Pumpkin Pretender Pie
Sweet Potato Pie Without The Marshmallows
Are you going to trust this huge holiday favorite to a can of filling? Do you really know what’s in that can or what flavor profile it will present? Are you going to trust your dessert to someone’s idea of seasoning? Well, actually you are if you use this recipe. Nevertheless, are you going to trust your dessert to some food conglomerate making millions of cans of filling and using who knows what kind of vegetables and from what type of farm?
I say — for the holidays — make sweet potato pie instead of canned pumpkin pie.
The Sweet Potato is ranked Number 1 on the vegetable nutrition scale (by the CSPI) with a low Glycemic index and an overly generous source of protein, vitamins and anti-oxidants.
Using sweet potatoes is no more difficult than opening a can and is much easier than going through the effort to peel (not easy) your own sugar pumpkins, then dice, de-seed and puree them. (Besides most pumpkins grown in the USA are not designed for taste and nutrition, but for decoration. If you want to cook your own pumpkins get the ‘sugar pie’ variety.) Additionally, sweet potatoes fortifies this dessert with enough nutritional value, (16 times that of a cup of broccoli) to consider it — food! Imagine that! You can’t feel guilty about eating this dessert. Yes, I know it has an amount of sugar, but with the sweet potato’s low Glycemic index and sky–high levels of Anti-oxidants, and the eggs and yogurt high protein levels, make it almost a super pie.
This custard style pie has the entire traditional New England holiday flavor. And you won’t miss those marshmallows.
Ingredients:
- 1 Store bought 9 inch pie crust (if you are pinched for time and who isn’t? Besides, everybody cheats here)
- 1.5 lbs. Sweet Potato, peeled, cubed and steamed
- 1¼ Greek Yogurt (instead of evaporated milk or sour cream)
- 5 Egg Yolks
- Molasses (warmed)
- Pinch of Salt (to taste)
- ¾ Cups Brown Sugar, packed.
- ½ Tsp. Cinnamon
- ¼ Tsp. Nutmeg
- ¼ Tsp. Ginger
- ¼ Tsp. Mace or Cardamom (your choice)
Preparation:
- Steam your prepped sweet potatoes until fork tender (15-20 minutes) then drain any excess water and mash. Remove to a stand mixer (or to a bowl and use a hand mixer) and beat into a puree. Fold in the yogurt, egg yolks, sugar and spices. Don’t over work it. Pour into your pie crust and drizzle the top with molasses in a criss-cross pattern. You will need to heat the molasses so it pours easier.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 50 to 60 minutes until the custard sets.
- Let sit for an hour before serving.
- Keep left-overs refrigerated.
