Consider this the Modern Pumpkin Pie in tart form. Hip in every way. It fully utilizes amazing, revolutionary, gluten free blanched almond flour, my favorite sweetener stevia and of course pumpkin. It has the taste thrills of holiday comfort food pumpkin pie but gobs of great for you ingredients. Thumbs up and big applause please……
To celebrate my reinvention of this all American classic I invite you to bask in the glory of my friend Lucy Lean’s brand new book Made in America. Cook, bake and party with us!
As you know I get really excited when my friends write and photograph really great books. I will call them modern taste makers. Have you ever heard of my pal Lucy Lean? A few things you need to know about her: a MasterChef food judge, former editor for Edible LA magazine, publisher of the amazing blog Ladles and Jellyspoons. She is also witty, charming and very sophisticated. I Love Lucy.
We first spent time together last winter at Food Blogger Camp in Mexico. We hit it off immediately and now I chat with her frequently. Sometimes I even end up at her home for intimate gatherings of good friends.
I bring large wheels of fancy cheese to garden parties…more on that later.
That’s Lucy. The pretty lady at the head of the table toasting to life. She has a passion for living, fueled by her beautiful family and great food. That is why she wrote the book on reinventing comfort food. It’s all coming together now, yes? To celebrate today’s launch of Made in America a group of us foodie bloggers are partaking in a virtual dinner party. Each guest is sharing their interpretation of comfort food.
One of the chef’s featured in the book is Michael Voltaggio. He cooks up a Modern Mock Turtle Soup. I went a little Mock too.
In the cookbook Lucy has over 100 of America’s most well known chefs re-create classic recipes. For this dinner party I chose to reinvent my favorite dessert.
In the next few months you have to realize that when you visit MarlaMeridith.com you will be visiting The Pumpkin Blog. Now that we have that straight lets dig in.
Traditionally this fall pie is served as dessert for Thanksgiving feasts. Generally it has a plentiful amount of sugar and a buttery, refined white flour crust. Until now. Those ingredients are fun and all, but I want to eat this pie for breakfast, snacks and everywhere in between……and stay skinny.
In typical me style, I have created a pie-tart thing that I enjoy as a mini meal before my workout. Yup. Dessert before I work out. It’s better than any packaged power bar, fitness shake, etc.
Pie. As. Power. Bar.
It can of course be served as dessert on Halloween or Thanksgiving. You can leave off the Jack-o-lantern face if you wish. Just eat pie.
And don’t forget a big glass of ice cold milk. With two straws. You might be willing to share the milk, but not the pie.
If you would like to purchase a copy of this wonderful cookbook Made in America you sure can. It’s hot off the press and ready for you. You should have one for yourself and it would make excellent birthday and holiday gifts too.
Do you love pumpkin pie as much as I do? Do you have any comfort food recipe reinventions that you would like to share with us? Feel free to leave any links to those in your comments.
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Virtual Dinner Party Guests
Check out Lucy’s post for more dinner party fun. She has also invited you to be a gate crasher if you are not on the list. After all, party crashing can sometimes be more fun than being on the list. You can also be a fly on the wall over at twitter using #MadeInAmericaDinner
- Aida Aida Mollenkamp
- Amanda i am Baker
- Amanda Kevin and Amanda
- Brooke Foodwoolf
- Carrie Deliciously Organic
- Debbie The Culinary Cellar
- Esi Dishing Up Delights
- Gaby What’s Gaby Cooking
- Georgia Georgia Pellegrini
- Greg SippitySup
- Jaden Steamy Kitchen
- Kristina Better Recipes
- Maggy Three Many Cooks
- Marla MarlaMeridith.com
- Michael Food For The Thoughtless
- Molly Organic park
- Nicole Pinch My Salt
- Nancy A Communal Table,
- Rachael LaFuji Mama
- Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal MarlaMeridith.com
- Homemade Pumpkin Pie Spice My Baking Addiction
- Pumpkin Pie Custard Tarts Dunkin Cooking the Semi-Homemade Way
- Pumpkin Crunch Cake Gonna Want Seconds
- Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie with Gingerbread Crust Cherry Tea Cakes
- Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pie Crepes Chocolate and Carrots
This post has been included in TidyMom’s I’m Lovin it Fridays
I’m joining TidyMom and Whirlpool for the 4th Annual Love the Pie Party and entered to win a new Whirlpool Gold® Induction Range
What a perfect looking pumpkin pie tart. Love that it’s healthy and still looks absolutely delicious! xoxo
Marla this tart is absolutely lovely and so wholesome. Breathtaking photos, too. Thanks for sharing your talents in the kitchen and behind the lens with your hungry readers (myself included!) 🙂
You are my pumpkin hero! And with a big glass of cold milk? Oh, yes.
You just rule it.
Really Bev?? I love you 😉
I love the almond crust. Can’t wait to try this.
Monica, the almond crust is addictive. In the best way!
Pie as Power Bar! Ha, I love the way you think. 😉
Sylvie, I sort of think outside the box and love to share my quirks with you guys. Glad you dig 😉
It’s all fabulous…the tart, the recipe, your connection with Lucy (still kicking myself I didnt go to Food Blog Camp 2011) and I am also loving the green/rustic table or backdrop underneath that pumpkin.
and your photos…keep getting better and better and your food styling…amazing!!
xoxo
I loooove the idea of an almond crust on the pie! It’s so original and definitely a great detour from your basic pumpkin pie. Mmmm!
I love the jack-o-lantern on the pie. Mmmmmmm pie. I just made myself hungry.
I love your enthusiasm for pumpkin. It is infectious and I am feeling it!
I am so glad to read this post! I recently started a gluten free lifestyle and was worried about how my favorite, “pumpkin pie”, would fit in my new diet. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Renee, thanks for stopping by! I am happy that you now know that you can enjoy your favorite pie any time at all. Not need to gluten free folks to keep away from their favorites any more. Freeing isn’t it 🙂
That is one great-looking pie — I love pumpkin!!!! And I love all the fresh and healthy ingredients in here. Delicious! Must try this one.
Gorgeous pictures as ever and I love how you’ve taken such a traditional dessert and made it healthy. Looks awesome.
The more pumpkin the merrier if you ask me! thanks so much for featuring my pizza in your round up post!
Ah this tart looks amazing! I love that it has ricotta cheese in the filling that has to make it infinitely more delicious and creamy.
Joanne, the ricotta adds so much and it is a nice balance with the crumbly almond crust. Besides the fat free ricotta plays well against the creamier, richer nuts & oil. Love that pizza with the pumpkin crust that you made. Genius!
This is brilliant! Beautiful pie 🙂
this sounds absolutely phenomenal maria! i love that it’s a nontraditional take on a traditional recipe!
with a nice cold glass of milk- DELISH! My favorite part though is the decorating on top- so cute and fun! What a wonderful re-invention i must say
Belle: Simple and sweet decorations. With a little rustic charm. Thats my thing when it comes to baking treats 🙂
What a gorgeous tart! It look really tempting. That is one of my favorite fall treats.
Cheers,
Rosa
That tart looks magnificent! That is one of my favorite fall treats.
Cheers,
Rosa
I feel like I always say this to you… but I cant help it cause I always think it when I am here. You are making the world a better place. A healthier place. A prettier place. You rock!
Amanda…..we make a great team. Thanks for you sweet words that really make me love what I do! You also always inspire me. My pumpkin pies would live very happily next to your stunning American flag cake. Fun to be in this virtual dinner party with you. Now we just need to get together for reals 🙂
Pie as a power bar? you sold me!!
I love how rustic this pie looks. I have many gluten free friends and cannot wait to bake one or two or three of these great pies! Love the group photo too btw. xxoo
Hi Allison, it was such a fun day at Lucy’s house. My kids were even there…trying to behave 😉
I hope you and your friends get to enjoy some of these pies.
Pumpkin is being used in all my meals now a days! I don’t mind at all! Like always your photography is beautiful, your story is awesome, and the food looks SOOO good!! 🙂
Thanks Ari! Sounds like we both can’t get enough pumpkin in our lives. Love that! Isn’t it also great to know that it is good for us too?!
Great way to celebrate Made in America Marla!!! Intrigued to try that crust!!
I just have the softest spot for pumpkin and this is adorable!
Marla, this looks terrfic! As does the book. Great idea, perfect for food lovers like me. Love you tart and your take on pumpkin pie (my favourite since I was a kid) but I wouldn’t expect anything less from you.
Thanks Mike! This pie would go wonderfully after the butternut bisque you have served up on your blog right now 🙂
I am baking up this pie for Thanksgiving – DELICIOUS – and thank you for being you – as Amanda says – you rock – and rocking the American Comfort food with healthy easy alternatives – that I bet people won’t even know they are eating Gluten Free. (Still waiting for the reinvention of the ski bunny poster)
Lucy, you are right about that – you would never know you were eating gluten free with this tart. The nuts make it taste so decadent and rich. Nothing missed at all.
The reinvention of the ski bunny poster would make for the best dinner party conversation. I am on it. Just need a boob job and the bright yellow uni-ski suit 😉
Congrats again on your book my friend. You truly amaze me. I feel like I am really getting to know the inside scoop on these chefs 🙂 The recipes are heavenly. I must make that egg scramble with the cream cheese…like tonight!
I love how you decorated the pie…so cute!
You just always make food fun! Always.
Awww, thanks Charissa, and you always stop by with the sweetest comments that brighten my day 🙂
Just in time! I need a gluten free pumpkin pie recipe for next week – this looks wonderful!
looks fabulous! love the photos!
Hi Marla! This looks delish! I pulled out the old Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook, you know the one Grandma used to use, this week to pull out some old time recipes and re-vamped them. My first re-vamp was an apple coffee crumb cake. The flavor was out of this world, but I am so not the best photographer. Pictures just don’t do it justice. I just love old school recipes! By the way I’m buying Lucy’s book! Thanks for sharing! http://peanutbutterandpeppers.com/2011/10/03/apples-apples-apples/
Dessert before a workout? Love it! That’s the kind of approach we should all take – exercise but not denying ourselves delicious things 🙂 This looks gorgeous – love the updated take on a pumpkin pie.
What a great idea, this tart sounds fabulous! I’m always looking for desserts to make my brother’s girlfriend, as she can’t eat gluten. This would be perfect. 🙂
This tart looks great! I love that you made it gluten free. I actually prefer a tart over a pie any day!
NN, these days I also prefer the lightness of the tarts I have been making over pies. The GF crust is so completely addictive!
I love the addition of the pumpkin pie spice in the tart shell – that would be good with so many other flavors…
Jen, Iove adding spices & seasonings to my tart shells. Adds such a great dimension of flavor. The almond meal alone is so wonderful – the spice does kick it up a notch.
That is one tempting tart, Marla! Once again, your styling and photos rock. The more I read about Lucy and her book, the more I want to run out and buy a copy.
Dara, thanks for your sweet words. You would absolutely love this book. It is so fun to learn about the chefs. Lucy’s writing style is casual & very informative. It is obvious that she has fun relationships with each person she met with. Also being a mom of 2 small kids, she truly amazes me with how much work she put into this book. The recipes are amazing too. Such creative reinventions.
So does this mean I have to have work out to justify pie for breakfast?
Hmmmpfh. I guess it’s time for me to up my exercise regime!
Brooke, silly girl 😉 Pie-tarts + exercise are a grand good time. With 16 ounces of dark coffee to go with it 🙂
marla, this is such a cute (yummy looking) sweet treat!
Sounds delicious and I especially love the crust idea.
Of course you found a way to make this gluten free and it looks wonderful.
What a beautiful post with a delicious looking dessert.
Wouldn’t we all love a slice of this for breakfast or instead of a power bar! Love the crust.
it’s SO HEALTHY!!! yum!
Thanks, Marla! So nice to be featured in great company. You know I’m totally a pumpkin fanatic too and hence I must try this tart – the almond crust sounds fab!
Two thumbs up! I love your take on pumpkin pie sooo much. I love it when things are comforting and good for you.
How cute is this pumpkin tart?! And I love that you made an almond crust for the tart. YUM!
Hi Marla,
Great to have found you too! I am an almond lover and am a huge fan of using almond flour in baking. I never even thought to make an almond crust for pumpkin pie. What a perfect flavor combo. You are making my belly hungry for some Thanksgiving grub. But really this pumpkin pie would be great anytime!
Gorgeous photos as well!
Cheers,
Erin
Thanks for sharing!! We are pumpkin, and squash, crazy here too!! I will visit your blog for inspiration:)!
Your tart looks heavenly… hats off to you! I have so many friends that are gluten free, so it is nice to have a gluten free tart in the repertoire.
Give me anything almond flavor and I’m done for. Give my Smudge anything pumpkin and she’s all over it. Yup, I have a crush on your pie.
I bought a 5 lb. bag of almond flour…. yaaay me! Can’t wait to try this awesome crust! And the pie, of course!
Marla, this looks delicious!
Such a fun design on top. Great to have a recipe that you can feel good about eating all day long!
It always amazes me how I find things that fall perfectly into place with me its events going on in my life. I just went on a trip and the photos of (which I cannot avoid like I usually do) tell the truth. I’ve got to get back in control of my figure. Its exciting to read your recipes and know I can do this….my family and I can eat well together without me having to be on a special diet all alone!
Both crust and filling look scrumptious! Perfect variation of the traditional pumpkin pie. I would love to try this almond meal crust. Thanks!
Absolutely can’t wait to try this! And, my kids will love the fun decorations 🙂 Gorgeous gluten-free pumpkin tart!!
I had not heard of Lucy but her book sounds wonderful. And your pie/tart/power bar looks amazing!
Looks so delish!
A slice of pie as a power bar – my type of meal. Thanks for sharing Marla 🙂
I’m sending this on to a gluten-free buddy, pronto. I love traditional pumpkin pie, but am excited to try your variation (most of it — I still use sugar, honey, maple syrup and evaporated cane juice). Almond flour has been cropping up lately and I’m going to make some.
I made this last weekend, and we all LOVED it ~ I used regular stevia because I didn’t have the vanilla drops, and it turned out great. This will become part of my Fall Must-Make List!
Donna, your comment thrills me. That is a huge compliment coming from you. Not only is it so sweet but I am thrilled that you baked up my tarts 🙂 I am always enamored by your cooking/baking skills. The regular stevia is perfect! I am just addicted to those vanilla drops 🙂
I love pumpkin pie! This sounds yummy! I shared this on my blog with a linkback to get the recipe: http://for-the-love-of-pie.blogspot.com/2011/12/pumpkin-pie-tart-with-almond-crust.html
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For-the-Love-of-Pie.blogspot.com
Hi April! Thanks for sharing my Pumpkin Pie Tarts on your blog.
Looks AMAZING! Any substitution for the stevia drops?
Maybe try honey or maple syrup. Be sure to let us know how it turns out if you do 🙂 Thanks!
I cannot wait to make this for Turkey Day! I am hosting a dinner party of 8-eek, lol but I am so looking forward to it, I love to cook and bake. Your site has inspired so much of my cooking and baking lately, thank you so much for doing this to make us all healthy and happier 🙂 I am also making the green beans with leeks and maple pecans, I am going to use the pecans to fill tiny wine glasses and use these with place cards I made as the seating decorations. I will take a picture and show you. Now if I can just be confident in how the turkey will come out, I am still trying to find a good recipe and decide, basting or browning bag, any suggestion? Have a great day
Hi there! I wanted to let you know I featured you on Sugar Blossoms today. Stop by and check it out! http://sweetsugarblossoms.blogspot.com/2013/09/i-freakin-love-pumpkin.html
Thanks TJ! Love the post 🙂