Pumpkin Walnut Pie with Rolled Oat Crust

Pumpkin Walnut Pie

Adapted from 101cookbooks.com

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INGREDIENTS

• 1 pie crust (recipe below)
• 2 cups walnuts (divided) , toasted
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice blend
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon potato starch
• 1-1/2 cups of roasted pumpkin puree
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup egg substitute
• 1 cup lite coconut milk

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, racks in the middle.
2. Puree 1 1/2 cups of the toasted walnuts in a food processor until they turn into a walnut paste, past the 'crumble' stage. Set aside. Chop the remaining 1/2 cup of walnuts and set aside seperately, these will be sprinkled on top after the pie is baked.
3. To make the pumpkin pie filling, whisk together the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice blend, salt, and potato starch. Stir in the pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Now stir in the egg substitute and coconut milk until just combined. Set aside.
4. Before filling the pie crust, crumble the walnut paste on top of the pie dough into the pie plate, quickly and gently press it into a thin layer across the bottom, creating a layer of walnuts that will sit between the dough and the filling.
5. Use a fork to prick the pie dough a few times to prevent air bubbles.
6. Fill the pie crust with the filling and bake for about 50 minutes - the center of the pie should just barely jiggle when you move the pie - the edges should be set.
7. Let the pie cool a bit, this makes slicing less messy. Serve straight or with a dollop of bourbon-spiked, sweetenend whipped cream or creme fraiche, and a sprinkling of chopped walnuts.

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Rolled Oat Crust
Adapted from King Arthur Flour

INGREDIENTS

• 2/3 cup (2 1/4 ounces) rolled oats, ground for 30 seconds in a food processor
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) white whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons (1 ounce) brown sugar, firmly packed
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 4 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 2 tablespoons Smart Balance Light, cut into small cubes
• 3 to 4 tablespoons (1 1/2 to 2 ounces) cold soy milk

DIRECTIONS

1. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the oats, flours, sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
2. Cut the butter and Smart Balance into small cubes, and work into the dry ingredients (using your fingers, a pastry blender or fork, or a mixer) until the dough is unevenly crumbly.
3. Sprinkle in the milk, continuing to mix until the dough is cohesive. Grab a handful; if it holds together willingly, and doesn’t seem at all dry or crumbly, you’ve added enough liquid.
4. Shape the dough into a disk. Roll its edges along a floured work surface (as though the disk were a wheel), in order to smooth them out.
5. Pat the disk till it’s about 1" thick, wrap it in plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight, or for up to 3 days.
6. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Allow it to warm a bit and become flexible, 15 to 30 minutes.
7. Flour your work surface, and roll the dough into a 12" circle. It may crack a bit around the edge; that’s OK. Just patch the crust once it’s in the pan.
8. Transfer the dough to a 9" pie pan that’s at least 1 ¼" deep. Trim and crimp the edges, making a tall crimp.
9. Place the crust in the refrigerator to chill while you prepare the filling.

DB Caramel Cake with Browned Butter Frosting

Caramel Cake with Browned Butter Frosting

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After burning my initial batch of caramel and setting the stovetop on fire, I finally nailed the caramel recipe! My advice is to use about a medium saucepan, so that there is a thinner layer of sugar water and more space between the top of the pan and the mixture. That way, the caramel forms more quickly and is less likely to boil over when you add the last cup of water.

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This cake came at a perfect time, as I needed to make a cake for a birthday. I made a simple ganache by melting a handful or two of semisweet chocolate chips with some soy milk and let the cooled chocolate ooze over the edges of the cake. That way I did not have to worry about my frosting job being quite so pretty! I also added some toasted sliced almonds for contrast and to give the cake more of a candy bar theme.

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Changes: Rather than using cream in the frosting, I used plain, unsweetened soy milk. I also used soy milk in the cake and used egg replacement rather than the 2 eggs required.

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Overall, the cake was good, but I am not a big fan of caramel or very sweet desserts, so I felt that the slightly bitter chocolate helped to balance it. I did enjoy the fat-free caramel syrup and will use it in the future when caramel sauce is required for a healthier version.

Blueberry Crumble Bars

At long last, I finally made a blog. After almost a year of lurking and drooling over other food blogs, I did it. I got a camera. I ordered a lens (please bear with me while I take pictures with this kit nonsense). I made blueberry crumble bars.

Most importantly, I ate blueberry crumble bars. Yummm...


Anyway, what was I talking about? Oh, right. Finally starting a blog. So here I am. Typing my first post. As I am not really sure how I should let this flow, I'll start by giving you a little insight into what to expect here at Buttermilk & Pinecones (more on the name in my profile).

I am somewhat of a health nut. I love substitutions. Paula Deen has the uncanny ability to make me cringe. If you are looking for healthier foods, but you are not willing to forfeit the decadence and flavor of your usual recipes, this will be the blog for you. I will show you how to preserve the substance of recipes with significantly less fat/sugar/etc. Also, I currently possess an exorbitant amount of recipes compiled from various food blogs and magazines, so I will be adapting and preparing these as I go. In fact, this post's blueberry gems are an internet find themselves. Ooo... I also have a weakness for organic/all-natural meals and snacks, so look forward to some reviews on those. Unless you are vehemently opposed to manufactured foods. Then just forget I ever said that. ;)


So on to the recipe! This scrumptious, crumbly, violet beauty originates from Allrecipes.com, but I stumbled across it on the phenomenal smitten kitchen. The original recipe does contain two sticks of butter, but how can you resist that amethyst mating call? I had to bookmark it.

Blueberry Crumble Bars
Adapted from AllRecipes.com and smittenkitchen.com

To lower the fat in this recipe, I cut it in half, using a 9"x9" square pan in lieu of the 9"x13". I also substituted Smart Balance Light, but you can use whatever butter substitute you feel comfortable with. Next time, I will freeze the SBL before incorporating, as it softens much quicker than the suggested cold butter. I also used egg substitute instead of egg, which works nicely for the 1/2 egg called for in this halved recipe. Normally I would use at least half white whole wheat flour, but I didn't want to mar the contrast of purple and white. Following Deb's lemony lead, I incorporated 1/4 teaspoon of lemon extract in to the dough. Ew. Do not do that. More candied lemon flavor than my tart citrus friend. Unpleasant. At least I know not to use that extract now. It wasn't even artificial, either. Ah well.

• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup cold butter substitute, such as Smart Balance Light
• 2 tablespoons egg substitute, such as Egg Beaters
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• Zest and juice of 1/2 lemon
• 2 cups fresh blueberries
• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease a 9×9 inch pan.

2. In a medium bowl or food processor with a dough attachment, whiz together 1/2 cup sugar, 1-1/2 cups flour, and baking powder. Mix in salt and lemon zest. Use a fork or pastry cutter (or a whiz in the food processor) to blend in the butter and egg. Dough will be crumbly. Pat half of dough into the prepared pan.

3. In another bowl, stir together the sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice. Gently mix in the blueberries. Sprinkle the blueberry mixture evenly over the crust. Crumble remaining dough over the berry layer.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until top is slightly brown. Cool completely before cutting into squares.



In the coming days, look forward to spinach pesto and honey seed bread, culminating in a tangy vegetarian sandwich. Bookmark me! Tell a friend!