Why we love this recipe
Nothing says comfort food like freshly baked apple pie. This Ayurvedic variation on the much-loved classic includes a delicious, nutritious “granola pie crust” made with chopped nuts, rolled oats, wheat germ, and other good-for-you ingredients. You can use the granola crust in other pie recipes, too.
Cooked Fruit—a Vata-Balancing Dessert
Desserts with warm, cooked fruit—like crumbles, compotes, chutney, and pies—are very comforting in cold weather and climates. Chilly weather aggravates Vata dosha, the wind element in Ayurveda, an excess of which can leave you feeling scattered and frazzled. Desserts that are sweet, warming, and grounding help bring breezy Vata back into balance. Cooked fruit is also easier on your digestion than desserts made with foods like ice cream or chocolate.
Granny Smith and other tart apples make this apple-pie recipe a very full-flavored treat. Serve warm with whipped cream (add a pinch of cardamom for Vata-balancing flavor).
Step One: Granola Pie Crust
Ingredients
- ½ cup of chopped nuts
- ⅔ cup of rolled oats
- ⅔ cup of wheat germ
- ½ cup of grated dried, unsweetened coconut
- ¼ teaspoon of salt
- ¼ cup of whole wheat flour
- 3 tablespoons of raw or brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons of melted ghee, butter, or oil
- 3 tablespoons of water
Directions
- Mix the nuts and dry ingredients together.
- Add the ghee, butter, or oil, and the water, and gently toss to coat the dry ingredients.
- Immediately press into a buttered 9-inch pie pan.
Step Two: Apple Pie Filling
Ingredients
- 5½ to 6 cups of thinly-sliced peeled apples
- ⅓ cup of sugar
- 2 teaspoons of lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon of arrowroot or cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon of ghee or butter
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉.
- Steam the apples until they start to become tender, about 5 minutes. Drain well.
- Mix with the remaining ingredients for the filling.
- Melt the ghee or butter. Mix into the filling.
- Spoon into the crust and spread evenly. If a double pie crust is desired, sprinkle the top with the remaining granola mixture.
- Bake until crust is lightly browned, 30 to 40 minutes.
Recipe is reprinted with permission from Heaven's Banquet, by Miriam Kasin Hospodar. April 2000.
Like this recipe? Try more delicious, balancing Ayurvedic desserts!
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