Pumpkin Pie

It's funny the things you miss when you can't have them. Take pumpkin pie. I've always loved any food item that incorporated pumpkin, but I never ate much pumpkin pie. But with the leaves changing and Thanksgiving just around the corner, I decided I needed to make myself a pie.

The crumb crust was inspired by a cheesecake I used to make. Also, I'm having difficulties perfecting a good pastry dough. (I'm super close, as am I to perfecting a cinnamon roll recipe.)



Crust:

1 cup almond flour
1 cup pecans, crushed (put nuts in a plastic ziploc bag, seal and bang them with something very hard, like an ice cream scooper)
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp vegan butter or coconut oil
Sprinkle of salt

Sift almond flour and pecans together in bowl. Add maple syrup and melted butter. Mix with a fork until moistened. (It will be crumbly.)

Pour into pie plate and press around bottom and up sides.

Bake for 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees, or until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

Pie:

10 oz  pureed pumpkin
1/2 cup coconut milk (This is the canned kind, for cooking, not the carton kind found in the grocery store by the soy and almond milk. I found it in the international food section.)
2 eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp cinnamon
2 tsp nutmeg

Mix all ingredients with a whisk or electric mixer. (Mixture will be runny.) Pour into pie crust.

Bake pie for 30-40 minutes, or until middle is set. Let cool to room temperature, then chill in refrigerator.