Preheat your oven to 300 F
- Thoroughly whisk pumpkin, greek yogurt, maple syrup and spices together in a big bowl before adding eggs, whisk again until blended.
- Load the pumpkin mixture into the pie shell and bake for approximately 1 hour.
There you have it folks, my super healthy twist on the classic home-made pumpkin pie recipe and something that you can really feel good about serving to your guests this Thanksgiving Day.
Andy De Santis RD MPH
Andy is a Toronto-based registered dietitian and nutrition writer who holds a master’s degree in public health nutrition. You can learn more about Andy and his services at AndyTheRD.com.
