This is a great alternative recipe for one of our usual holiday favourite desserts - pumpkin pie!

From the "Clean Food - A Seasonal Guide To Eating Close To The Source" cookbook by Terry Walters.

Ingredients:

Crust:

2 cups      Gingersnaps (we use the gluten-free variety)

1/4 cup    Grapeseed oil

1/4 cup    Maple syrup

Filling:

12 oz       Silken extra firm (or firm) tofu

2 cups      Cooked  pumpkin (or butternut squash) puree

1/2 cup    Maple syrup

1 tsp        Vanilla extract

1 tsp        Cinnamon

1 tsp        Nutmeg

1 tsp        Ground cloves

Pinch of turmeric

Preparations:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Crumble gingersnaps, either in food processor, or by placing them in a plastic bag and crushing them with a rolling pin.  Place crumbs in bowl, add oil and syrup and stir until mixture sticks together.  Add to lightly greased 9 inch pie plate and press to form 1/4 thick crust.

Wrap tofu in towels and press to remove excess water.  In clean food processor bowl, process tofu until smooth.  Scape down the sides of the bowl and process again to incorporate all the tofu.  Add all remaining filling ingredients and process until smooth and well combined.  Pour into pie crust, cover edges with foil to prevent burning and bake for 50 minutes or until lightly browned.  Remove from oven, cool and serve.

If possible, plan to make this pie a day ahead to allow the pie to set and the flavours to blend.

Loreli loves to exercise, and she loves to eat too! Her fitness company, Alter Ego Fitness Experience, offers outdoor Group Fitness (boot camp) classes and Personal Training.  Loreli is very aware, due to personal experience, of the value of healthy food that not only nourishes the body, but also nourishes the mind and pleases the palate.

“One cannot think well, love well, or sleep well, if one has not dined well.” - Virginia Wolfe