Tip# 7 Low-fat Pies
You now know that pie crusts are high in fat. What do we do if we want to keep the EMI of pie as high as possible, keep the fat as low as possible, and still keep the crust? There are a couple of solutions. First, try a dish with a crust sprinkled on top of it. An example of this is apple crisp. This is baked apple pie filling with a whole grain-based topping sprinkled atop it. You can use a number of items for the sprinkles.
You can also use a very low-fat recipe for pie crust. The problem is that its difficult to find one that holds together. Following are a couple of examples of pie with crusts that are low fat and still have the texture and consistency of a good, rich pie crust.
First, use Grape Nuts, with apple juice to hold it together. Simply grind up or blend Grape Nuts to a fine yet crunchy consistency, then add apple juice till its just the right texture to line a pie pan. Once youve lined the pan, pour in the filling as you normally would.
Another idea for low-fat pie crust is to use mashed potatoes and soy milk to help hold the pie crust together. For a really special treat, add tofu topping, but dont eat too much topping or youll slip off the EMI scale.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Try the crisped pie recipe.
Try the following low-fat crust pie recipes.
Peach Crisp
Filling:
4 C Canned sliced peaches in juice
3 Tbsp. Whole wheat flour
1/8 C Fruit-juice-sweetened apricot preserves
4 Tbsp. Honey
2 tsp. Lemon juice
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
Topping:
1 Tbsp. Maple syrup
tsp. Vanilla
C Whole oats
1 Tbsp. Cornmeal
tsp. Cinnamon
Fold peaches into flour and pour mixture into a 9 pie pan. Mix preserves with honey, lemon juice, and nutmeg. Spoon mixture over peaches and bake at 375o F. for 30 minutes.
Take out of oven. Mix toppings. Crumble over peach filling. Bake for 15 more minutes. Makes 8 portions. (1 portion = 128.5 calories, 0.5 grams fat, 6% protein, 91% carbohydrates, 3% fat)
Quick Apple Pie
C Grape Nuts cereal
4 C Delicious apples (large)
2 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Corn starch
2 tsp. Lemon juice
1/3 C Frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
tsp. Ground coriander
C Raisins
Preheat the oven to 400o F.
Core the apples, slice thin, and sprinkle with lemon juice.
Blend Grape Nuts, pulsing until its almost pulverized. Spread over the bottom of a covered casserole dish.
Dissolve corn starch in 1/3 cup of apple juice and cook until thick.
Mix apples, juice, and spices in a bowl. Spread the apple mixture over the cereal in the casserole dish. Sprinkle with additional cinnamon, if desired.
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until apples are tender. Remove cover and return to oven to allow pie to brown for 10 to 15 minutes longer. Makes 6 portions. (1 portion = 127.5 calories, 0.4 grams fat, 5% protein, 93% carbohydrates, 3% fat)
Green Apple Pastry Pie
The yeasted pastry uses mashed potatoes and soy milk, not fat, to make it tender. It works well with any juicy fruit filling, or with soft savory filling.
Yeasted Pastry:
C Soy milk, warm
3 Tbsp. Mashed potatoes
1 Tbsp. Maple syrup
1 tsp. Regular dry yeast
tsp. Salt
C Whole wheat flour
1 C Unbleached flour
2 Tbsp. Frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed, for brushing
Filling:
8 med. Green apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 tsp. Lemon juice
1 tsp. Grated lemon zest
tsp. Cinnamon
1/8 tsp. Cardamom
1/8 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Nutmeg
C Frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
2 Tbsp. Corn starch
Yeasted Pastry: Mix together soy milk, potatoes, syrup, and yeast in a medium bowl. Let stand 5 minutes.
Add salt and flours. Mix and knead mixture on a lightly floured surface 5 minutes.
Place dough in an oiled bowl, oil top lightly, cover, and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. (You can also let dough rise in refrigerator from 2 to 24 hours.)
Filling: In a large bowl, toss apples, lemon juice, zest, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, and cardamom.
Mix juice concentrate and corn starch in small saucepan and cook until smooth and thick, stirring constantly. Pour over apple mixture and mix well.
Pie Making: Preheat oven (350o F.). Flour a bread board and roll pastry into a 16 circle. Transfer dough to a greased cookie sheet. Spoon apple filling into center of dough, then pinch edges around filling to make a 10 freeform pie. Pleat edges of dough. Leave a 5 hole in center, to display filling. Cover hole (not pastry) with foil.
Bake about 25 minutes. Brush pastry with 2 tablespoons of juice concentrate. Bake until golden brown (about 5 minutes). Remove foil and serve hot. Makes 8 to 10 portions. (1 portion = 183.4 calories, 0.6 grams fat, 6% protein, 91% carbohydrates, 3% fat)