Recipe: Creamy pumpkin pie

Add a healthy spin to your Thanksgiving dessert table. A pie made with avocado and bean juice (that’s right, bean juice) will make even the biggest fan of pumpkin pie happy.

Serves 8

Ingredients

• ¼ cup chia seeds and 1 cup water
• 1 can (15-ounce) reduced-sodium garbanzo (chickpea) beans or white beans
• 1/3 cup powdered sugar
• 1 can (15-ounce) pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoons ripe avocado or olive oil
• 1 ¾ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 frozen deep-dish pie crust

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine chia seeds with water and let sit for at least 15 minutes (You are creating an “egg” replacement with the chia seeds).

Drain ½ cup of bean liquid (aquafaba) into a mixing bowl. (The beans can be saved for another recipe in the fridge or freezer.) With an electric mixer on high speed, beat liquid until stiff peaks form, about 5-10 minutes. Add the powdered sugar and continue beating on high until shiny and glossy, about 1 minute. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to combine chia seed mix, pumpkin puree, avocado, pumpkin pie spice and salt.

Gently fold in whipped aquafaba and pour the mixture into frozen pie crust.

Bake the pie at 425 degrees for 15 minutes and then reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake until outer edges of filling are set and crust is lightly brown, about 35-45 minutes. It will appear as though filling is not fully cooked, but it will set up as it cools. You may need to wrap the crust with aluminum foil to prevent burning but allow the filling to finish cooking. 

Let pie cool on a wire rack for about 1 hour, then refrigerate overnight.

Nutrition Facts (per serving):

160 calories, 8g fat, 20g carbohydrates, 2g protein, 200mg sodium, 3g fiber, 6g sugar

Recipe from Cecelia Jacobson, Registered Dietitian for the Oregon Heart and Vascular Institute at PeaceHealth Sacred Heart Medical Center at RiverBend.

Reviewed by PeaceHealth dietitians and nutritionists.