Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free Maple Coconut Pumpkin Pie

Just in time for Thanksgiving - a pumpkin pie that’s not too sweet and will really satisfy!

The secret to satiety

What’s the secret to a satiating dessert?

Fat!

Fat in our diet makes everything taste better, and it’s necessary for important functions in the body including hormone production and cellular membrane integrity.

Fat got a bad rap in the 1990s. Food companies started removing fat from foods, substituting more sugar to make things taste better. (Anyone else demolish a whole bag of Snackwell’s?? It’s not your fault! It was designed to make us fail!)

We know now that sugar is the enemy, increasing our insulin levels and other inflammatory markers and ultimately padding our spare tires.

Coconut

The fat from coconut in this recipe is super satisfying. About 50% of the fat from coconut oil is medium-chain triglycerides (MCTs). MCTs are associated with improved brain cognition and better blood sugar and weight management.

Does that mean that eating Dr. Katie’s pumpkin pie will lead to weight loss? Not so fast. We still have to be careful about portion size. So have one piece and enjoy it!

Ingredients

For the Crust

1 ¼  c finely ground nuts (like pecans), granola, or graham cracker crumbs

1/3 c unsweetened coconut flakes

¼ c dark brown sugar

1/4 tsp kosher salt

4-5 Tbsp extra virgin coconut oil

For the Pie Filling

1 15-oz can organic pumpkin puree

1/3 c grade B maple syrup

2 large pasture-raised organic eggs

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger 

½ tsp ground cloves

½ tsp kosher salt

1 c full-fat organic coconut milk 

Directions

1.     Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2.     Mix dry ingredients for pie crust thoroughly. Add coconut oil and stir until combined. The mixture should be wet. Press into greased pie pan. (Note, if your crust is on the wet or thick side, you may need to bake it alone for 10 minutes or so before pouring in the pie filling.)

3.     Mix ingredients for filling with hand or stand mixer until well combined. Pour into pressed pie crust.

4.     Tear small pieces of foil and place around the edges of crust to prevent burning.

5.     Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes in the center of oven. Then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes until pie filling is set (you can tell because it no longer giggles much when you wiggle the pan, or insert a toothpick into the center and it comes out mostly clean.)

6.     Cool at room temperature.

7.     Top with coconut whipped cream* if desired!

(*To make coconut whipped cream, refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk upside down. Scoop out the cream (save the liquid for making a whole grain!). Beat the cream with 1 Tbsp powdered sugar with hand or stand mixer.)