Chocolate! Bananas! Avocados! Oh MY!! …and did I mention it’s Gluten-Free and Vegan too!! NATIONAL PIE DAY

By: Stefani Brannon-Smith CHHC

Happy National Pie Day!

This day is celebrated annually on January 23rd. It was created simply to celebrate the pie.  It is a day for all of us to bake or cook our favorite pies. Even more importantly, it is a day set aside for all of us to enjoy eating pies!

It is believed that the first pies appeared around 9500 BC in the Egyptian Neolithic Period or New Stone Age. Can’t you just imagine the ancient Egyptians sitting around the pyramids eating pie?

Celebrate By Baking One Yourself

Now that National Pie Day is here, what better way to celebrate than making a pie. Of course you can always buy your favorite one, but to protect your oral and overall health make it yourself and control what you put in it. You can use less sugar, add more nutritional value and still make a tasty pie.

This week is also National Sugar Awareness Week. How much sugar are we eating? Did you know that the average American consumes almost 152 pounds of sugar in one year. Nutritionists suggest that Americans should get only 10% of their calories from sugar. This equals 13.3 teaspoons of sugar per day (based on 2,000 calories per day). The current average is 42.5 teaspoons of sugar per day!

A Secret Ingredient

If you want to try a Gallery57Dental team approved pie, check out the following recipe. It has a surprising ingredient….Avocado.

Avocados are incredibly nutritious! They contain more Potassium than bananas and are loaded with heart-healthy Monounsaturated Fatty Acids and Fiber. Did you know that  eating Avocados can lower Cholesterol and Triglyceride Levels!

 

I hope you will try and enjoy this Chocolate-Banana Pie recipe, which was influenced by Laura @ Petite Allergy Treats recipe for Gluten-free Chocolate Avocado Banana Silk Pie.  

Stefani Brannon Smith’s Chocolate-Banana Pie

Pie Filling:

• 2 medium-sized avocados
• 2 bananas
• 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 cup of coconut milk
• 1 Tbsp of maple syrup

Crust:

-Gluten free cookie of choice (used Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Snicker-doodles).

-1/3 cup walnuts

-1 Tbsp of Earth Balance Buttery Spread (vegan & non-gmo) melted.

To Make The Crust:

• • -Put the cookies and walnuts in food processor to pulse until mixture is crumbly. Add the melted buttery spread and pulse again to mix.

-Empty crust mixture into pie pan. Be sure to press evenly into the bottom and sides of the pan.

-Bake pie crust for 15 min at 350. Allow to cool

On To The Filling …

-Combine all the filling ingredients in to the food processor or a blender and blend until smooth….yes it’s that simple!

-Pour the filling into the cooled crust and place into the freezer for about 4 hours. This will make it firm up. If you only put it in the fridge it won’t get quite as firm and its more like a pudding pie.

-When ready to serve let it thaw for about 15-20 min.

-You can serve it with whipped cream…either homemade or there are great dairy-free & vegan pre-made options too

Stefani Brannon-Smith is a certified holistic Health Coach &Personal Chef (and our office manager).

 

Call 212.246.8700 to find out more information or click here to schedual an appointment with Gallery57Dental!