Everyone knows from the cartoons of their childhood that we are all easily seduced by the delicious smell of a pie cooling on the window ledge! Whether you adore apple pie or have a penchant for pumpkin pie, as we move into fall, these hearty warming pies are likely to start becoming all too tempting.
Sweet or savory, it’s no secret that pies aren’t really all that good for you. You might place the majority of the blame on the pie’s filling. However, the crust could be just as guilty of damaging your health or causing all manner of health issues.
Are Traditional Pie Crusts That Bad For You?
If you buy pies, or even if you prefer to bake your own, most common pie crusts will contain various ingredients that can damage your health. If you’re making sweet pies, many traditional crusts contain lots of refined sugar, which has been linked to multiple health conditions including diabetes and obesity.
Dairy is another culprit that appears time and again in many pie crust recipes. You might be surprised to learn that 75 percent of the world’s population is lactose intolerant and millions of people are making themselves ill on a daily basis by continuing to eat it (4).
Additionally, the vast majority of standard shop-bought crusts and recipes, use wheat flour, which could be causing you problems without you even realizing. There is another way, though, making pie crusts that are grain-free.
Why Should You Go Grain-Free?
The main difficulty with grains is that our bodies aren’t used to eating them from an evolutionary standpoint, especially in the large quantities that many do in the modern era (5). As such, wheat is one of the most common dietary allergens, but many people continue to eat the ingredients that are causing them damage. It can cause issues with digestion and weight management – gluten appears to be an appetite stimulant. (1)
Furthermore, wheat consumption can lead to a condition known as Leaky Gut Syndrome (1). A diet rich in grains can damage the lining of the intestines, which in turn creates a more porous environment, allowing toxins (including bacteria and viruses) to leak into the bloodstream. This can cause inflammation throughout the whole body which can lead to fatigue, bloating, and clouded thinking (7).
Cutting grains out from your diet will give you both immediate and long-term benefits. You can still live a grain-free life and enjoy pies!
Coconut Flour Pie Crust
Recipe from The Coconut Mama
Ingredients
- ½ cup coconut oil or butter, melted
- 2 eggs
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup coconut flour
- 1-3 tablespoons raw honey
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, honey, and salt.
- Add in the coconut flour and stir the mixture together until your dough holds together.
- Gather the dough into a ball, then pat into a 9″ greased pie pan.
- Prick the dough using a fork.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly brown and then let cool.
Paleo Pie Crust
Recipe from The Healthy Foodie
This will make around 4 pie crusts.
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour, sifted
- 2 cups coconut flour, sifted
- 1 cup tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon Himalayan or fine sea salt
- 2 cups lard, frozen and grated
- 1/2 cup icy cold water
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons of white vinegar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flours, tapioca starch, and salt. Add grated lard and mix with your hands until it resembles fine crumbs with a few larger pieces.
- In a measuring cup, whisk the water, vinegar, and eggs together. Pour this over the dry ingredients, stirring briskly with your fingers until a ragged dough starts to form.
- Turn onto a working surface and gently press into a ball, then cut into 4 wedges forming each wedge into a disc. Wrap these discs in plastic film and refrigerate until chilled (about 30 minutes)
- Take the pastry out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before rolling, so it is at room temperature.
- Roll out pastry between 2 sheets of parchment paper. When the disc is large enough to fit into your pie dish, peel off top paper and place your pie dish over the dough. Flip the whole thing upside down so the dough falls right into the pie dish. Peel off the remaining parchment paper.
- Brush an egg or coconut milk mixture all over the top crust (if using) and bake in 400°F oven for about 18-20 minutes or until golden brown.
Almond and Walnut Crust
Recipe from The Paleo Mama
Ingredients
- 1 cup of almond flour
- ¾ cup of shredded coconut
- 2 tablespoons of coconut oil
- 1 egg
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup of chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and grease your pie tin.
- Use a food processor to blend the almond flour, coconut, and walnuts. You are looking for a breadcrumb-like consistency. Add the egg and process until everything is mixed before adding coconut oil, processing on low until the mixture forms a smooth ball.
- Press the dough into a large pie tin. It will press in easier if you use film wrap over the mixture and press down evenly around the pan.
- Bake the crust at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to cool for five minutes.
- Next, add the pie filling or cheesecake mixture and bake according to directions.
Get Baking
If you want to experiment with making sweet or savory pies that are completely grain-free, these recipes are a great place to start. All of these recipes are so versatile, you can fill them with whichever ingredients you want and continue to enjoy your favorite pies totally guilt-free!
Here are a few more great pie recipes to give a try!
Sources:
1. Should you Go On a Wheat Free Diet? | Natural Balance Foods. Naturalbalancefoodscom. 2016. Available at: https://www.naturalbalancefoods.com/community/dietary-needs/should-you-go-on-a-wheat-free-diet/. Accessed September 21, 2016.
2. Crust C. Coconut Flour Pie Crust – The Coconut Mama. The Coconut Mama. 2014. Available at: http://thecoconutmama.com/coconut-flour-pie-crust/. Accessed September 21, 2016.
3. Index R, Side O, Tricks T et al. Paleo Pie Crust. The Healthy Foodie. 2014. Available at: http://thehealthyfoodie.com/paleo-pie-crust/. Accessed September 21, 2016.
4. Kris Gunnars B. Is Dairy Bad For You, or Good? The Milky, Cheesy Truth. Authority Nutrition. 2014. Available at: https://authoritynutrition.com/is-dairy-bad-or-good/. Accessed September 21, 2016.
5. Contributor E. Grain-free, Gluten-free: A Doctor’s Life Changing Dietary Journey. Everydayhealthcom. 2016. Available at: http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/my-health-story/grain-free-gluten-free-doctors-life-changing-dietary-journey/. Accessed September 22, 2016.
6. Ritz J. Gluten/Sugar/Dairy Free Pie Crust – The Paleo Mama. The Paleo Mama. 2013. Available at: http://thepaleomama.com/2013/01/glutensugardairy-free-pie-crust/. Accessed September 22, 2016.
7. Shilpi Agarwal M. Leaky Gut Syndrome: Is Your Gut In A Rut?. Everydayhealthcom. 2016. Available at: http://www.everydayhealth.com/columns/shilpi-agarwal-your-holistic-health-guide/leaky-gut-syndrome-is-your-gut-in-a-rut/. Accessed September 22, 2016.
