by guest blogger Stephanie Eckelkamp, senior associate editor at Prevention magazine
I’ve been craving pie lately because, well, it’s fall, and eating pie is what you do. The only problem is that for the most part, I try to stick to a grain-free, Paleo-style diet. This makes any baked goods, let alone ones reliant on crust, a tad difficult to swing.
But since my cravings wouldn’t subside, I resolved to create out my own Paleo-friendly pie. After some thought, I decided the only logical solution to my problem would be to make mini single-serve pies that don’t need a bottom crust and top them with a delicious crumbly almond flour–based topping. The result was delicious Mini Apple-Bacon Paleo Pies.
There’s also a secret ingredient in these bad boys that make them unlike any other pie you’ve tasted: bacon! Sure, it may sound strange, but it adds just the right touch of smokiness and saltiness to actually enhance the sweetness of the apples. Think of these as a simpler, flavor-packed, lower-carb take on the original.
Mini Apple-Bacon Paleo “Pies”
Ingredients:
Filling
- 4 medium to large apples, cored and sliced
- 2 slices bacon (preferably uncured and organic), chopped
- 1 sprinkle each of cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice
Crumb Topping
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- 2 Tablespoons grass-fed butter, chilled (or coconut oil)
- 1–2 Tablespoons maple syrup
Directions:
1. Prepare filling: Heat a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Add chopped bacon and sauté for about 2 minutes. Add sliced apples to skillet with bacon and sauté until soft, about 8 minutes. Add spices and sauté for an additional 2 minutes.
2. Prepare crumb topping: Add almond flour, pecans, and spices to a medium bowl and mix to combine. Add butter, “cutting” it into the dry ingredients with a fork until it’s well combined and the mixture has a crumbly consistency. Add maple syrup and combine all ingredients, mashing them together with the fork and trying to maintain the mixture’s crumbly texture.
3. Divide filling among 4 custard cups and top each with about 2 heaping tablespoons of crumb topping. Place custard cups on a baking sheet.
4. Place mini “pies” in oven and broil on low until tops start to brown and crisp up, about 10 minutes. You may need to finish them up on high for about a minute.
5. Enjoy! These things are freakin’ amazing.
Stephanie Eckelkamp is a senior associate editor at Prevention magazine, covering food and nutrition, and is also a certified holistic health coach. When she’s not writing, she’s either out on a hike, taking pictures of strangers’ dogs, or figuring out a new way to use sweet potatoes.
No comments yet.