I’m probably about to write the most British thing ever, but this week has been bloody freezing! With these colder weeks closing in it has me craving pie and all sorts of naughty creations and all things pumpkin spice. Indigo Herbs were kind enough to send me out their Organic Pumpkin Seed Protein and I knew it would just make the best grain-free pumpkin pie crust ever! It contains a huge 65g of plant-based protein per 100g. This little extra protein boost helps to keep your immune system up but pumpkin seed protein is also rich in amino acids, including the 8 essential amino acids that our bodies require from food.
DISCLAIMER: Please note, I was sent some wonderful goodies from Indigo Herbs, and paid real money, to create a delicious recipe for you all. All opinions are my own and 100% honest. For more info scroll to the bottom of this post.
Of course, pumpkin seeds don’t stop there – they are rich in; dietary fibre, vitamins A, E, K, B1, B2, B3, B6, folate, pantothenic acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, and manganese. Phew! Plus pumpkin itself is rich in plenty of vitamins and minerals too. Just one cup of cooked pumpkin contains a whopping 245% of your RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) of vitamin A. Vitamin A plays a vital role in keeping your immune system in tip-top condition, as well as your vision, skin, and iron metabolism.
Autumn has officially arrived with this delicious Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie with a high protein pie crust made with ground almonds and pumpkin seed protein.
Now, I’d like to say that this pie is healthier than your average breakfast cereal, and I guess it kinda is because it averages out at around 11.5g of natural sugars per serving. A regular pumpkin pie contains roughly 20g of processed sugar per slice so it’s a great switch for the real thing. The pumpkin seed protein lends a slightly more earthy flavour to the pie crust but it isn’t too overpowering and compliments the sweetness of the filling well.
It’s the same filling recipe that I use in my Beetroot Pie just minus the beetroot and with a little addition of ground cloves for that authentic pumpkin spice flavour. It’s a simple dairy-free custard that’s super silky smooth and not too heavy. I do use coconut sugar in my pie fillings but feel free to switch this out for an erythritol and stevia mix if you want something low carb or if you’re looking for that more orange colour. Agave nectar can also work well if you’re concerned about aesthetics but just make sure that you use 67g of agave versus 100g as it’s a lot sweeter and not so great for your body when consumed in large quantities.
I always end up with extra filling when making pies, I’m an over estimator but the best thing about that is that I can bake the filling in little ramekins along with the pie itself or sometimes I like to make a mug cake by stirring in a mix of flours such as coconut, arrowroot, and almond. It makes a dense sort of pudding-like mug cake rather than a light and fluffy one but it’s still delicious. Anyway, I always waffle on for too long – so if you like pies, baking, silky smooth custard and just generally stuffing your face then check out the recipe for my Grain-Free Pumpkin Pie below!
Looking for some more awesome recipes using Indigo Herbs’ products? Why not try my Autumn Superfood Salad or if that’s not your kinda jazz then why not try my Apricot, Cranberry, and Pistachio Vegetarian Stuffing Balls? Oh, and if you want to keep up to date with my deliciousness then sign up for my newsletter and I’ll love you forever – who am I kidding? I already do!
- 100g organic almond flour
- 100g arrowroot flour
- 50g organic pumpkin seed protein powder
- 125g raw grass-fed butter or coconut oil
- Juice 1 orange
- 350g pumpkin puree
- 160ml tinned coconut cream (see notes)
- 100g organic coconut sugar
- 3 eggs (room temperature) OR 3 tbsp arrowroot flour (see notes)
- 2 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tsp ginger powder
- ¼-1/2 tsp allspice (depends upon personal tastes)
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- ¼ tsp vanilla powder or 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- In a small mixing bowl sieve in your flours. Chop your butter into small cubes and throw in. If using coconut oil divide into small chunks using a teaspoon. Cover the bowl with cling film, give it a good shake until the butter is covered by the flour and then place into the freezer for 20 minutes. This is what makes your pastry lovely and light and crumbly. In the meantime freshly squeeze your orange juice and pop that into the fridge to chill until needed.
- Remove your flour and butter/coconut oil bowl from the freezer and pour into your food processor. Process until it comes together into small oat like sized balls. Pulse in your orange juice by the tablespoon. It is not likely that you will require much more than half of it at - you just want to use enough for it to only just form the beginnings of a dough ball. Remove the pastry from the processor and form by hand into a ball. Cover in cling film and leave to chill in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas Mark 4/Fan 160°C. Remove your dough from the fridge and gently warm it between your palms and give it a little knead. Next 'knuckle in' the dough into your loose-based pie/tart tin (23cm/9in, 3cm/1¼" deep) until nice and even and with a slightly thicker crust around the edges. Trim any excess dough and prick the base with a fork a few times before placing your pie crust into the freezer for 15 minutes until firm.
- Remove your pie crust from the freezer, line with a little baking parchment, pour in some 'baking beans' or rice and pop it onto the middle shelf of the oven to blind bake for 15 minutes until the pastry begins to look dry and sort of pale around the edges. Remove the parchment and baking beans carefully.
- Whilst you are blind baking your pie crust, gently warm your coconut cream in the microwave, or on the stove, over low heat until roughly ⅔ has melted. Remove and stir together. Place your coconut cream and remaining filling ingredients into your food processor and process for 1 minute being sure to scrape down the sides periodically. Repeat a few times until fully processed.
- Using the back of a spoon gently tamp down any puffy parts of pastry, then return to the oven for a further 3 minutes. You want the base to be almost baked but not quite.
- Remove your pie crust from the oven and pour in your pie filling. Place back onto the middle shelf and cook for 25-30 minutes until the filling has set and has only a slight wobble in the middle when you give it a jiggle. If the pie crust looks like it is browning too quickly create a sort of tin foil dome (shiny side up) to prevent it from burning.
- Once done remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely before placing the base of the tin on top of a tin can and gently removing the outer ring of the tin.
Storage Instructions: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator and consume within 3-4 days.
If you can't find tinned coconut cream anywhere, simply refrigerate a can of full-fat coconut milk overnight and scoop out all of the hard creamy layer but just make sure it's room temperature before using!
If you're vegan or allergic to eggs you can replace each egg with 1 tbsp of arrowroot flour or cornstarch. This may result in a longer baking time but it will be well worth it.
Any excess filling mixture can be baked in small ramekins in the oven for roughly 15-20 minutes.
*All cup measurements used are UK cup measurements and so 1 cup = 250ml.
**Preparation time includes 1 hour plus 1-hour resting time for the dough.
Disclaimer: Please note that this is a sponsored post. This means that I was sent free products and compensated in return for an amazingly delicious recipe for you all. Any payment I receive I use to purchase more ingredients and equipment to keep this blog up and running, and most importantly to keep creating quality content for you all. I am not an affiliate of Indigo Herbs and any purchases you make via them I will not be compensated for. I am not influenced by the company in any way and all opinions, ramblings, and thoughts are my own and 100% honest. If you’d like to know more, feel free to contact me.
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