Tuesday 2 October 2012

PALEO PUMPKIN PIE




Before beginning the Whole30 challenge, I knew that I had to have my pumpkin pie and eat it, too! 

(mostly because I knew that I was going to have to miss out this weekend for Canadian Thanksgiving)

Below, you'll find a winning recipe for the Paleo version.* The original recipe called for butter in the crust, but I opted for coconut oil instead. That being the case, the crust that I made was soft and crumbly. Although I didn't mind the consistency, it wasn't very pie-like

Post-Whole30, I'll definitely give this one another whirl. In the meantime, try it out for yourself! And, if you have any other Paleo pie crust recipes you'd like to recommend (how about with ground almonds or pecans?), leave it in the comments!


Paleo Pumpkin Pie
slightly adapted from Mark's Daily Apple

Pie Crust
2 1/2 cups walnuts
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup coconut oil




1. In a food processor, blend the walnuts, baking soda, and salt until finely ground. Add coconut oil and pulse until fully combined.

2. Scrape walnut mixture into a 9-inch pie plate (or tart pan). Using a rubber spatula and your fingers, smooth the mixture over the bottom and sides of the plate. It's better to spread the mixture thinner across the bottom of the plate and thicker around the edges of the crust.

3. Place the crust on a cookie sheet. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees F.

4. Remove crust from the oven and pour your filling inside. Return pie to oven until filling is done.

Pumpkin Filling
1 15-ounce can of pumpkin
1 cup coconut milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cardamom
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
pinch of sea salt
4 tbsp. maple syrup
1 tbsp. potato starch
3 eggs, whisked

1. Combine all ingredients. Pour into the pre-baked crust. Don't overfill the crust - there will most likely be leftover filling.

2. Bake for 50 minutes. The centre of the pie should be fairly firm and only jiggle a little bit if you shake the pan.

3. Let the pie cool completely before cutting into it. Serve with a dollop of whipped cream, and enjoy!

Makes 8 servings.




Try This: As the original recipe notes, you'll probably have more than enough pie filling (be sure not to overfill the pie shell). I had plenty left over, so I poured it into small baking dishes, placed them on a pan, and baked them just like the pie - they're like little pumpkin puddings! 

*similar to the Whole30, the Paleo diet does not permit sweeteners of any kind, but the occasional sweet treat using unprocessed, "natural" sweeteners is sometimes Paleo-approved (it depends on your source/s and your own approach - do what works for you). This recipe uses pure maple syrup, a "natural" sweetener used in many Paleo or primal recipes. Other popular "natural" sweeteners include raw honey, stevia (unprocessed), and coconut sugar.


DISCLAIMER: I am not a nutritionist, physician, or any kind of health professional. Everything that you find on my blog is based on my own knowledge and opinion. If you require specific health and fitness advice, please seek a qualified health professional.

2 comments:

  1. I can't wait to try this after my competition!!! P.S. What was that recipe book that you were reading when I came to Toronto? I know it was a gluten-free one and it had recipes that used different types of flour so you could select the one that you wanted. It was brilliant.

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    1. It's a really good pie. Aside from changing the crust (I'll let you know if and when I come across a better Paleo pie crust), I'd never be able to tell the difference between this and any other pumpkin pie other than I don't feel "heavy" after I've eaten this one!

      The book you're looking for is You Won't Believe It's Gluten-Free by Roben Ryberg: http://www.amazon.com/You-Wont-Believe-Its-Gluten-Free/dp/1569242526

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