Thanksgiving week is here!! I always like to remember the first Thanksgiving in America. We do things much differently than they did. Our meals are more elaborate, and contain more dishes than the first Thanksgiving did. It reminds me of how things used to be so much more simple, and the first Thanksgiving was a sacrifice for many.
I also like to think back to all my childhood memories of Thanksgiving and to think on all I have to be thankful for. We tend to forget how fortunate we are to live in America.
My favorite during this season is pumpkin pie. Its a tradition among many Thanksgiving dinners. I love how different the recipes can be. When I was a raw foodie back in college for a stent, I researched many ways to make almost any favorite dish raw. It was tough and more time consuming to be a raw foodie, but at least sweets weren’t outlawed.
I had seen many variations for raw pumpkin pies and I wanted to try one for myself, so a few years ago I made this pie. This pie isn’t completely raw. I used pureed pumpkin, and pureed pumpkin is typically cooked pumpkin that is then pureed; hence the “raw,” being almost.
It has a great GF crust made with just pecans and dates. Super easy to make, and super tasty. I almost could have ate the crust by itself. I am going to have to make some protein bites with a pecan and date base. Another reason to love and be thankful for my food processor. Only 3 ingredients needed for the crust.
It’s safe to say that raw pumpkin pie is simple to make and doesn’t take near as much time. After the dates and cashews have soaked for at least 1-2 hours, the pie only takes 15-20 minutes to prepare Then of course it has to set in the refrigerator for a couple of hours. I suggest making it the night before your dinner, which is most pies are baked anyways. Pies are always better the day after they are made.
I love pumpkin pie, and I think this is a great alternative to pumpkin pie. It has less sugar and very minimal ingredients. Do be warned that the texture is different. It’s more like a mousse, with a nice crust.
Vegan “Raw” Pumpkin Pie Share on XIt’s vegan and gluten free, so it’s great for those with allergies. Cashews are used to add creaminess, instead of using tofu or milk. Cashews are very versatile and are a must have in any vegan’s life, especially when it comes to replacing cheese, milk and cream. It’s yum!!
- For the Pie
- 2 c pureed pumpkin
- 1 c cashews (soaked for 2 hours, then drained)
- ¼ c almond milk
- ½ c brown sugar or maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ½ tsp cloves
- ½ tsp ginger
- For the Crust
- 2 c pecans
- ½ c dates (soaked for 2 hours & drained)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- To make crust, combine all ingredients in a food processor and process until mixture is almost dough like. It should be sticky enough to form in a pie pan.
- May have to scrape the sides of the food processor. Mixture will be more moist, not crumbly.
- Add mixture to a 9 inch pie pan to form a crust.
- For Pie Filling: Puree cashews in food processor first, forming a paste like mixture.
- Add in the remainder of the pie filling ingredients, and process until smooth and spices and cashews are well combined with the pumpkin puree.
- Scrape down signs to ensure cashews are well mixed in.
- This may take several minutes.
- Pour into prepared pie crust.
- Allow to set in the refrigerator for 2-3 hours before serving.
- Enjoy with coconut whipped cream.
Hope you enjoy this pie. You can try something new this Thanksgiving. Bring something to the table. You can’t go wrong with dessert.
Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit
[…] is in a few days, but you still have time to make some great desserts. If you missed my Raw Pumpkin Pie you need to check it out. It’s an old recipe that I did a little redox too. This next recipe is an […]