Makeover Monday: Guiltless Pumpkin Pie

My tummy is counting down to Thanksgiving.  Only 10 more days!  My favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner, much like most meals, is dessert.  And my favorite Thanksgiving dessert is pumpkin pie.  It just wouldn't be Thanksgiving without it.  Every year after overindulging on turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, cranberries and the rest of the gang, I tell myself I am going to wait and have a piece of pie later.  Then I see my mom cutting and distributing the delectable pieces of pumpkin pie and topping them with a generous scoop of whipped cream.  My resolve instantly weakens and I know I can't resist.  It gets me every time. 

The good news is that pumpkin pie isn't all bad.  The main ingredient is a vegetable, after all.  Pumpkin pie's best quality is that it is an excellent source of Vitamin A.  Unfortunately, it is also an excellent source of fat and sugar.  Pumpkin pie's worst quality is its crust.  A standard piece of pumpkin pie has about 315 calories, and almost 40% of that comes from the crust. 

I came across this recipe for Guiltless Pumpkin Pie a few years ago and thought it was brilliant.  It has a meager 100 calories.  That's 100 calories for dessert.  On a day known for overeating, that's kind of a big deal.  The main calorie slashing method of this recipe is that it is crust-less.  This is a double bonus for me since I'm not a crust person anyway.  It also saves calories by using fat free evaporated milk, using less of it than a standard recipe, and using Splenda instead of sugar.  If you are a pie crust enthusiast, you could still make this filling with a crust and lose about 95 calories per slice.

Another great thing about not having a crust on this pie is that it can be prepared in minutes.  With everything else going on in the kitchen Thanksgiving day, how great is it to have a simple dessert?  It is almost insulting to you for me to include pictures of this preparation, but I'm going to do it anyway.  Please forgive me.

Start by beating two eggs.

Add the spices and Splenda.  Stir to combine.

Now stir in the pumpkin and evaporated milk.

Then just pour it into a greased 9-inch pie plate and bake for 40-45 minutes.  Simple!

I topped my pumpkin pie with a maple cinnamon whipped topping concoction I made.  I just added a few drops of maple extract and a few shakes of cinnamon into a container of Lite Cool Whip.  It was delicious!  I would totally recommend this recipe as an easy way to lighten up your Thanksgiving meal.   Your tummy and your bathroom scale will thank you.

Guiltless Pumpkin Pie

Ingredients:

2 large eggs

3/4 cup Splenda

1 tsp ground cinnamon

3/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1/4 tsp salt

1 15-oz can pumpkin

5 oz fat free evaporated milk

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray and set aside.

Place eggs in a large bowl and beat with a fork or a whisk.  Add Splenda, spices, and salt.  Stir until well mixed.

Stir in pumpkin and evaporated milk.  Pour into prepared pie plate.

Bake 40-45 minutes, or until center is set.

Remove from oven and cool on wire rack.  Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving time.

Recipe adapted from Iowa State Extension