Raw Pumpkin Pie with Coconut Whipped Cream

Happy October!!! I just love Fall and the changing of the seasons, an ushering in of brilliant oranges, yellows, and reds annnnnd I love pumpkins! Carve them, decorate with them, eat them, and save their seeds for next year!  Pumpkins are versatile and for centuries cooks around the world have been mashing, baking, sugaring, and roasting pumpkins.  Today we will uncook our pumpkin! Did you know that Sugar Pie Pumpkins and their seeds can be consumed raw?  The flesh is naturally very soft (unlike other squashes) and is very easy to blend up.  We will be using this variety of pumpkin for our dessert and they can be found in the produce isle of the grocery store.  I would not recommend buying them at a pumpkin patch :).  If you have a green thumb, pumpkins are very easy to grow, actually all squash is easy to grow and you will get boat loads of squash per plant!  My little pumpkin came from my garden harvest today:

If there is anything else that gets me thinking about Halloween, other than bright orange pumpkins in the garden and tall whispy corn stalks, is black cats!  Here is my living Halloween decoration!!

Enough about Halloween, let's talk pie.  This pie is creamy, rich, and very much like it's baked version.  However, this masterpiece is fully Raw and fully ALIVE.  Loaded with enzymes, minerals like zinc, and iron this so called indulgence will give you energy, glowing skin, and a mighty fine dose of nutrients.  Since we are using raw coconut nectar (found in either the health food isle or next to the honey at the store) this is a low glycemic dessert!! Yay!! Here we go, one awesome festive pie coming up:

Ingredients:

Chocolate Cashew Cookie Crust:   (or try my basic No Bake Choclate Pie Crust)
1 cup cashew flour (put raw cashews in food processor and process until you have a fine flour)
3/4 cup oat flour (grind raw oats in a spice grinder until you have a fine powder)
1/4 cup raw cacao powder
1/2 tsp. blue green algae (optional but you won't be able to taste it)
1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup Creamy Chocolate Frosting

Coconut Whipped Cream (1/2 vanilla, 1/2 chocolate):
Flesh of two young coconuts (how to open a coconut)
3 dates, pitted, chopped OR 1/4 cup raw coconut nectar OR 3 Tbsp. maple syrup
1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked 4 hours)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut water
1/4 cup raw cacao powder

Pumpkin Filling:
1 cup raw cashews, soaked 8 hours, rinsed
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seed butter
1 to 1 1/2 cups raw sugar pie pumpkin (skin removed, seeds removed, cubed)
3/4 cup almond milk
1/2 cup raw coconut nectar OR maple syrup
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 cup coconut oil, liquid (place jar of coconut oil in a sauce pan with water in it, warm on stove)
2 tsp. cinnamon
dash of nutmeg

Pie Crust Method:

Add all dry ingredients to food processor.  Pulse to mix.  With the processor running, slowly add maple syrup and process until a dough forms.  Place dough in bowl.  Gently fold in creamy chocolate frosting.  Take a standard pie pan and line with plastic wrap (this will allow you to lift the pie out easily when ready to eat). Gently press the dough into the pan to form a crust.  Place in freezer overnight to harden.

Coconut Whipped Cream Method:

Add all ingredients EXCEPT cacao to a high speed blender.  Blend until creamy.  Remove half of the whipped cream and place in a bowl in the refrigerator to firm up a bit.  To the other half, add the raw cacao and blend.  Place in bowl and allow to cool before adding to your piping bag.  It will hold shape better for frosting when it is cool.

Pumpkin Filling Method:

Add cashews and pumpkin to food processor.  Process until smooth.  Add remaining ingredients and process until smooth and creamy.  Pour filling into prepared pie crust.  Let chill in refrigerator overnight before adding the frosting. 

Decorating Method:

I used a piping bag with two different tips but if you do not have this, take a plastic bag and cut a tiny bit off one of the lower corners.  Put whipped cream in the bag and use as piping.  Another option is to place a small dollop of the whipped cream with a spoon on each slice before serving.  If this is your option, allow the whipped cream to warm and soften for about 15 minutes after removing from refrigerator before spooning it up.

To Plate: A slice, a dash of cinnamon and maybe a little chocolate or vanilla vegan ice cream :)

Enjoy and Happy Fall!!! Thank you for stopping by!!