Trust me, this literally is one afternoon to the next!
On a side note, look how nice the grass is coming in.
But, it is starting to feel more like the holidays with the layer of snow on the ground. The Princess has requested we listen to Christmas music, so I obliged her. But, we don't want to jump too fast to Christmas without paying some attention to Thanksgiving.
Thanksgiving is one of my favorite holidays. I love getting together with family to enjoy each other's company and discuss our blessings and the many things we have to be grateful for. And I have much to be grateful for this year! I also love Thanksgiving because it means PIE. Is anyone else a pie lover? There is nothing better after a yummy turkey dinner than a big old piece of pie covered in whipped cream. Yes, calories, fat and sugar, but that is ok on a holiday, right? I do believe that everyone gets the chance to splurge, but I also believe we can splurge without completely falling off the boat.
This year, I decided to create a "healthier" pie crust. Most pie crust recipes call for all-purpose flour and shortening. We all know that all-purpose flour has very little, if any, nutrients. Shortening is made by hydrogenating liquid vegetable oil. While most shortening no longer contains trans fat, I am still leery of eating anything that has been hydrogenated. Now, don't confuse the word "healthier' with the word "healthy". I doubt this pie crust would ever be considered a health food. But at least we will remain on the boat. This recipe is also diary, nut and egg free.
Here are some other tips to keep your Thanksgiving pie from knocking you clean off the boat:
* Cut down the sugar in your recipe. I generally always cut at least 1/4 of the sugar out, sometimes
even half. If you are planning on eating your pie ala mode, you won't miss the extra sugar in the pie.
* Substitute stevia in your pie recipes in place of sugar. Since most fruit pie recipes don't need the sugar
for anything but to make it taste sweet, this is an easy substitution. I do not like pumpkin pie (gasp!
yes, you read that correctly) or pecan pie. I have never made either in my life. Using stevia works in
fruit pie recipes, try it out in other types of pie recipes at your own risk.
* These tips even work for your whipping cream. Buy real cream and use less sugar (or stevia) when
whipping it for a "healthier" whipped cream.
Now, the recipe.
"Healthier" Pie Crust
1 1/4 cups wonder flour (whole wheat flour could be substituted, but would result in a slightly denser
crust)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup coconut oil (at room temperature - you want it to be the consistency of shortening)
4-5 Tbsp. cold water
I found this recipe works best in my food processor. If you don't have a food processor, you can cut the coconut oil into the flour with a pastry blender (or 2 knives)
Place flour, salt and coconut oil in the food processor. Blend until coconut oil is cut throughout the flour and the mixture resembles crumbs.
Begin adding water and processing (or stirring). Add little bits of water until your dough forms a nice round ball.
Roll out your dough. I like to roll mine out on waxed paper because that makes the transfer to the pie plate easier. Do whatever works best for you.
Place your dough in your pie dish and shape it into the dish. Here is where you can make your edges all fancy (if you know how to do that - which I have not mastered yet).
This recipe makes one 9" pie crust. If you are making a pie with a bottom and a top crust, you will need to double the recipe.
I LOVE apple pie, so that is what I made. I tried out this Sweet Molasses Apple Pie recipe (because it had molasses and I also LOVE molasses) and it was delicious! I obviously used my own crust recipe and cut the sugar WAY down and didn't add the raisins (because to me, raisins and pie don't go together). Use your favorite pie recipe and enjoy!
Jana
No comments:
Post a Comment