Recipe: Vegan Pumpkin Pie
Post by Olivia Martino, Registered Dietitian and Owner, Nourish Northwest
Now that our Vegan Thanksgiving Cooking Class has already happened, I must share one of our favorite recipes for pumpkin pie. Year after year we get numerous requests from clients to give their family favorites a healthy makeover. We always tell these clients not to mess with Grandma’s recipe and to enjoy it as written, while being mindful of other unhealthy treats sneaking their way into their diet. Holiday treats do come only once a year, so if you have been really looking forward to your favorite fudge recipe, enjoy it as is! Just make sure to balance out the treats with plenty of veggies and physical activity.
This pumpkin pie recipe is one exception to this philosophy. It is a healthier version of the classic but I honestly think it is WAY better than traditional pumpkin pie. My main reason to switching to this version is not for the healthfulness (although it is much lower in sugar and saturated fat), but it is actually the flavor. It is also much easier and happens to be vegan and gluten free, which always comes in handy when accommodating guests. So if you really love your pumpkin pie as is, go ahead and have it, but if you are looking for a change this year, this pie will not disappoint!
Vegan Pumpkin Pie with Oat Nut Crust
For the crust:
2/3 cup Medjool dates, pitted
1 ¼ cup rolled oats
½ cup walnut or pecan halves
¼ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp salt
3 Tbs coconut oil, at room temperature
For the filling:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
½ cup pure maple syrup
2 Medjool dates, pitted
½ cup coconut oil
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
Make the Crust:
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9-inch pie dish with coconut oil.
2. In a food processor, combine the oats, pecans, cinnamon, and salt and process until mixture has a texture of coarse meal. Add the dates and oil and process until mixture comes together. If it’s dry, add 1 teaspoon of water and process again.
3. Press the crust mixture into the pie dish, pushing the crust of the sides of the dish. Poke several fork holes in the crust and bake for 10-12 minutes until golden.
Make the Filling:
1. Drain and rinse the cashews. In a food processor or high speed blender, combine all filling ingredients and process until completely smooth. You can add some liquid if the mixture needs something to get it going.
2. Pour the filling into the cooled pie crust and smooth out the top. To set the pie, cover with foil and freeze for 5-6 hours until firm.
3. Remove pie from freezer 10 minutes before serving and serve cold.
4. Top with whipped coconut cream and chopped nuts.
