Oh no ... PIE!

I love pie. All pie. But pumpkin pie is probably my favorite. If I stopped at just one piece of pie I'd be fine, but I don't. During the next two months I could easily eat two whole pies all by myself! I know it isn't a very good idea and each year I promise myself I'll only have one piece at Thanksgiving and one piece at Christmas. And, for the record, I have never succeeded. I'm the kind of person who, once I have eaten one piece there's no stopping me or I avoid a piece all together and therefore succeeding. Why can't I just have a piece and call it a day? I had to find a better way to succeed and I think I have this year! If I could eat pumpkin pie that wasn't so fat/carb/calorie laden perhaps having more than one serving wouldn't be so bad. I hit the Internet in search of the perfect pumpkin pie and was amazed at what I found!
Heart Healthy Pumpkin-Maple Pie
Prep Time: 25 mins
Cook Time: 45 mins
Total Time: 1 h 10 mins

Ingredients
    •    1 can(s) pumpkin
    •    1/3 cup(s) maple syrup
    •    1 tablespoon flour, all-purpose
    •    1¼ cup(s) flour, all-purpose
    •    2 packet(s) sugar substitute, heat-stable
    •    1½  teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
    •    ¾  cup(s) refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed
    •    1 cup(s) milk, fat-free evaporated
    •    1½  teaspoon vanilla extract
    •    frozen light whipped dessert topping, thawed
    •    ¼ teaspoon salt
    •    ¼ cup(s) milk, fat-free
    •    3 tablespoon oil, cooking

Preparation  
Pumpkin-Maple Filling:

• Prepare Lower-Fat Oil Pastry. On a lightly floured surface flatten pastry. Roll into a 12-inch circle. Wrap pastry circle around the rolling pin; unroll into a 9-inch pie plate. Ease pastry into pan, being careful not to stretch pastry. Trim to ½ inch beyond edge of pie plate. Fold under extra pastry. Crimp the edge as desired. Do not prick pastry.
• For the filling, in a medium bowl combine the pumpkin, maple-flavored syrup, flour, sugar substitute, and pumpkin pie spice; add egg product. Beat lightly with a rotary beater or fork until just combined. Gradually stir in evaporated milk and vanilla; mix well.
• Place pastry-lined pie plate on oven rack. Carefully pour filling into pastry shell. To prevent over browning, cover edge of pie with foil. Bake in a 375? oven for 25 minutes. Remove the foil. Bake 20 to 25 minutes more or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and refrigerate within 2 hours. If desired, serve with dessert topping.

Lower-Fat Oil Pastry:
In a medium bowl stir together 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Combine 1/4 cup fat-free milk and 3 tablespoons cooking oil; add all at once to flour mixture. Stir with a fork until dough forms. If necessary, add 1 to 2 teaspoons additional milk. Shape the dough into a ball.

Calories: 216, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 153mg, Dietary Fiber: 2g, Total Fat: 6g, Carbs: 32g, Cholesterol: 1mg, Protein: 8g
Exchanges: Dairy: 0.5, Starch: 1.5, Fat: 1
Carb Choices: 2

Crunchy Pumpkin Pie
Ingredients:

• 1 cup(s) oats, quick cooking
• ¼ cup(s) flour, whole-wheat
• ¼ cup(s) nuts, almonds, ground toasted
• 2 tablespoon sugar, brown
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoon oil, vegetable
• 1 tablespoon water
• ¼ cup(s) sugar, brown (packed)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ground
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg, ground
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg(s), beaten
• 4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup(s) pumpkin, canned
• 2/3 cup(s) milk, fat-free evaporated

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

1. Mix oats, flour, almonds, sugar, and salt together in small mixing bowl.
2. Blend oil and water together in measuring cup with fork or small wire whisk until emulsified.
3. Add oil mixture to dry ingredients and mix well. If needed, add small amount of water to hold mixture together.
4. Press into a 9-inch pie pan and bake for eight to 10 minutes, or until light brown.
5. Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
6. Mix sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt together in a bowl.
7. Add eggs and vanilla and mix to blend ingredients.
8. Add pumpkin and milk and stir to combine.
9. Pour into prepared pie shells.
10. Bake for 45 minutes or until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Nutritional Info (Per serving): Calories: 177, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 153mg, Total Fat: 8g, Cholesterol: 24mg

Pumpkin Parfait
Ingredient List
Oat Crunch

• ½  cup puffed rice cereal (or try other puffed cereals like puffed wheat, puffed millet, puffed kamut)
• ¼ cup gluten-free old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant), such as Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats (or used old fashioned Quaker oats - not instant)
• 2 Tbs. raw pumpkin seeds
• 2 Tbs. pure maple syrup
• ¼ tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Pumpkin Mousse

• 3 Tbs. gluten-free tofu cream cheese, such as Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet Cream Cheese Alternative (or any light cream cheese, if you're not lactose intolerant)
• ½ cup sweetened pumpkin pie filling (or get plain and sweeten it yourself)
• 6 oz. vanilla soy yogurt (or other light yogurt if you're not lactose intolerant)

Directions:
To make Oat Crunch:

• Preheat oven to 300?F. Combine puffed rice, oats, and pumpkin seeds in small bowl. Add maple syrup, pumpkin pie spice, and pinch of salt; stir well. Transfer ingredients to prepared baking sheet; spread into thin layer. Bake 10 to 15 minutes, or until light brown. Remove from oven; let cool. Break up Oat Crunch with fingers, and set aside.

To make Pumpkin Mousse:

• Whisk cream cheese in bowl until fluffy. Add pumpkin pie filling, and whisk until smooth. Chill.
• Spoon 2 Tbs. yogurt into serving glasses. Top with one-quarter Pumpkin Mousse. Sprinkle 1 Tbs. Oat Crunch over each parfait. Repeat process with yogurt, Pumpkin Mousse, and Oat Crunch.

Nutritional Information, per serving based on original non-dairy recipe: Calories: 227, Protein: 5g, Total fat: 8g, Saturated fat: 2g, Carbs: 34g, Cholesterol: mg, Sodium: 261mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugars: 26g

Obviously, there are endless ways to eat pumpkin pie even while keeping an eye on your heart's health; one simply needs to Google healthy pumpkin pie recipes or heart healthy pumpkin pie to net a wide variety of options.

So fear not, my friends, as the holidays approach stand firm, stand strong and fill your heart's desire with holiday delectable edibles … the heart healthy way.