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Holiday tunes, warm spices, winter greenery - the sounds, smells and feels of the holidays are here once again. Seemingly overnight, the city goes from spooky halloween vibes to full on Santa’s village. And, as a pretty strict no-holiday-decor-pre-thanksgiving kind of person and someone who loves Thanksgiving I feel for this middle child of holidays. Reuniting with loved ones, expressing gratitude, cooking together, then sharing a meal - what could be better. 

When it comes to the food, I think it’s safe to say that most people who celebrate Thanksgiving make some version of the same meal. There are the staples; turkey, mashed potatoes, stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy. Then there might be a family or regional dish that must be included and brings on strong levels of nostalgia. For my family that special something is rutabagas. A member of the brassica family of root vegetables a rutabaga is similar to a turnip with a thick skin that takes forever to peel and has a uniquely sulfuric aroma that some might say resemble…well, I’ll let you use your imagination. Rutabagas are best enjoyed mashed with about a pound of butter and handful of salt. If rutabagas aren’t present it just isn’t thanksgiving. 

Another one of those must-haves: Pumpkin PIe. Most traditional recipes include a filling made with eggs, sweetened condensed milk or cream, good ole’ fashioned sugar and a flakey, buttery pie crust. Don’t get me wrong, I love tradition, but since food allergies became a part of our life, dairy, wheat and egg laden desserts were quite literally, off the table. Enter this vegan, gluten-free, nut free pumpkin pie - a way for everyone to enjoy a holiday classic. 

Whether are navigating food allergies or just looking for a lighter version of a thanksgiving classic this recipe is worth a try. Hey, it might just become a new family staple. 

PIE CRUST: 

1 cup gluten free flour blend

1/2 cup tigernut flour (or almond flour if nuts aren’t an issue) 

2 Tbsp. ground flax seeds or chia 

1 Tbsp. coconut sugar

2 Tbsp. coconut oil or vegan butter

PIE FILLING: 

2 cups pumpkin puree

3/4 cup full fat coconut milk

1/2 cup coconut sugar

2 Tbsp. maple syrup 

3 Tbsp. arrowroot powder 

2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice 

1 tsp. vanilla extract 

1/4 tsp. salt

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Pie crust:

1. Combine ground flax or chia with 1/4 cup water. Set aside for 5 minutes to thicken.
2. In a bowl combine all other crust ingredients. Break up coconut oil with your fingers until evenly distributed in the flour.
3. Add flax and water mixture to the bowl and knead until mixture forms a dough. If it feels too dry and crumbly add more water, 1 Tbsp at a time. If too wet add more flour, 1 Tbsp at a time 
4. Press dough into an 8-9 inch pie dish. 
5. Transfer to the fridge while you make the filling

Pie Filling: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 
2. Add all filling ingredients to blender and blend until smooth
3. Remove crust from the fridge and pour filling into the pie crust. Smooth with a spatula 
4. Bake for 45-55 minutes until crust has taken on a light golden brown. Filling will still be a bit jiggly. 
5. Allow to cool at room temperature. Cover loosely and transfer to the fridge to fully set for at least 2 hours, but preferably overnight. 
6. Slice and serve! 

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