Healthy Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

~Healthy Sweet Potato Pecan Pie~
By Janine Bibeau

A healthy twist on a traditional high calorie pie, made gluten free and vegan.

"What are YOU going to eat?"

Since going dairy free, I seem to hear this question at every get-together that involves dessert.
This pie is the perfect healthy substitute for the traditional pumpkin/sweet potato/or pecan pie.

Not only is it dairy free and vegan, but it has NO REFINED SUGAR!  The combination of ingredients benefit your body and taste great too!

Bring this pie to your next gathering and intrigue your friends and family...show them that healthy can taste fabulous!

Prep time -30 mins
Cook time -15 mins
Total time -45 mins

Ingredients

CRUST

• 1 cup of raw almonds
• 1 cup of rolled oat flour
• ¼ cup hulled hemp seeds(sometimes called hemp hearts- you can buy them here!)
  
• ¼ cup of real maple syrup
• ¼ cup coconut oil
  
• 6 large medjool dates, pitted
• 2 teaspoons of cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon sea salt
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground cardamom

FILLING

• 1 cup of pecans
• ¼ of a cup of water or less for a more dense pie filling...I don't use any
  
• ⅓ cup coconut oil
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• 7 medjool dates, pitted
• 1 large (6 ounces) sweet potato, baked
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon of sea salt
• TOPPING
• 1 cup pecans

Instructions

First, dice the sweet potato into 1 inch pieces. Place on a sheet pan and toss with 2 Tablespoons coconut oil.  Bake in a 400 oven for approximately 20-30 minutes or until a fork is easily stuck in. Toss once more during that baking time.

CRUST:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a food processor, pulse the rolled oats to make flour. Add almonds and hemp seeds to a ground texture (not as fine as a flour).
2. Slowly add in honey, dates, seasonings, and coconut oil. Mix until combined, you'll be left with a sticky mixture.
3. In a well greased (with coconut oil) baking pie dish, pour the crust mixture and evenly spread to coat the bottom, gently pressing to form the crust to the bottom and up the sides.
4. Bake for 5 minutes or until just golden brown and nuts are fragrant. In the meantime...
5. In a high-speed blender or food processor, pulse pecans to get ground texture, follow with baked sweet potato, coconut oil, maple syrup, dates, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, salt, and water.
6. The texture should be very thick, creamy, and sweet- adjust seasonings here to taste.
7. Take the hardened and baked pie crust out of the oven, scoop the filling into the crust, and arrange whole pecans evenly on top.
8. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm. Enjoy warm!

Recipe adapted from Nutrition Striped