Pumpkin Pie

Featuring: What better way to celebrate the holidays than with a slice of classic pumpkin pie? You may wonder if dessert can fit into a healthy eating plan—good news: it absolutely can! The key is moderation: enjoy a reasonable portion, stay mindful of added sugars in the rest of your meals, and embrace balance in your overall eating pattern. Indulging mindfully allows you to savour the season’s flavours while maintaining a healthy relationship with food—no guilt necessary. Pumpkin isn’t just tasty; it’s a powerhouse of nutrients, especially for your eyes. Rich in beta-carotene, which your body converts to vitamin A, pumpkin supports low-light vision and protects the cornea. Pumpkin also provides vitamin C, which may help reduce the risk of macular degeneration and slow its progression. Plus, antioxidants like lutein and zeaxanthin work to filter harmful light wavelengths, potentially lowering the risk of cataracts and macular degeneration. So, when you savour a slice of pumpkin pie, you’re indulging in more than just a holiday treat—you’re feeding your eyes some love too!

Makes one 9” pie

Ingredients & Supplies

1 - 9” pie pan
1 - 9” pie crust (or use the vegan pie crust below)
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
¾ cup brown sugar
2 cups pumpkin puree (see recipe below for homemade or use canned pure pumpkin*)
1¼ cup homo milk
1 tsp vanilla
1½ tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp ginger
½ tsp cloves
¼ tsp salt

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, add eggs and lightly beat with a whisk. Add brown sugar, pumpkin puree, homo milk, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and salt. Whisk until well combined.
Pour mixture into the prepared pie shell.
Bake for 60–65 minutes until the filling is just set in the middle and a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.** Enjoy!

*Not canned pumpkin pie filling
**If you don’t want to insert a knife, you will know it is done when it jiggles like Jello.

Vegan Pie Crust

(makes 1 bottom*)

Ingredients & Supplies

Parchment paper
Rolling pin
1 cup + 1 tbsp flour
¼ tsp salt
⅛ cup warm water
⅓ cup canola oil

Method

Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, warm water, and canola oil. Mix just to combine. Knead once or twice.
Place pastry ball between 2 sheets of parchment paper and roll it into a flat circle with an 11” or 12” diameter.
Gently place the rolled out pastry in the pie pan and fold under the excess pastry to make a pie edge. Note: This pastry will shrink when blind baked, so continue to follow the steps in this method.
Nestle an aluminum foil pie pan on top of your pie pastry and flip upside down on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. The pie crust will be sitting between 2 pie pans. Blind bake for 20 minutes.
Remove from oven, cool slightly, and your crust is prepared!

*This recipe may be doubled if you wish to make a top crust and a bottom crust. For example, if you want to use this recipe in the future to make a vegan fruit pie. (Note: pumpkin pie filling is not vegan but is vegetarian.)

Homemade Pumpkin Purée

Preheat oven to 400°F. Spread parchment paper on a baking sheet.
Cut off stem. Cut sugar pumpkin in half lengthwise and scrape out seeds.
Roast the halves cut-side down for 45–55 minutes. Let cool.
Scoop out the flesh and purée in a blender or food processor until smooth. Add 1–2 tbsp of water if needed.

Pumpkin Pie