Golden Pumpkin Pie
If November’s cold, windy days have unbalanced your Vata dosha and left you feeling scattered or anxious, imagine coming home to the warm, soothing aroma of fresh pumpkin pie. The sweet taste of pumpkin combined with the cinnamon, cloves, and maple syrup will nourish your senses and your spirit.
Serves 8
Crust
1¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 pinch salt
½ cup cold butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
4 to 6 tablespoons ice water
Filling
3 cups fresh organic pumpkin purée or canned pumpkin purée
1 cup low-fat vanilla soymilk, milk, or cream
½ cup turbinado sugar
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 eggs, lightly whipped (or substitute ¼ cup applesauce or mango purée, plus ¼ cup vegetable oil)
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground cloves
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 pinch salt
To prepare the crust: Place flour and salt in a food processor and pulse to combine. With the machine running, slowly add butter, one piece at a time, until the flour looks like course meal. Add the vinegar. With the machine still running, begin to slowly add the ice water, 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting a moment or two before each addition, until the dough begins to form into a ball in the bowl of the processor.
Remove the dough and place on an oil-sprayed surface and roll out into a circle that is 1 inch larger around than the pie pan. Lightly oil the pie pan and place the dough in it, leaving a 1-inch edge around the perimeter of the pan. Create an attractive border around the pie pan, trimming off any excess dough.
Place the piecrust in the refrigerator while you make the pumpkin filling.
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How to Cook a Pumpkin
Choose an approximately 3-pound pumpkin. Don’t use large pumpkins intended for jack-o’-lanterns as the pulp is too watery and stringy. You can use small pumpkins or other varieties of winter squash, including kabocha squash.
Wash the pumpkin and cut in half. Remove the seeds and set aside for pumpkin seed snack. Place half the pumpkin, cut side down, into a shallow pan with ½ inch of water or apple juice. Put aluminum foil on top and bake at 400 degrees for one hour or until the pumpkin is soft. When the pumpkin is cool enough to handle, scrape out the pulp from the shell with a large spoon. Discard the shell. Let the pulp cool slightly.
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees (F). In a blender or food processor, combine the pumpkin, milk, sugar, maple syrup, eggs, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Mix well.
Remove the piecrust from the refrigerator; pour the batter up to the rim of the dough. Bake for approximately 45 minutes; if the pie starts to brown too quickly, place some foil over it. Bake until an inserted toothpick comes clean. The pie should be golden brown.
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Nutritional facts per 2½-inch piece
(using eggs and pumpkin)
Calories 291, Total fat 13.4 g, Saturated fat 7.7 g, Carbohydrates 37.5 g, Protein, 4.9 g
