And... 2022 update - this post is from 2014 and most of the products have changed or are unavilable (the Just Like Sugar brand for example) use whatever brands and options are available in whatever year you are reading this post.
One of the few fruit pies I will eat, is my blueberry pie.
I love my blueberry pie.
I know my blueberry pie. I love my blueberry pie.
But it's full of regular, all purpose white flour.
And sugar.
And not exactly 'healthy'.
So yesterday I set out to make it healthier.
The end result made me sad... because it wasn't MY blueberry pie.
It didn't have sweet sugary blueberry filling.
It didn't have the crunchy crust from the extra sugar sprinkled and baked on top.
And the fact that I didn't love it as much as I do "my" blueberry pie... is all in my head.
And I know that.
And my husband agreed with me- that it's all in my head... as he finished every last crumb of his slice.
Healthier Blueberry Pie
1 c Blanched Almond Flour
4 T Hodgson Mill Vital Wheat Gluten
2 t xanthan gum
2 T Nature's Best Isopure Unflavored Whey Protein Powder
1/3 c oat flour (optional - I used this time but not the last 2 times. Not a significant difference)
1 t baking powder
dash of salt
6 T cold butter, cut into small pieces (reduce to 4 T if you don't use oat flour)
2 egg yolks
2 T cold water
4-5 cups frozen or fresh blueberries
1 1/2 T Thick-It-Up Low Carb Food Thickener
3/4 c Brown Sugar Substitute or a mixture of both 'white' and 'brown' together
dash of cinnamon, vanilla and ground ginger
Just Like Sugar Baked Right to sprinkle on the top crust**
Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Cut in the butter with your fingers and work it in until it's coarse. Beat the egg yolks with cold water and blend it into the dry ingredients. When it forms a ball, remove, place on plastic wrap, form a disk, wrap and chill.
While the crust is chilling, mix the berries, thickener, sugar substitute and ginger, cinnamon and vanilla in a bowl. Remove the chilled dough, divide into half and roll out the pie crusts (between two pieces of parchment because it's sticky) and place one in a large, deep dish pan pan.
Fill with the blueberry filling. Top with the second crust and crimp the edges with your fingers or use a fork. Sprinkle the top with cinnamon and a sugar substitute (I used Just Like Sugar's Baked Right). Bake at 350 until golden brown and firm in the center.
**Note: The next time I make this I'm going to use some erythritol in the blueberry mix and sprinkled on top to make it just a little sweeter and to give it more of that crunch that unhealthy, beloved blueberry pie has.
I use my blueberries frozen - right from the freezer, yes with ice still covering them |
Crimping the edges to seal in the filling |
This is a product that is sweetener and cinnamon already blended |
I baked it my sun oven for about 2 1/2 hours (nothing burns so forget about it as long as you want) |
And... 2022 update - this post is from 2014 and most of the products have changed or are unavilable (the Just Like Sugar brand for example) use whatever brands and options are available in whatever year you are reading this post.