Vegan Pecan Pie

I find it a bit ironic, don’t you, that I’m sharing this rich, decadent pecan pie with you immediately after announcing that I’m training for a bikini competition.  I also find it ironic… or maybe masochistic is a better word… that I began this program immediately prior to Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I didn’t really think about the timing on that one…

But anyway, I’m all in now!  It’s fun, and there’s always a way to make room for pie… especially this pie.  I searched with no luck on the Internet for a healthier recipe for pecan pie, because, though I love it, the main ingredients, besides pecans, are corn syrup and eggs.  There must be a better way!  Corn syrup is highly processed, genetically modified, and the dark version has artificial colour added to it.  No thanks.  And while I’m not opposed to eggs, if I could use flax meal successfully, adding fiber and healthy fats to the mix, why not?

I decided to try my experiment the night I was having 20 people over for Thanksgiving dinner…

I blame my mother for this penchant, as she set a precedent early in my life by whipping out a new recipe every time guests were coming over.  And guess what??  It always worked out for her!!  So I do it too, just assuming it will always work out for me as well.  And this time, I got lucky.

No one guessed this caramelly, rich, perfectly sweet pecan pie was vegan.  The flax “eggs” thickened the filling like a dream… I used pure maple syrup and coconut sugar to replace the corn syrup and white sugar.  I did add a tablespoon of flour to ensure the thickening process, but you could probably leave it out and be just dandy.  My pecans are from Oklahoma, one of the finest pecan growing states in the US.  They’re plump, sweet, & crisp.  I think you can never have too many pecans in a pie, so I increased the usual amount by 50%.

Yes, this pie is still calorific… but not as much as the regular version because I reduced the total amount of sugar by 25%.  And we didn’t miss it at all! It was still plenty sweet, and it didn’t make my teeth ache.  I hope you love it as much as we did…

Vegan Pecan Pie

November 28, 2016

by thexpatdietitian

Category Desserts

Persons

8

Ingredients

For the crust:

• 1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup vegetable shortening
• 3-4 tablespoons very cold water

For the filling:

• 3 tablespoons flaxmeal + 6 tablespoons water, mix together & let stand 5 minutes
• ¾ cup pure maple syrup
• ¾ cup coconut sugar
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon salt (scant)
• 2 cups pecans, roughly chopped

Instructions

To make the crust:

1. Whisk together the flour & salt in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the shortening in several pieces and cut in with a pastry blender until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the cold water one tablespoon at a time, mixing as you go, until dough holds together.
4. Gather the dough into a ball, pressing it lightly with your hands.
5. Roll out into a circle about 10 inches in diameter and place into a 9-inch pie plate. Trim the edges. Crimp decoratively however you desire. Set aside.
6. Preheat the oven to 175C (350 F.)

To make the filling:

1. Place all ingredients except pecans into a blender.
2. Blend at medium speed until very smooth (this is to make sure the flax is well-blended.)
3. Spread pecans evenly in the bottom of the pie crust.
4. Pour the filling mixture over.
5. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until the filling is set but wobbles slightly in the centre. Remove from oven and let cool at least 2 hours before cutting.

Tags

dessert,

healthy dessert,

pecan pie,

pie,

vegan dessert

https://www.thexpatdietitian.com/vegan-pecan-pie/