An SCD Thanksgiving!

Can you believe it’s almost Thanksgivingggggg?!!!

Sorry…I hope you couldn’t hear the squeal through the screen:)

Aaanyway…its shopping and prep day! Woo! Except, I’m traveling all day. Yep, I’m on my way back to Cincinnati tomorrow and I couldn’t be more excited to spend quality time with family and friends. Last year, it was just my mom and I in New York (I was in a show and had just started my Ulcerative Colitis flare, so my mom flew out to be with me). So this year, it’s kind of a triumphant moment:)

So, food wise this Thanksgiving, it’ll be a little different for me, as I am on the Specific Carb Diet….no grains, starch, sugar…and being Vegan…no meat or dairy. Sooo, I’m making my own fare, with enough for everyone to sample, of course:)

I’ll be making an amaaaazing green bean casserole (recipe to come soon), as well as this fabulous number for dessert: Sweet Carrot Pie!

Sweet Carrot Pie!!

Before you run away at the sound of the title…just trust me…you’re not going to want to miss this!

I know what you’re thinking….carrots? But remember my Carrot Dessert Pudding?!  (You can check out my demonstration video for this recipe here!)

Carrot Dessert Pudding! GF, V, SCD, BED!

Well, if you haven’t tried it yet, I urgeyou to give it a shot. I have a slight obsession with it. :)

So much so that it led me to do a little experimenting….hehehe

oh. yum.

Enter: Sweet Carrot Pie! (And if you’re feeling really spicy, you can sing it to the tune to my anthem, “Sweet Caroline”….Sweeeet Carrot Pie…..Oh Oh Oh :)

This. Rocked. My. World. And I hope it rocks yours too.

Cool, creamy, rich, & crazy delicious!

so incredibly creamy and amazing!

And it’s Gluten Free, Vegan, and Specific Carb Diet Friendly! And to make it Body Ecology Diet friendly, just omit the crust!! Woooooo!!

what a bite!

Here’s what you need: (serves 4)

Crust:
6 dates
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/8 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Filling:
2 1/2 cups carrots, chopped and steamed
1/2 cup cashews
3 “droppers-ful” of pure liquid stevia (SCD use 2-3 tsp honey)
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/16 tsp ground nutmeg (aka several shakes)
1/16 tsp ground cloves (aka several shakes)
healthy pinch of sea salt

Here’s what you do:
Steam your carrots for about 8-10 minutes until you can smell that they’re done, and they are super soft. While they are steaming, load up your food processor with the rest of the filling ingredients. After the carrots steam, add them to the food processor, and process until creamy and smooth…about 2 minutes, stopping to scrape the sides several times.

Use a silicone spatula and transfer the filling to a bowl and set aside. Make sure to scrape it all out of the food processor. Then, add your crust ingredients to the food processor and process for about 2 minutes until it begins to get sticky and stick to the sides. (You’ll need to scrape it several times.) You may not think it is “crust-able” because it’s kind of crumbly, but it definitely is…you just mold it together.

Now to assemble: I used a round, glass food storage container, but you could use a ramekin, pie plate, muffin tin, mini loaf pan, anything really! But take your pan, and line it with parchment paper with some hanging over the edge. (so you can pull it out)

Take your crust crumbles and pour them into your parchment lined pan. Then, with your fingers, “smoosh” it down and to the sides. This is very easy to do, and you will find that it wants to stick together.

Then, pour the filling on top. Press it down with a silicone spatula, and then lift up the pan about 2 inches off the counter, and drop it several times, just to make sure it’s settled. Then, freeze for 1 1/2 hours, or refrigerate for 4 hours, or over night. Then, pull it out with the parchment paper and gently peel it off the sides.

wait a minute…there’s carrots in there?

Speechless. There are no words to describe the utter deliciousness that isthis Sweet Carrot Pie. Seriously, Happy Tummies, this is truly magnificent. Where do I even begin? The texture, the flavor, the health benefits?

what a plate!

OK…first the texture. This is SO incredibly creamy and dreamy. The filling is velvety and luxurious, with a nice chewy crust. I will say, this is rich, so a little piece goes a long way, but oh my Gosh, this is a winner. A funny thing happens when you puree cashews – they become so rich and creamy. They add this lusciousness and creaminess that makes this dish a 10.

it tastes like pumpkin bread batter!!

Next, the flavor. You can NOT believe this is made out of carrots. It tastes like pumpkin bread batter! Seriously! It is so amazing. The cozy spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves provide this fabulous warmth. And then the crust is almost like gingerbread! I’m telling you, this is the holidays all wrapped up in a cute little pie.

want a bite? :)

Finally, you could totally make a case that this is health food :D haha Now, I’m not going to lie, there are a lot of nuts in here, so you have to eat it in moderation, BUT you’re getting a big kick of Beta Carotene and Vitamin A from the carrots, as well as protein and healthy fats from the cashews and almonds! And there’s no sugar in it! A guilt free pie that makes you want to do a happy dance? I’d call that a win for team GFHT!

What kind of pie do you make for Thanksgiving? Do you make more than one?

We allllllways have pumpkin pie. But sometimes, we’ll also have apple pie, if we’re feeling extra festive.

Have a blessed and Happy Thanksgiving!! :)

Need a food processor? Here's the one I use: