Do you like pumpkin pie?  If so I must warn you this recipe could cause an addiction.  You could find yourself wanting to make this again as soon as you run out (like me, I've seriously made this recipe about 8 times in the last month).  The great part is it's honest to god healthy, so no guilt! 


Now that it's starting to feel like fall I'm starting to want to bake again and eat lots of pumpkin.  I started thinking of making pumpkin muffins but then I realized I really wanted more the essence of pumpkin pie than a muffin.  What if I could make a healthy portable version of pumpkin pie?  I wanted to make something you could make for parties, pot luck, or to pack in a lunch.  And of course I have to make it healthy, so I can pig out guilt free.  So why is this recipe healthy?  It's high in fiber, omega 3, has veggies, protein, and low in sugar and fat.  It's healthy enough you could even have it for breakfast.

I found my inspiration at Baking bites, which I based this recipe on with some variations.  I figured I'd have to make it like half a paleo pumpkin pie with some no grain flour to give it a little body.  I picked flax meal for the added omega 3, protein, and fiber.  It's also gluten free!  I initially made it with half and half, but thought I'd change it to Cashew Milk to be dairy free.  I replaced most of the sugar with stevia (a natural no cal sweetener) and added some maple syrup (that we made) in place of refined sugar since stevia can have an off taste if no real sugar is used.  The end result is a healthy pumpkin pie filling with a little body.  The texture is more pumpkin pie filling than like a cupcake.

Pumpkin Pie Bites (makes about 12 mini "pies")

Ingredients

Dry
1 1/4 cup flax meal (can sub almond flour or gf flour like millet)
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp pink salt
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp organic (so it's not GMO) corn starch (can sub arrowroot)

Wet
2 cups of purred cooked pumpkin (or a 15oz can)
3 1/2 tablespoons stevia  (or sub 1/3 cup of maple syrup or raw honey)
2 tablespoons maple syrup (the real deal)
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract 
3 large organic free range eggs
1/2 cup of fav milk alternative (I use Cashew Milk I make)


Directions

1. If using fresh pumpkin cut out top with stem and cut pumpkin down the middle and scoop out the stringy stuff and seeds (can save to de-husk if desired).  Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil and some water and roast for 1-2 hrs on 350 degrees in your oven.  Then scoop out the flesh and discard the skin.  Process pumpkin in your food processor until smooth.  Reserve 2 cups for recipe and refrigerate, can, or freeze the rest.
2. Place liners in your muffin pan or grease muffin pan with butter or coconut oil and sprinkle a little organic corn meal (polenta) or flour in the bottom of each one.
3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees
4. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl and start mixing in the wet ingredients on by one.  Once all ingredients are mixed together fill the bottom of each pan with the batter, 3/4 to all of the way up.
5. Bake for 30-40 min until a tooth pick comes out clean
6. Can serve after cooled for a few minutes, or cold.  Optional: Serve with organic whipped cream or dairy free coconut milk whipped cream. 

Please note that the finished texture will be more pumpkin pie filling than like a cupcake. So it should seem a little undercooked.  As long as a fork comes out clean it's finished.

©Minneapolis Homestead www.theurbanhomestaed.blogspot.com All rights reserved. Photos and content cannot be reproduced