Fortunately there is a wide variety of recipes available on the internet for healthier versions of pumpkin pie these days. Here’s one I recently came across from Wellness Mama that is free of dairy and grain (if that’s a must or a plus for you); it also contains no refined sugar. I haven’t tried it yet, but plan to once I have all the ingredients. And if you’re in charge of the dessert this Thanksgiving, you may want to give it a try, too!

Pumpkin Pie Recipe - Grain free- Dairy Free-Sugar Free

Family Favorite Pumpkin Pie Recipe (Dairy & Gluten-Free)

What would Thanksgiving (or Fall!) be without something pumpkin. Whether it is Spiced Pumpkin Lattes or pumpkin pie, the taste and scent of pumpkin is a perfect companion to cool fall weather.

I was never actually a big pumpkin pie fan in the past. In the past couple of years, I’ve fallen in love with coconut and pumpkin… and this recipe is a good combination of both. It is grain free and can be made completely dairy free as well.

A Better Pumpkin Pie:

If your family considers pumpkin pie a part of the Thanksgiving feast, consider this healthier option this year! It has all the same flavors of traditional pumpkin pie, but can accommodate those who are gluten-free and dairy-free. This recipe also uses natural sweeteners in place of the sugar or corn syrup used in many pumpkin pies.

Give it a try…

Print

Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 1 hour

Serves: 6-8

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Ingredients:

For Crust-
1 cup of almonds or pecans, finely ground in blender until flour like (or almond flour)
3 TBSP of coconut oil plus some to grease pie pan
1 egg
Cinnamon powder (1/4-1/2 tsp or to taste)
For Filling-
1 (15 ounce) can of pumpkin (nothing added) or approx 2 cups of homemade pureed pumpkin with excess liquid drained
3 eggs
¼ cup of honey or maple syrup (or to taste) – can substitute stevia, but the honey actually helps it hold better
1 Tablespoon of pumpkin pie spices or about 2 teaspoons cinnamon and ¼ tsp each of cloves, ginger and nutmeg
1 teaspoon natural vanilla
coconut milk to thin (no more than about ⅓ cup)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325.
Grease pie pan with coconut oil and mix crust ingredients by hand in a medium sized bowl.
Press crust into bottom and sides of pie pan and put in the oven while making the filling.
In the same bowl (no need for extra dishes!) combine the filling ingredients (except coconut milk) and mix using an immersion blender. If you don’t have one of these, use a regular blender or food processor. A hand-mixer will not get it as smooth! It should be smooth and spreadable, but not really pourable. Add coconut milk if needed to thin slightly.
After 10-15 minutes, remove the crust as it barely starts to brown.
Pour/smooth the filling over the crust and return to oven for about an hour or until center is no longer jiggly. Will set more as it cooks.
Top with *coconut cream or whipped heavy cream and some chopped pecans.
Enjoy!

Source: http://wellnessmama.com/3396/grain-free-pumpkin-pie/

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*If you are avoiding dairy, you could whip the coconut cream with a little vanilla, cinnamon and some kind of natural sweetener, or for an added yum factor, top with ice cream made by combining frozen banana chunks, chilled full-fat coconut milk, vanilla and sweetener in a blender. 🙂

Also check out the Self-help Health archives for the popular post on pumpkin seeds, more pumpkin recipes, and information on why pumpkin is so good for you!

Update 11/21/16: Not sure how long this will be available…., may just be for today, but I just got a message from the folks at Paleo Secrets that they are offering a free download of their Thanksgiving Cookbook (apparently the Kindle version usually sells for $5.99):

http://www.thepaleosecret.com/fbfreegift/thanksgiving-cookbook/ver01/

Salud and Happy Thanksgiving a little early!

p.s. Be sure to subscribe to Self-help Health so you don’t miss any future posts. Also check out my website Evolution Made Easier (and its To Your Health page) and my blog of the same name for more helpful information, tips, tools and resources.

Disclaimer: Please note that any information here is provided as a guideline only, and is not meant to substitute for the advice of your physician, nutritionist, trained healthcare practitioner, and/or inner guidance system. Always consult a professional before undertaking any change to your normal health routine.