Labor Day & Pumpkin Pie

Labor Day 2010.

Growing up to me Labor Day marked the beginning of school, the New Vienna, Iowa Labor Day picnic, small town America at its best!  The New Vienna annual picnic was complete with candy wheels, bingo with dried corn as bingo-chips, "chances" on the most beautiful hand made quilts, beer tents, "supper" served of roast beef, ham, corn, mashed potatoes, cole slaw, coffee, milk and a massive assortment of fresh homemade desserts from all the local families, and finally the day's entertainment was provided by the local "traditional" German bands honking away just as if you were in Germany for Octoberfest.

Everyone knew everyone as families consisted of 6-9 kids and somewhere along the line I swear we were all related.  It seems like the annual small towns church picnics were a way we marked the passing of time.  Each year kids showed up a little taller with deeper voices, new marriages, new babes, a few more gray hairs, upcoming 50 year marriage anniversaries, and of course the shared memories of locals that passed on...simply due to age or some earlier unfortunate loss.

At any rate, with cooler temps here in Chicago the last few days, and to honor my memories of Labor Days past growing up in small town Iowa, I had to crack out my own pumpkin pie recipe and warm up the house the its nourishing smell and power packed nutrition for my husband and I.

The recipe here is a bit different then the one I grew up with.  Still made with fresh pumpkin of course, but in place of condensed cream, refined white sugar and a crust of lard and white flour (smiles), you will see a rather healthy option using coconut products, dairy free with options to make it wheat, gluten and egg free.  Either way, the bottom line is food made from whole organic foods with your hands and infused with love is the best nourishment on earth.  ENJOY.

Hip Goddess Pumpkin Pie
Dairy, Wheat and Gluten Free Options

2 cups solid-pack organic home cooked pumpkin *
½ cup light coconut milk 

2 organic eggs plus one white
3/4 c. palm sugar (or 1/2 cup agave, or stevia extract)

1 t. celtic sea salt
1 T. coconut flour*

3 T. coconut oil*
1 t. vanilla

3 t. pumpkin pie spice

½ t. cinnamon

_________________________________________

*Cut a small organic baking pumpkin in half.  Scoop out seeds and add a bit of water to each half of pumpkin.  Cover with aluminum foil.  Bake in oven at 350 for 45 minutes or until pumpkin is soft.  What you do not use for your pie, store in freezer or just double the batch and make 2 pies.  Everyone LOVES pumpkin pie.

*Run coconut oil under hot water to liquify.  Coconut flour is available at whole foods or on line.  Coconut flour is very high in fiber, a good source of protein, low in digestible carbohydrates and gluten free.

*Coconuts are one of the greatest gifts on this planet.  The young coconut flesh, water, cream, oil and milk can literally save your life.

Blend all ingredients together in a vitamix or high speed blender, adding pumpkin in gradually at the end.

Pour the filling into the pastry and bake at 375 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted near the center comes out clean.

.

Cool before serving.

Crust Options:

*  1 9" frozen unbaked gluten free or spelt pastry crust

*  Susie Sondag homemade crusts: 

1. Wheat and Gluten Free:  1.5-2 cups shredded coconut, 1/2 cup coconut flour, 1/4 cup agave, 3 T. liquid coconut oil, 1/2 t sea salt, 1/2 t cinnamon.  Combine all ingredients in food processor until the texture is chunky like a crumble.  Coat a glass pie dish with coconut oil and press crust into pan.  Pour pumpkin pie into crust and bake.
2. Oatmeal Crust:  2 cups steel cut oats, 1/4 cup agave, 3 T. liquid coconut oil, 1/2 t sea salt, 1/2 t cinnamon.  Combine all ingredients in food processor until chunky like a crumble.  Coat a glass pie dish with coconut oil and press crust into pan.  Pour pumpkin pie into crust and bake.

Substituting Flax Seed Meal or Lecithin for Eggs:  

FLAX for one egg:  Substitute one tablespoon of fresh ground golden flax seed mixed with three tablespoons of water and let it sit for two minutes in a cup or bowl until it forms a gel.  Add this mixture to any recipe that calls for eggs, multiply as needed per number of eggs needed.  Whole ground flaxseed meal is rich in fiber, lingans, and omega 3 fatty acids. Flax seed meal has a nutty flavor.  You can grind flax seeds in an inexpensive coffee grinder to get a meal consistency, or use a blender that grinds grain into meal, such as the dry grinding blade attachment of a Vita-Mix

LECITHIN for one egg:  Use 2 tablespoons of Non-GMO lecithin powder for one egg.  Lecithin supports fat burning, healthy cholesterol and triglyceride levels, cardiovascular health, liver, nerve and brain function.  It has a smooth creamy like texture and is also terrific to use in smoothies.  I prefer lecithin from www.healthforce.com and is also found at Karyn’s on Halsted in Chicago.