The Roux

Mixed Berry Pie

I made this mixed berry pie for Thanksgiving. It was an improvised recipe - a combination of a few different ones I found online, plus my own gluten-free twist. It was so good! I have big plans to make it regularly for snacking. Why not? 

The filling: thaw three different types of frozen berries (1 bag each), mix in a pot over medium heat, add 1 cup sugar, 3 healthy dashes of cinnamon, 1 teaspoon of grated nutmeg, 2 heaping tablespoons arrowroot flour, 2 teaspoons xantham gum. Pour into your gluten-free crust (I used frozen). There will be plenty left over, which I ate straight from the bowl while waiting for the pie to bake. You can also put it over vanilla ice cream or your morning oatmeal.

Decadent oat crumble: 1 cup of whole oats, 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, 6 tablespoons arrowroot flour, 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, grated nutmeg, 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix with your hands. Sprinkle clumps evenly over the top of the pie. (I didn't use oats labeled as gluten-free, but they do exist.) 

Bake at 400 degrees F for 35-40 minutes, until top and crust is lightly browned. Let sit for 15 minutes. This pie is delicious. Creating perfect slices can be a challenge, but it's all going to the same place.

The Sweet Life

Looks like chocolate, tastes like rich dark chocolate. It's not chocolate! We've been practicing a low glycemic diet over here, or at least trying to. You can probably see Luna & Larry's Coconut Bliss in the background. One of our indulgences, but sweetened with agave instead of refined sugar, cane juice or fructose. Some still categorize agave in the "junk food" category. Gotta live a little. 

So, we have a blend of unsweetened organic coconut milk (the thick and creamy kind from a can), organic tahini, blackstrap molasses and a healthy splash of vanilla extract. This makes our faux chocolate sauce and it is soooo good! Dip strawberries into it or pour over dairy-free ice cream. And when it's not so hot out, bake up some mochi pockets and fill with this decadent sauce that won't make you whirl around on a sugar high. 

If you want to make it a little sweeter, add a teaspoon of palm sugar. This is what we're using these days to sweeten everything from iced tea to muffins. La dolce vita, no?

Pie Props

I've never really liked pumpkin pie, but no one else was making one this year, so I felt it was the festive, responsible thing to do. Good ol' Martha Stewart, and her brown sugar, extra eggs (for a more custard-like consistency) and fresh whipped cream. It was a good thing.