Sunshine Pumpkin Pie ~ Paleo, Gluten-Free, Grain-Free
Because it tastes like the sunshine.
Your guests do not want to look at their watches waiting for the right moment to make a polite exit so they can go home and sleep away the Thanksgiving culinary burden. Lighten up the load. Add sunshine.
How do you add sunshine?
First, you don’t use anything canned! We are using fresh pumpkin and fresh kabocha squash, but don’t worry. It’s not hard at all. You are just going to throw them in the oven whole, until soft, cut them in half and scoop out the flesh. The difference this small step makes in flavor is unforgettable.
Plus there is a touch of citrus and raw honey to make your tongue feel as though the rays of sun have landed on your taste buds.
And the crust? We aren’t using flour. By creating a grain-free crust with pecans and dates, you will feel so much lighter. The whole pie is filled with nutrients, which is why it make a wonderful breakfast too.
This dessert is filled with mother-earth love, especially if you go organic.
Ingredients
For the Crust:
3 cups pecans
7 tablespoons butter or 4 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil, plus 1 for greasing pan
10-12 dates, pitted
For the Filling:
1 small sugar pumpkin
1 small kabocha squash
zest of 1 lemon
juice of ½ lemon
zest of 1 orange
juice of ½ orange
½ tsp ginger
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ of a whole nutmeg, grated
¼ - ⅓ cup raw unfiltered local honey
3 eggs
DIRECTIONS
For the Crust:
Place the pecans, dates and virgin coconut oil in a food processor and pulse into paste.
Use the remaining butter to amply grease tart pan.
Use your fingers to “smush” the paste into the pie pan to form the crust. You want it to be about a ¼ inch thick and hence, you might have extra. (See note)
Check out the video on how to make the crust HERE.
For the Filling:
Preheat oven to 400.
Place the pumpkin and kabocha squash on the center rack and bake until very soft to the touch. A good hour.
Cut the squashes in half horizontally, remove the seeds with a fork and scoop out the soft flesh. You will want 3 cups total.
Add the flesh of pumpkin and kabocha to food processor and reduce to a purée.
Add lemon zest, lemon juice, orange zest, orange juice, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, honey and eggs. Pulse into well mixed.
Pour mixture into pie crust.
Bring oven 350 F
Bake for 30 minutes.
Cover Pie Crust: Take out of oven and use tin foil to cover the crust that is showing as to prevent it from burning. Just go ahead and place two large sheet of aluminum foil on top of each other like a plus sign, place pie pan on top and fold over until the desired effect.
Bake for another 25 minutes or until firm to the touch.
Let cool to room temperature before serving. Can be made in advance.
Note: If you would like, it is possible to make the pie in a 9” springform pan to resemble the photo. Apply crust “dough” on bottom and sides of the oiled springform, pour in filling and bake. Let cool completely. Remove outer piece of springform but leave pie on the bottom disk...this pie is too fragile to remove (unless you place it in the refrigerator overnight and then freeze it for an hour, and are very careful while moving it.) Put on a cake plate and serve.