Pumpkins and Promises: Thanksgiving Day Desserts

Alright, I know what you're thinking:

"If I'm going to eat dessert  it's not going to be clean. I'm going to enjoy it and I'm going all out."

 I hear ya.

But after years of feeling so yuck after eating a bunch of sugar and gluten and dairy on a holiday and after watching my chronically ill daughter relapse after not being careful about those top 3 inflammation inducers (processed sugar, wheat, dairy), I've been on a quest. A quest to discover and develop recipes that avoid most dairy, processed sugar, and grains and that still taste absolutely decadent.

So, here are 5 recipes that are sure to add HEALTH and HAPPINESS to your Thanksgiving feast.

Pumpkin Pie

Crust:

1 1/2 cups nuts (I used 1 cup pecans/walnuts and 1/2 cup cashews)

1/2 cup almond flour (blanched, not almond meal)

2 tablespoons melted ghee  (or grass-fed butter if you don't have a dairy allergy)

3 tablespoons honey

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

Pumpkin Pie Filling:

2/3 cup almond flour (blanched, not almond meal)

2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 eggs - whisked

1 cup organic pumpkin puree

2/3 cup honey

1/2 cup almond milk

4 tablespoons melted ghee or grass-fed butter

2 teaspoons vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 and butter or oil a pie dish. Place your nuts and almond flour in a food processor and pulse until mixture is fine, and crumbly. You don't want any chunks of nuts, but be careful not to make nut butter. Place the nut mixture in a mixing bowl and combine remaining crust ingredients. Pour the crust ingredients into your dish and use your fingers or the back of a spoon to press the crust into place. Don't leave a significant lip on the top edge of the pie plate. (It will burn)

Combine all of your pie filling ingredients, except for the baking soda and apple cider vinegar. Add them last, after the other ingredients have been blended well. Allow to fizz and then, stir into the batter. Pour into the prepared pie dish and bake at 350F for 1 hour (more or less) or until a toothpick comes out clean. Pie will firm up as it cools and can be stored in the fridge, once cooled.

Enjoy!

(Full disclaimer: The above picture does not show this pie crust. But this is truly the best pie crust and I highly recommend it above other clean options I've tried.)

Upside Down Apple Pie

6-8 apples, peeled and thinly sliced (I love a mixture of Pink Lady and Granny Smith)

1 tablespoon cinnamon

2 teaspoons honey

Topping:

1/4 cup melted coconut oil (or butter)

1/3 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup almond flour

1/3 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

1/3 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

1 teaspoon vanilla

Place apples in a glass 9x13 dish and sprinkle with cinnamon and drizzle with honey

Combine remaining ingredients and use fingers to crumble over apples. (It will be sticky, but you don't want to spread this topping. You want it to be uneven.)

Bake at 350F for 30 minutes or until apples are tender. Serve warm and enjoy.

Pumpkin Streusel Coffee Cake

(adapted from this recipe, if you'd like to check out the original)

Cake ingredients:

1/4 cup melted coconut oil/butter

1/2 cup honey

1 cup pumpkin puree

4 large eggs

1 1/2 cups almond flour

1/8 cup coconut flour

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

Topping:

3/4 cup almond flour 

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped nuts

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

3 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoon melted coconut oil/butter

pinch of salt

Combine all cake ingredients and pour into a prepared square baking dish. Combine topping ingredients and use fingers to break and spread unevenly over cake batter. Bake at 325F for 35 - 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly and serve warm, or serve cold. Store in fridge after first day, if it lasts that long. 

Salted Caramel Pecan Pie

(sharing this recipe from Paleo Running Momma)

Fudgy Dark Chocolate Pecan Brownies

What dessert line-up would be complete without a chocolate decadent delight?

So here's my new favorite. I made these for my birthday this past week. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

1/2 cup melted coconut oil or butter

2/3 cup honey

10 tablespoons baking cocoa

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

2 eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups almond flour (not almond meal)

1/2 cups chopped pecans/walnuts

(1/2 cup dairy free, dark chocolate (60-70% cocoa) chocolate chips - optional)

Combine melted butter/coconut oil and cocoa until smooth. Add honey, vanilla and eggs and blend until smooth. Then add dry ingredients and pour and spread into lightly buttered or oiled square glass baking dish. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow to cool before cutting into squares. Try not to eat the entire pan in one sitting. 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

No matter where you find yourself circumstantially this Thanksgiving, I pray you know Jesus, the One who is the hope and joy no matter what and our reason to give thanks every day.