Paleo Inspired and Sprouted Pumpkin Pie
Pie Crust:
1/2 cup hazelnuts
1 cup pecans
4 tablespoons melted coconut oil
pinch of sea salt
For this delicious crust I purchase organic and raw hazelnuts and pecans. Soak the raw nuts for 6-12 hours and then sprout them in a jar upside down for an additional 6-12 hours. Your jar should be covered with a screen lid, or a cloth and rubber band will do. Place your upside down jar on a pie tray over a plate to catch the drip. The process of soaking and sprouting enlivens the digestive enzymes, enhances the nutrient bioavailablity, and predigests or breaks down the phytic acids. Phytic acids, are a sort of protective coating on all seeds, nuts, and grains, however, they are not digestible and are in fact an anti-nutrient. An anti-nutrient means it drawn on your reserve of nutrients in order to process it. Preparing your food correctly ensures that you are gaining nutrients rather than spending nutrients. Following the soaking and sprouting process I like to dehydrate my sprouted nuts on a living foods temperature of 105 degrees that will preserve the enzymes and nutrients. Now my sprouted hazelnuts and pecans are ready to create into a Paleo-inspired and sprouted crust for a most delicious pumpkin pie.
Preheat oven to 350. In a food processor, process the sprouted nuts until they have a grainy consistency. In a small mixing bowl, combine the nut meal, coconut oil and salt and mix into a thick dough. Using your hands, spread evenly into a pie pan and bake for 10 minutes. Add your pie filling and bake for an additional 45 minutes.
Thank you Stephanie Berg for sharing this Paleo-inspired crust recipe with me years ago, it has consistently been a favorite among all who sample in its delight.
Pie Filling:
4 cups cooked organic pumpkin
1/4 cup pure maple syrup or 1 Tbl. black strap molasses
1/2 cup homemade sprouted grain, seed or nut milk of your choice, or store bought coconut milk
4 tsp. coconut oil left on the counter overnight or melted
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. vanilla oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 1/2 Tbl. arrowroot powder
1 pie crust
Preheat oven to 350’F. Precook the pumpkin halves in the oven pumpkin chunks in a steamer. Remove the skin from the cooked pumpkin. In a food processor, blend the pumpkin with maple syrup, milk, oil, cinnamon, ginger, vanilla, and salt, until smooth. Add arrowroot powder and blend some more. Pour the pumpkin filing into the crust. Bake for 45 minutes or until it appears firm. Remove the pie from oven and cover with pecans. Drizzle black strap molasses over top (optional). Cook for an additional 20 minutes. Let the pie cool for several hours or make it ahead of the time and serve it chilled.
Pie Toppings
1 1/2 cups sprouted pecan halves
1 Tbl. black strap molasses (optional)
Toss all ingredients in bowl, mix well, and set aside. After the pie has cooked for an initial 45 min. or so, decorate the pie with pecans. Bake for an additional 20 min or thereabouts.
Last but not least - Coconut whipped cream
Can coconut milk, full fat
1 Tbl maple sugar (optional), or 4 drops whole leaf stevia
1/4 tsp vanilla
Leave a can of full fat coconut milk in the refrigerator overnight. Place a mixing bowl in the freezer shortly before mixing the cream. Open the can and separate the oil from the cream (you can save the coconut oil for other recipes). Scoop the coconut cream into the chilled mixing bowl and combine with the maple syrup and vanilla. Whip the cream with hand mixer or ladle.
