The holidays are here, and with it come the opportunity to interact with your closest friends and ring in a brand new year. Some of the best memories are made in the kitchen, and nothing beats a home cooked meal, except for maybe one that is heart healthy and designed to be tasty and help prevent cancer.
Desserts are always a big hit no matter what the holiday, and this year takes something to the table that is sure to be a fan favorite, with a healthy twist. Pecan pie evokes feelings of warmth for many people, and why shouldn’t it? Delicious and light it is a filling dessert that will have everyone at your home entranced.
Having cancer doesn’t mean you have to forgo the holidays, it just means you have so much more to appreciate – family, friends, caregivers and more. A cancer diagnosis doesn’t mean you have to hide from the holidays, it means you should come together with those you love most and face the diagnosis head on. Fighting back against cancer can be by doing something as simple as having a slice of pie with those you care for most.
The holidays are a time for celebrating, and for many patients it can be celebrating something as simple as successful doctor visits, chemo and other treatments. For those who have lost a loved one to a cancer diagnosis it can be a celebration of life and of the happy memories and past holidays. Survivors of cancer celebrate every day, but during the holidays it makes the hard fought win that much better.
Whatever your reason for celebrating this season, make sure to grab your loved ones, break out the eggnog or other holiday favorites and enjoy a slice of pecan pie.
Pecan Pie:
Ingredients:
1 recipe whole wheat tart dough
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
¾ cup applesauce
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups of chopped pecans, toasted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 eggs, lightly beaten
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.Roll out the tart dough to a ¼-inch thickness, and transfer to a 9-inch tart pan or pie dish. Poke tiny holes in the dough with a fork and cover with wax paper. Place dried beans on top of the wax paper to weigh down the dough. (This is known as “baking blind”, and prevents the dough from rising too much.)Bake the pie crust for about 20 minutes, or until the edges have turned brown and have started to shrink away from the sides of the pan. Remove the beans and wax paper.While crust is baking, combine the butter, brown sugar, applesauce and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil for 1 minute, then remove from the heat. Stir in the pecans and vanilla. Let it cool.Once the sugar mixture has cooled, slowly add in the eggs, whisking constantly. Then pour the mixture into the hot pie shell. Bake the pie for 30 to 40 minutes, until the edges of the filling are firm, but the center is still slightly loose.