Recipe:
These mini pumpkin pies are perfectly portioned so you can enjoy a delicious dessert while still keeping calories in check! They are rich and satisfying but still made with wholesome ingredients. The crust of the pies is sweet, nutty, and chewy, while the filling is smooth and creamy and full of classic fall flavors. Plus, they are plant-based and gluten-free (if you use certified gluten-free oats) so everyone can enjoy them. They are also no-bake, to simplify your Thanksgiving cooking.Walnuts, one of my top ten beauty foods, contain omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and melatonin, all of which have beauty benefits from smooth skin to a slimming figure to beauty sleep. Pumpkin is a great source of beta-carotene, which may aid in eye health and combat dandruff in addition to keeping skin soft and smooth.
Ingredients:
For the crust:
1⁄2 cup walnuts
1⁄2 cup oats
1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
Pinch salt
1⁄2 cup pitted and chopped Medjool dates (about 5 dates)
1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
For the filling:
3⁄4 cup pumpkin puree
1⁄4 cup raw cashews, soaked in boiling water for at least one hour and drained*
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
For the topping:
1 can (15.5 oz) full fat coconut milk, refrigerated for at least one hour
1⁄4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon maple syrup
Instructions:
To make the crust, combine walnuts, oats, cinnamon, and salt in a food processor or high-speed blender and process into a coarse flour. Toss the chopped dates in the oat-walnut mixture and then process again until a smooth dough forms. Add vanilla and process again. Roll into a ball and set in the refrigerator to chill while you make the filling.
To make the filling, combine pumpkin puree, soaked cashews, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice in a blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Set in the refrigerator to chill while you make the topping.
To make the topping, scoop 1⁄3 of the cream off the top of the can of coconut milk and place into a bowl. Beat this cream with a mixer in a bowl with the vanilla and maple syrup until smooth and fluffy.
To assemble, divide the crust mixture into 12 pieces and roll each piece into a ball. Flatten out each piece of crust into a flat circle and then pinch the edges up to create a pie crust shape. Repeat for the remaining crusts. Fill each crust with a spoonful of the filling and top with a small dollop of topping. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving.
*Soaking the cashews softens them. It makes it much easier to blend them and they become smooth and creamy rather than staying chunky. If you have a very high-speed blender, such as a Vitamix, you do not have to soak the cashews beforehand.
Yields 12 servings
Per serving: 132 calories, 2.3 g protein, 15.6 g carbohydrates, 1.8 g fiber, 9.9 g sugars, 7.7 g fat, 3.2 g saturated fat, 0 g trans fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 18.65 mg sodium, 27 mg calcium, 0 g omega-3 fats, 1251 IU vitamin A, 0.5 mg vitamin C, 0 mg vitamin E, 1.2 mg iron, 0.2 mg zinc
Lisa Drayer, M.A., R.D.,
is the author of THE BEAUTY DIET and STRONG, SLIM, and 30! For more of Lisa’s Beauty Bites, visit www.lisadrayer.com.