Pumpkin Pie

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You can't have Thanksgiving without pumpkin pie. You just can't, and I certainly wasn't planning on skipping my slice of pie (or 2) this year! I've shown you just how much I love pumpkin with my Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Bolognese, Chocolate Pumpkin Brownies, Pumpkin Protein Waffles and of course, my Pumpkin Protein Donuts. 

All of these recipes are great, but can you really beat a simple slice of pumpkin pie?

Like many of my holiday recipes, I've taken the traditional recipe and adapted it to fit my diet. Traditionally, pumpkin pie is made with either evaporated milk and loads of sugar or condensed milk. Call me crazy, but something about canned dairy just doesn't appeal to me. I also want to feel good after eating my dessert, instead of worse because of the amount of sugar I've ingested. My pumpkin pie uses light coconut milk and a bit of pure maple syrup for sweetening. The result is the most delicious light and creamy pumpkin pie - you have to trust me on this one.

While my pie is in no way "healthy" - that would take away the fun of the holidays - it definitely has reduced guilt when eating ;)

Pumpkin Pie

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Bake Time: 1 hr 10 minutes

Servings: 1 pie, 8-10 slices

Ingredients:

• 1 Mamaw's Pie Crust
• 1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin puree
• 1 cup light coconut milk
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cloves
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• Optional topping: Coconut whipped cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425°F. 
2. Prepare pie crust per directions. Once completed place in refrigerator to keep chilled while you continue on with the rest of the recipe. 
3. In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, spices (salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves) and vanilla. Mix to incorporate spices. 
4. In a medium mixing bowl combine coconut milk, maple syrup and eggs. Whisk to combine. Pour mixture into the pumpkin, continuing to whisk to fully incorporate. 
5. Remove pie crust from refrigerator and pour filling into crust. 
6. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, loosely cover with aluminum foil, to prevent the crust from becoming too brown, and reduce heat to 350°F. Bake for an additional 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted into center comes out clean. 
7. Allow pie to cool for at least 2 hours before slicing. This can easily be made the day before you plan on eating. 

Nutritional Information (1 slice out of 10 slices)

170 calories - 3 g Protein, 22 g Carbohydrates, 8 g Fat

Mamaw's Pie Crust

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Like I have said before, I love the holidays because it means family traditions. 

It should come as no surprise that my family has an abundance of family recipes. I have recipes and dishes I learned from my mother, she has the same from her mother, and my grandmother had recipes from her mother.  We are a family that loves to cook, especially for the holidays. 

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, I turned to my mom for the perfect pie crust recipe which has been handed down from Mamaw, my great grandmother. In addition to some great one-liners (which are hilarious), she could make a mean pie crust. To show just how much we love this crust and how many times we've made it, this is the recipe my mom sent me when I asked for her to send it my way.

Many recipes in my family are like that. Nothing is ever too descriptive as a majority of the recipe lives in our heads (much like our Christmas cookies, but that's for another day) which makes it tricky to pass on to generations. The key is to write it down when you get the chance, so I'm doing just that! I've adapted this recipe to fit my diet, but rest assured, it still has the same great taste.

I swapped the all-purpose flour with Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour. This bakes very similarly to all-purpose, unlike coconut flour or almond flour. The 1-to-1 Baking Flour is a blend of sweet white rice flour, whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, whole grain sweet white sorghum flour, tapioca flour and xanthan gum (phew, that's a mouth-full!). 

Crisco, aka shortening, was introduced in 1911 to provide an economical alternative to animal fats and butter, and also as a product that would stay in solid form year-round, regardless of temperature (ew). While I love soybean oil, fully hydrogenated palm ooil ad partially hydrogenated palm and soybean oils as much as the next person, I don't want it in my pie. Instead of shortening, I'm using grass-fed butter.

Alright, time for the pie crust making tutorial...

Mamaw's Pie Crust

Servings: 2 crusts

Ingredients: 

• 2 cups Gluten Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour
• 10 tbsp COLD cubed grass fed butter
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp coconut palm sugar
• Ice water (see step 4) - fill a small bowl with about a cup of cold water and add one ice cube, set aside

Directions: 

1. Start by cubing your butter. I can't stress enough how important COLD butter is! Cut the butter into small pieces and place back into the refrigerator. In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, salt and sugar. 

2. Add cold butter to the flour.

3. Now "cut in" the butter. This can be done with a fork and knife or two knives. You will literally cut the butter into the flour as if you were slicing a piece of meat. 

Keep cutting until you reach a meal like consistency. 

4. Once you've reached a meal like consistency you will begin adding the ice water. In total you will need roughly 10 tbsp of ice water to form your dough, however we will add just 1 tbsp at a time. My dough normally takes 10 tbsp of ice water - your's could need more or less. With the addition of each tbsp of ice water, stir with a spatula to combine. Don't use those warm hands yet! Continue adding and stirring. After about 8 tbsp you dough should begin holding in a ball. Now you can use your hands to start forming. Continue adding water until your dough holds together. Not too dry, not too wet. 

5. You will be left with one ball of dough, which is enough for 2 pie crusts. Divide this dough in half. 

6. Place one ball of dough between two large pieces of plastic wrap. Roll the dough out into an evenly thin round, roughly 12" for a 9" pie pan. You could also roll out on a floured surface, but that makes it more difficult to transfer your dough to the pie pan. Once you've reached the desired size, peel top layer of plastic wrap off. Flip into pan, dough side down, and then peel off bottom layer of plastic wrap. 

7. Form the dough into the pie pan. Don't fret if you have some breaks or the dough becomes separated! It is oh-so-forgiving :) You are now ready to fill your pie with whatever filling your heart desires! Pumpkin pie, apple pie, chocolate cream pie, quiches...the possibilities are endless.

I hope you enjoy Mamw's pie crust just as much as we love it in our family. While this crust is in no way 'healthy' it is lightened up so that it is easier to enjoy during the holidays! 

Nutritional Information (Based on 1 slice out of 10 slices)

100 calories - 1 g Protein, 12 g Carbohydrates, 5.5 g Fat

Ham, Leek & Sourdough Dressing

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The holiday season is so close I can taste it. Literally. I have already starting practicing my dishes for the holidays!!

From now until Christmas, I’ll be sharing with you my family favorites – all with my twist to make them easier on the diet this season. Going through contest prep during the holidays is no easy task. I’m starting to realize more and more how disciplined I must be to make sure I stay on course. Nothing I can’t handle, however!

First up for my holiday favorites and just in time for Thanksgiving: Dressing. Or stuffing…the great debate.

The main reason I love the holidays is that each family has their own traditions. Mine, for example, calls that deliciously bready side dish served with turkey DRESSING, not stuffing. Why? Because stuffing is stuffed and cooked in the bird while dressing is cooked in a casserole outside of the turkey. Perfectly logical if you ask me. Whatever your family calls it, dressing or stuffing, there are hundreds of variations.

Because dressing is one of my favorite side dishes, I wanted to create a recipe I would have no problem eating this Thanksgiving while staying in line with my contest prep. Traditionally, dressing (or stuffing) is made with sausage. As tasty as it may be, it is extremely high in fat. I opted for ham – same animal, leaner cut of meat! 

I also recently found my new favorite gluten free bread: Bread SRSLY. This stuff is AMAZING. Gluten free breads usually tastes like gluten free breads. Not this. No, this actually tastes like an amazing slice of sourdough. Instead of relying on the bread to be the bulk of the dressing (like normal) I cut back significantly on the bread and loaded up on other vegetables and the ham.

With sourdough and ham being the foundation of the dressing, now comes the other fillers. A must-have in my family’s dressing are water chestnuts. They add the perfect crunch! I used leeks instead of onions as I feel they bring a greater depth of flavor to the dish. Celery, fresh cranberries, rosemary and thyme round things out.  Not only is this dish full of flavor, it is also beautiful and full of color!

Ham, Leek and Sourdough Dressing

Prep Time: 25 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. Gluten-free sourdough bread (or whichever you prefer - I recommend Bread SRSLY), cubed (about ½"), yields 4 cups
• 1 lb. country ham steak, cubed (about ½")
• 1-1/2 tbsp. butter
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 medium leeks, bulb and lower leaf portion, 2 cups thinly sliced and halved
• 2 cups celery, sliced
• 1 tbsp. fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp. fresh thyme, finely chopped
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1 can water chestnuts (5 oz. can)
• 1-1/2 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 cup chicken stock (see note 5 below)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice bread into ½" cubes, yielding about 4 cups of bread. Spread out evenly on a baking sheet and bake in oven for 10 minutes or until toasted.
2. While bread is toasting, prepare the ham, leeks and celery. Slice the ham into ½" cubes like you did the bread. Slice the celery and leeks, setting aside. Remove bread from oven after it has toasted and set aside. Increase temperature to 375°F.
3. In a large cast iron pot (or soup pot) sauté ham over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the outside starts to brown and caramelize. Remove and set aside.
4. Melt butter over medium heat. Add garlic, celery, leeks, herbs, salt and pepper. Sauté for about 5 minutes or until leeks soften and become slightly translucent. (This part smells SO flavorful!!). Turn stovetop heat off.
5. Add drained water chestnuts, cranberries and ham back to the pot with the vegetables. Stir to mix evenly. Add 1/2 cup of the chicken stock, stir to incorporate, and then add the bread. If all liquid has soaked up, add remaining 1/2 cup of chicken stock. We don't want our mixture to become too wet - if liquid starts to pool at the bottom of the pot we've added too much! We want the mixture to be saturated but not swimming!
6. Transfer to a casserole or baking dish. Cover dish with tin foil and bake at 375°F for 20 minutes covered. Remove tin foil after 20 minutes and continue baking for another 30 minutes uncovered. Let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Rosemary Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

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It's (unofficially) crock pot season! Warm, slow cooked meals are almost necessary when it gets dark and chilly by 7pm. Add to that a meal that takes minimal effort and you've got yourself a staple dinner in your meal planning rotation for this Fall and Winter!

If you loved my Slow Cooker Carnitas as much as I do, then you are in for a treat with this Rosemary Balsamic Tenderloin. Normally with lean cuts of meat you can't cook them too long or you run the risk of drying out the meat. This crock pot recipe completely voids that rule. You are left with a pork tenderloin that is so incredibly tender it shreds with only the touch of a fork. 

Dig in! 

Rosemary Balsamic Pork Tenderloin

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 6-8 hours

Servings: 6

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 1.5 lb pork tenderloin
• 1 medium onion, sliced into rings
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped
• 1 tbsp thyme, fresh, chopped
• 1 cup chicken bone broth
• Salt and Pepper

*You will also need a crock pot for this recipe. 

Directions:

1. Generously salt and pepper pork loin on all sides and set aside. Chop onions and layer them in bottom of crockpot. 
2. In a large skillet over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Sear pork tenderloin on all sides to create a crust. Once all sides have been seared (about 10 minutes) transfer tenderloin to crockpot, placing on top of onions. Pour bone broth into skillet to de-glaze, scrapping up any delicious pieces that were left in the pan.  Carefully pour the broth into bottom of crockpot around the pork tenderloin, but not directly over the meat.
3. Mix apple cider vinegar, balsamic vinegar and garlic together and then pour mixture over tenderloin. Lastly, sprinkle the fresh rosemary and thyme over pork and onions. 
4. Place lid on crockpot and set heat to low. Cook for 6-8 hours, until tenderloin is tender and can easily be pulled apart with a fork. Once cooked, shred tenderloin within crockpot, mixing with onions and drippings. 

Nutritional Information (1 serving - approximately 7.25 oz cooked)

210 calories - 30 g Protein, 5.5 g Carbohydrates, 7.5 g Fat

Apple Cider Protein Donuts

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Somehow, someway, it is already November. 

I think we've (I've) done our fair share of celebrating pumpkins throughout October, but what about apples? They shouldn't be forgotten! Apples are just as much of a star to Fall as pumpkins are. My Pumpkin Protein Donuts were just SO good that I couldn't resist making my next batch of donuts.  

Apples are made to be baked with.

Sure, they are delicious on their own or served chilled. But warm, soft apples are something special. Recently, I feel like I've seen an overload of Apple Cider Donuts on the Internet. Or maybe I've just been craving apples and donuts so it just seems like it... either way, I had to satisfy my craving.

I think it is safe to say I more than satisfied my craving with this newest batch of pronuts. The baking process alone sends your nose into a state of euphoria. My kitchen was filled with a warm scent of apple cider, cinnamon, allspice and cloves - a wonderful accompaniment to the pronuts which were about to be consumed.

I've made these low fat, gluten-free and guilt-free with 6 grams of protein to boot! Welcome Fall and all its glory with a fresh batch of these donuts straight from the oven. 

Apple Cider Protein Donuts

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Bake Time: 10 minutes

Servings: 12 Donuts

Ingredients:

Donuts:

• 1-1/2 cup apple cider
• 1/2 cup grated apple
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 1-1/2 cup cassava flour (I talk about why I use this flour HERE!)
• 1/2 cup vanilla whey protein isolate (I use True Nutrition and love their products)
• 2 tbsp coconut palm sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1-1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup nonfat greek yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg

Topping:

• 1-1/2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1 tbsp coconut palm sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:

1. In a small pot over medium high heat, combine apple cider, grated apple and allspice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and let simmer for 20 minutes. We want this to reduce to 1 cup of concentrate cider. After the 20 minutes, pour into a small ball to cool slightly.
2. While the cider is simmering, preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 donut pans by greasing with a bit of coconut oil. If you only have one pan, no worries! Just bake in batches. 
3. Whisk together dry ingredients (flour, protein, sugar and spices) in a small mixing bowl and set aside.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the yogurt, vanilla extract and egg. Slowly pour Apple cider and grated apple into bowl, continuing to whisk. Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until a well incorporated batter has formed. This will be a bit of a wetter batter - that's ok!
5. Transfer batter to a piping bag or large ziploc bag. Pipe batter into donut pan. Bake for 10 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted.  
6. Melt butter and set aside in a small bowl which is wide enough to fit a donut. Mix sugar and cinnamon together in another small bowl or on a plate. Once donuts have baked, allow to cool slightly on a large cutting board. Dip tops of donuts into melted butter and then lightly into the sugar/cinnamon mix.