Taste Life Blog

Pumpkin pie means celebration and family times! Yes!

I wanted to enjoy a “sweet” and a roaring fire with Gary after we decorated the Christmas tree. This pie is easy to make ahead, tasty and low in fat. The pie’s bonus is the beautiful beta carotene, which decreases cancer risk. This treat is low calorie and with a smaller serving size could make every day a holiday!

• 16 gingersnap cookies
• 1 tablespoon butter or margarine*, melted
• 4 cups or 1 quart vanilla non-fat or low fat frozen yogurt or ice milk softened**
• 1 15-ounce can solid pack pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice ***

Preheat oven to 300¡F.

Crust
In a blender or food processor, process cookies into fine crumbs. Slowly add melted margarine or butter. Press crumb mixture into the bottom and up sides of a 9-inch pie pan. Bake for 12 minutes. Let cool.

Pie filling
Use an electric mixer to combine pumpkin, frozen yogurt and spices. Mix until well combined and spoon into cooled crust. Cover with plastic wrap and freeze overnight.

Yield: 8 servings

Serve with warm conversation and roaring fire.

*I used Smart Balance Buttery Spread which is great for baking, frying and cooking. 1 tbsp of Smart Balance provides 80 calories, 9 grams fat, 2.5 grams saturated fat. 1 tbsp of butter provides 100 calories, 11 grams fat, 7 grams saturated fat

** I used Kemp’s Low Fat Frozen yogurt

***You can substitute ¸ tsp cinnamon, 1/8 tsp cloves, ¹ tsp ginger and 1/8 tsp nutmeg

Nutrition

1/8 of pie: Calories 199, Protein 4 grams, Fat 6 grams, Sat Fat 3 grams, Carb 29 grams
Food exchanges = 2 starches

1/8 pie no crust: Calories 137, Protein 4 grams, Fat 3 grams, Sat Fat 2 grams, Carb 25 grams

If you are in a hurry and wish to use a quick frozen pie crust:

1/8 of pie: Calories 227, Protein 10 grams, Fat 9 grams, Sat fat 5 grams, Carb 37 grams