How To Make Healthy Pecan Pie

If pecan pie is on your mind, you and your guests will love this raw and healthy version. It's loaded with healthy protein, healthy fatty acids, fiber, and a number of bone-building minerals. Unlike most traditional pie recipes, this one is completely free of dairy, gluten, and processed sugar. Enjoy!

While this recipe calls for only healthy ingredients, it produces a rich and sweet pecan pie that is best served in small portions. Rather than serve this pie in traditional triangular portions, I recommend that you use a good knife to divide the pie into 2-inch squares. One or two squares are enough to satisfy the fiercest of dessert addicts among your family and guests.

Ingredients:

2 cups almonds (raw, if available), soaked for one hour, drained, dried
3 dozen pitted dates, soaked for one hour, drained (save water)
1 tablespoon fresh lemon or lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups raw pecans, soaked for one hour, drained, dried
Extra-virgin olive oil

Directions:

Put almonds and 10 dates in a food processor and blend until they come together into a crust-like consistency. Add a small amount of water (saved from soaking the dates) if necessary to aid in bringing almonds and dates together.

Grease a pie plate or 9-inch square baking pan with a light coat of extra-virgin olive oil - this will help prevent the pie from sticking to the plate.

Use a spatula or the underside of a spoon to press the almond-date crust into the bottom of the plate or pan. Be sure to spread it up the sides of the plate or pan to form a full pie crust. Put the finished crust in the freezer until you are ready to fill it.

Combine the remaining dates, fresh lemon or lime juice, cinnamon, sea salt, vanilla, and about half of the pecans in a food processor and blend until the mixture takes on a smooth, homogenized consistency. Use a small amount of water (left over from soaking dates) if necessary. The leftover pecans will be placed on top of the pie. Alternatively, you could save all of the pecans to provide more coverage of the top of the pie in the final step.

Spread the date filling evenly over the almond-date crust.

Arrange raw pecans on top of date filling and press down lightly to help keep the pecans in place.

Enjoy this raw and healthy pecan pie!

For a printer-friendly version of this recipe, click here:

Healthy Pecan Pie Recipe