Jason Murphy is a local fitness enthusiast who has spent the last five years learning to take the classic favorite meals of his youth and remake them into healthy dishes. He enjoys sharing with others how food can be both fuel for fitness and fun to eat. See the list of his columns/recipes at www.mysaline.com/shirtless.
Pies. You love them. I love them. In a world gone mad, there’s still one universal truth… pies are good. One of their many redeeming qualities is that pies don’t have to be complicated exercises in baking techniques to be delicious. They can be quick and simple no bake fillings that deliver on taste and texture, and when done the Shirtless Chef way, they can also be a low carb, low sugar option that are much healthier than the standard pies. So, when it’s holiday crunch time and you need a dessert that’s fast and easy with ingredients you probably already have on hand, and you don’t feel like breaking out the heart defibrillator paddles after consuming, here are some pies for the family that only you will know are healthy. It will be our secret.
If you’ve read my previous article on pumpkin pie, you’re already hip to the fact that frozen store bought pies are to health what machetes to the head are to zombies, plus the taste and texture land somewhere between cardboard box and glue paste. If you haven’t read that one, and you are in the frozen pie crust section of your local mega-mart, just slowly back away and try not to make eye contact. Never go back. There’s nothing but hardened arteries and disappointed taste buds in that cold and heartless wasteland. Some of you keto folks out there might be familiar with peanut butter fluff. I’ve taken that basic idea here for a pumpkin fluff pie, and I’ve also included how to use peanut butter fluff (at the end) for those of you that don’t like pumpkin. For everyone about to embark on their New Year’s resolution of losing weight, these recipes mean your pies will be fluffy instead of your waistline.
One note on my crust and pie recipe, in my last article I used Vitafiber powdered sweetener, but I’ve found that it has hit a supply shortage at the moment. Maybe it’s all hanging out in a garage with the same jerk that’s hoarded all the toilet paper again. In the meantime, I’ve been using Lakanto brand powdered monkfruit, and it works great in place of the vitafiber. Another important aspect of these recipes is the dairy. I know there are conflicting reports on health and dairy consumption, some diets are all for it, some say to eliminate it completely. I’m in the middle ground on this, and with my experience the same rules apply as for beef, use grass fed or pasture raised whenever possible. Grass-fed pasture raised dairy can be hard to find at the major chain grocery stores, so it might require a trip to a store that caters more to the health minded to get the brands like Organic Valley that offer cheeses, heavy cream, half & half, cream cheese, and cottage cheese. If you aren’t cutting dairy products, grass fed dairy needs to be the rule and not the exception.
I only have pictures of the Pumpkin Fluff pie here, but you’ll get the idea. The techniques and theory all stay the same, and they will serve you well on your journey to better health and better tasting pies.
Pumpkin Fluff Pie:
Crust ingredients:
- ¾ cup coconut flour (75g)
- ½ cup grass fed butter (cold, placed in freezer for 5 minutes)
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp low carb sweetener
- 1/8 tsp sea salt
Cut the butter into pieces and place in the freezer for a few minutes. Beat the eggs in a bowl, then combine all the ingredients in a food processor, pulsing until combined in a crumbly texture where no large pieces of butter are visible.
Remove dough from processor and form into a ball, then cover in a bowl with plastic wrap or freezer bag and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
When 30 minutes is up, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Take a small pat of butter and grease a glass pie pan, then use your hands to spread the dough across the bottom and up the sides. This will take a bit, so be patient and work it until it covers, then use a fork to poke holes in the bottom and sides to vent.
Bake for 12 minutes, then cool completely before filling.
Pumpkin Fluff filling:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 4 tsp water
- 1 tsp unflavored gelatin
- 5 Tbsp plus 1 ½ tsp powdered monk fruit sweetener
- 1 tsp vanilla extract, divided
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cloves
- ½ tsp nutmeg
Directions:
Place mixing bowl with beaters in the freezer to chill for 20 minutes. Place the water in a bowl and sprinkle the gelatin over it, let sit for 5 minutes. Then warm the bowl in the microwave for 10 seconds, stir. Combine 1 ½ tsp powdered monk fruit sweetener, ½ tsp vanilla, and heavy cream in the chilled bowl, beat with hand mixer until soft peaks form. Then slowly drizzle in gelatin while still beating until stiff peaks form.
In a separate bowl, add the softened cream cheese, pumpkin puree, 5 Tbsp powdered monk fruit sweetener, ½ tsp vanilla, and the cinnamon/cloves/nutmeg, then beat with a mixer until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the whipped cream to your pumpkin mixture and fold it in gently using a rubber spatula. Try to keep as much air in the mousse as possible. Mix until combined.
Pour the mixture into the cooled pie crust and chill overnight to set.
BONUS TIP:
To make a peanut butter fluff pie, just omit the pumpkin puree, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg, and replace with ½ cup of all natural peanut butter. Use a zester and a 85% dark chocolate bar to sprinkle grated chocolate over the top of the pie.
See the list of all the Shirtless Chef columns/recipes at www.mysaline.com/shirtless.