{Autumn Apple Pie}

I have found a new name for myself. I made up a label as "Paleo plus," since I'm Paleo plus nut-free, seed-free, egg-free, mostly potato-free. As I was browsing the web for some cooking inspiration, I came across my new name- AIP. I am following a mostly Autoimmune Protocol diet ( I do occasionally have things with tomatoes). Its so nice to have a name. 

That said, its been especially difficult to come up with some fall treats. Last weekend I tried making pumpkin bread. I failed miserably- the pumpkin bread was dry, and tasted nothing like that soothing pumpkin taste I craved. I temporarily gave up on the pumpkin bread (Don't worry, I will resume the pumpkin quest soon), and instead tried to create an absolute favorite- apple pie. 

Last night was the first night in EVER that we had a family movie night. And of course, every movie needs to be accompanied with a treat! :)

 During my desperate search for some creativity, I came across a few very helpful and creative AIP blogs. For those of you who are following AIP, or simply trying to minimize a few more things in your diet, I highly recommend that you go explore too! It can be a little overwhelming, but at the end of my hour long quest, I felt so accomplished. And, most importantly, inspired.


Back to the apple pie. Besides being super duper easy to make, it was so delicious! However I will warn you, if you're like my mom and don't like coconut, do not try this. Apparently I neglected to forewarn my mom, who asked, when tasting it "does this have coconut?" Practically the whole thing is coconut! Well, besides the apples, obviously.

If you are looking for a yummy, melt-in-your mouth, easy, allergy-friendly autumn recipe, this apple pie was made for you! The pie is gone. I made it last night, and it is gone. I may or may not have had a quarter of it... Its healthy, right? 

My suggestion for making this pie even better is to add a dollop of coconut whipped cream on top. Paleo Cupboard has a great recipe here 
 
I hope you enjoy this yummy autumn treat as much as my family did! 

 

{AUTUMN APPLE PIE}

 

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup plus 1 Tablespoon coconut oil

1/3 cup finely shredded coconut

pinch of salt

6 apples, sliced thinly

1/3 cup maple syrup

2 Tablespoons coconut sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon tapioca starch

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F. 

For the crust, combine the coconut flour, coconut oil, shredded coconut, and salt in a food processor, mixing until it resembles a thick paste. Spread into an 8 inch pie pan, lightly greased with coconut oil. Place in the oven for about 15 minutes, or until the crust begins to brown. 

Meanwhile, combine the apples, cinnamon, ginger, and tapioca starch in a large bowl, mixing until well-incorporated. Then, add the syrup and coconut sugar, stirring until  thorughouly mixed. 

Pour the filling mixture into the pre-baked pie crust. Place parchment paper over the pie and press a cake pan on top of the pie- this ensures that the pie bakes evenly. Bake for about an hour and 20 minutes, then remove the parchment paper and cake pan and bake for another 5 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and let it cool. If you can wait long enough and don't mind, I found that letting the pie sit and then refrigerating it really helped the pie to not crumble. Unlike a traditional pie, this tends to be a bit more tricky and crumbly. Don't cry if your piece of pie winds up looking like a cobbler- I promise, it's still yummy and it's still pie!

Serve with coconut whipped cream, coconut ice cream, sprinkle with shredded coconut, or better yet, just eat it!