Pumpkin Pie with Pumpkin Seed Crust
Prep Time: 15 minutes Cooking Time: 60 minutes Yields: 8 people
Ingredients
Crust:
1 cup spelt flour, plus more for rolling the dough
1/3 cup hulled, raw, unsalted pumpkin seeds
1 Tbsp. maple syrup or agave nectar
1/4 tsp. sea salt
4 Tbsp. cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 tsp. apple cider vinegar
2 tsp. - 1 Tbsp. cold water
Filling:
2 farm fresh eggs
15 - 16 ounces fresh, baked or steamed pumpkin pureed until smooth
1 cup farm fresh milk, or almond or rice milk
1/2 cup maple syrup or agave nectar
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground allspice
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Optional: Serve with sweetened whipped cream or raw banana ice cream and sprinkle with pumpkin seeds for garnish.
Directions
Crust:
1. Put the flour, pumpkin seeds, and salt into food processor with fitted metal blade. Process until pumpkin seeds are finely ground.
2. Add the butter and pulse until mixture resembles coarse meal.
3. Add maple syrup, vinegar & cold water and pulse until mixture clumps.
4. Roll into ball and flatten on parchment paper pressing into a large flat circle and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
5. Preheat oven to 400°.
6. On lightly floured board, roll dough into a 12" circle and transfer to 10" pie plate pressing into bottom and up sides. Finish edges.
7. Prick with fork in several places. Line with parchment paper or foil and weight with dried beans or rice. Place in oven for about 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Lift parchment or foil and weights and remove them from baked shell. Set aside.8. Reduce oven temperature to 350°.
Filling:
1. In mixing bowl, place egg, pumpkin, milk, maple syrup or agave, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, and vanilla.
2. Whisk until smooth.
3. Pour into baked pie shell.
4. Bake until filling doesn't jiggle. About 35 - 45 minutes. Set pie on rack.
5. Serve room temperature or chilled with whipped cream and whole pumpkin seeds if desired.
Notes: Variation for Crust: Use unsalted sunflower seeds or walnuts in place of the pumpkin seeds. Variation for Filling: Use canned pumpkin.
Credit: Courtesy of Amie Guyette Hall
Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes
Prep Time: 10 minutes Cooking Time: 60 minutes Yields: 12 people
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces (about 8 cups)
1/3 cup pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Arrange sweet potatoes in an even layer in a 9-by-13-inch glass baking dish. Combine maple syrup, butter, lemon juice, salt and pepper in small bowl. Pour the mixture over the sweet potatoes; toss to coat.
3. Cover and bake the sweet potatoes for 15 minutes. Uncover, stir and cook, stirring every 15 minutes, until tender and starting to brown, 40 to 45 minutes more.
Notes: Natural sweetness without the marshmallows! Make this ahead: Cover and refrigerate for up to 1 day. Just before serving, reheat at 350°F for about 15 minutes.
Cranberry Sauce
Prep Time: 5 minutes Cooking Time: 10 minutes Yields: 8 people
Ingredients
1/2 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup fresh pineapple juice
2 tsp minced orange zest
1/8 tsp cinnamon
12 oz bag of fresh or frozen cranberries
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1/2 cup honey
Directions
1. Bring orange juice, most of the zest and cinnamon to a boil on high heat in a medium saucepan.
2. Rinse cranberries and add to boiling liquid. Reduce heat to medium and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes. Cranberries should burst open.
3. Stir in crushed pineapple and honey. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
4. (Optional) Pour a cup at a time into a mesh strainer and, using the back of a spoon, mash to push liquid and pulp through strainer.
5. Discard whatever doesn't go through strainer 6. Garnish and chill strained sauce for at least 1 hour.
Notes: This is not nearly as sweet as sugar-sweetened or canned, of course, but the zest and cinnamon lend it texture and complexity.You can serve with whole cranberries or strained for a more applesauce-like effect.
