Although carrot pie may sound like a surprising choice for a holiday dessert, this delectable recipe is sure to win compliments from people who love pumpkin and pecan pies. Carrots give this easy dessert a beautiful color, a naturally sweet flavor and an abundance of heart-healthy nutrients, including beta carotene, fiber, potassium, vitamins A, B6 and K1, and a variety of disease-fighting antioxidants. Not only are carrots diet-friendly with just 40 calories each, but they’ve been linked to better eye health, lower cholesterol and lower risk for certain cancers. For a flavor variation, replace the ginger and nutmeg in the recipe with a teaspoon of pumpkin spice and decrease the amount of cinnamon to ½ teaspoon. For a vegan pie, use a vegan crust and condensed coconut milk. To make the recipe gluten-free, use a gluten-free crust.
4 cups peeled, sliced fresh carrots
1 can condensed milk (14 ounces)
2 eggs
¼ teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
1 10-inch unbaked pie crust
1 cup chopped or whole pecans
Preheat oven to 375°. Place carrots in a large saucepan or pot. Add water to barely cover carrots, then bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 10-12 minutes or until tender. Drain and cool. Put carrots, condensed milk, eggs, ginger and cinnamon in a blender or food processor. Cover and process until pureed. Pour mixture into pie crust and top with chopped or whole pecans. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean and edges are browned. Cool on a wire rack, then enjoy! Makes 8 servings. Adapted from thegiftedgabber.com and tasteofhome.com.
