Gluten and Dairy Free Sweet Potato Pie

I promised you recipes and what better way to start than with my favorite dessert!  I’ve been having allergic reactions to certain foods lately, so I haven’t really been eating sugar since January.  It’s been rough to say the least.  I like my sweets.  But it’s forced me to get creative in finding alternatives.  Initially I figured I just wouldn’t have cake or dessert on my birthday.  Then I denied that thought because it's crazy, and I brainstormed for the perfect alternative.  Sweet. Potato. Pie.

Sweet potato pie is a holiday tradition in my family and no one makes sweet potato pie like my grandma. She even makes gluten and dairy free pies for me.  Love that woman!  However, she can’t make these pies forever, and all of her children are too scared to step up as her successor.  So I decided I’d give it a go.  Last Thanksgiving while I was in Washington, DC, my mother sent me a recipe similar to my grandma’s pies (no one will ever know that exact recipe) and I worked my magic.  I even made modifications for my dietary restrictions and a crust from scratch, which my grandma no longer does.  The result?  My DC family was asking for sweet potato pie on Christmas.  Basically, I’m the chosen one.

It really makes me happy when people enjoy my cooking, so I wanted to share the recipe here with you all. This version is dairy, gluten, soy, sugar free (just a little bit of honey) and delicious. 

Filling

• 2 Cups cooked mashed yams (I know, it’s called sweet potato pie, but yams give it a better flavor)

• 2 TB fresh orange juice
• 1 Cup maple syrup
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten*
• ½ cup full fat coconut milk
• 4 TB coconut oil
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp vanilla
• ½ tsp salt
  
  

Crust (inspired by Oh She Glows)

• 1 cup coconut flour
• 2 cups raw pecans
• 3 TB ground flax
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 TB honey*
• 2 TB Coconut oil

Throw the pecans into a blender or food processor.  Blend them long enough so that they release their natural oils and you’re able to form a ball with them.  Add all ingredients together and press into a greased pie dish to make a crust.  Set aside.

All ingredients mixed together. It should look crumbly.

It should be moist enough to press into a crust. If not add more honey.

For the filling, boil the yams and cook until tender and drain.  Cool yams and peel.  Mash yams and mix well with all wet ingredients and stevia.  Add nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.  You can use a mixer, but I personally like to put the filling into a blender to get a nice smooth and creamy texture.  After it is all mixed together, pour it into the pecan crust and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 min or until the crust is browned and the filling doesn’t jiggle anymore. 

I’m not going to lie, I was afraid of how this was going to turn out without sugar, but this was amazing!  Yams are perfect for sugar free desserts because they’re already naturally sweet.  If you don’t believe me, I even gave this pie to my parents who still eat sugar and they loved it.  Not to mention my mother is a food snob.  According to her, this pie was much better than the last.  Hope you enjoy it!  Who says it has to be winter to have sweet potato pie!

*This recipe can be made vegan if you eliminate the eggs and substitute honey with brown rice syrup.