Grandmothers Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

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Editor’s Note: This recipe has been updated with new pictures and method. Originally posted August 28, 2017.

“This pecan sweet potato pie is so good late at night! I knew Honey taught you well!” my dad texted me one night while I was working. He was enjoying a tradition in our household; sweet potato pecan pie. No it’s not sweet potato pie with pecans on it. It’s two pies combined into one. One layer of pecan filling over a layer of sweet potato filling.

Grandma Honey was her name. A Piscean  woman with silky wavy hair and smooth dark brown skin. The sweetest woman on the planet which is why we called her “Honey”. I couldn’t wait every Thanksgiving to devour two things, the dressing (with extra cranberry sauce of course) and this sweet potato pecan pie. I now celebrate what is known as Mabon (Fall Harvest).  It’s around the Fall equinox where produce is abundantly available.  We are coming close into that Fall Harvest season which is what inspired me to make this recipe. (Plus I was really missing my grandmother and wanted to feel her presence here this week) This is a vegan version of this pie but the taste and comfort is still there.

Flax “Egg” to the Rescue!

One of the key ingredients in this recipe are eggs. But of course that is a no no for those of us practicing a vegan lifestyle. Enter the flax “egg.” A flax “egg” is a combination of ground flax seeds and water mixed together to form a gel like substance. This helps bind things together kind of like an egg would do.  Flax eggs are also used in non baking dishes like vegan burgers or in my BBQ Lentil Ball recipe.

Vegan Curve Building Sweet Potatoes

• Just as I mentioned in my Kumquat Carrot Orange juice recipe, the orange/yellow family are known to be rich in beta-carotene (Vitamin A), which is a  phytonutrient /phytochemical (natural occurring chemicals in plant based foods) belonging to the carotenoid family .  All this fancy jargon simply means sweet potatoes have  antioxidants that help you fight free radicals in your body that otherwise would harm your tissues. *Source “The world’s healthiest Foods by George Matelijan”.   * Source “Mosby’s Dictionary, 10th edition, Elsevier”.
• Sweet potatoes are high in healthy complex carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates are needed in building curves. A common question is “will I loose my curves if I go vegan?” Not if you keep a healthy amount of carbohydrates in your diet.  One medium sweet potato offers approximately  20 grams of carbohydrates.

Whether you celebrate the traditional US Thanksgiving in November or Mabon in the fall, I hope that this recipe will serve as a sweet tradition in your house hold just like it has been in mine for so many years.

IF YOU TRIED THIS RECIPE: Tell me how it turned out for you! Was it a hit or miss? What traditional recipe do you use around the holidays that you have made vegan or more healthier? Tell me about it! Leave a comment below, rate it, pin it, and tag a photo #VeganWithCurves on Instagram so I can see it!

Appliances used in this recipe:

• Hamilton Beach 70725 Food Processor 
• Vitamix Professional Blender

For more of my recommended cooking tools, visit the resource page at MUST HAVES APPLIANCES IN A VEGAN KITCHEN

4.67 from 3 votes

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Grandmothers Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Sweet Potato Pecan Pie. Two layers in one pie. A southern traditional now made vegan. Perfect for holidays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas.

Course Dessert, Vegan

Cuisine Holidays, Thanksgiving

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Servings 8 slices

Calories 313 kcal

Author Gina Marie

Ingredients

Sweet Potato Filling

• 2 cups of water (for boiling potatoes)
• 1 large sweet potato or 2 medium sweet potatoes. Should yield app 2 cups chopped
• 1 tablespoon of apple sauce
• 2 tablespoons of corn starch or tapioca starch
• 3 tablespoons of coconut cream
• 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt
• 1/4 cup of organic cane sugar
• 2 tablespoon of soften/melted vegan butter
• 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon of vanila extract
• 1 teaspoon of squeeze orange or lemon optional

Pecan Filling

• 3 tablespoon ground flaxseed
• 7 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoon of corn starch or tapioca starch
• 2 tablespoon dark corn syrup
• 1/3 cup of rice syrup or coconut nectar
• 3 tablespoons of apple sauce
• 4 tablespoon of melted vegan butter
• 1/4 cup of brown sugar

Instructions

1. If using a pre brought crust make thawed before use. If you have your own traditional crust recipe to use prepare that before you prepare the filling.

2. Mix your 3 tablespoons of ground flax seeds with 7 tablespoons of water to make a flax seed egg and set aside. Preheat oven till 350 degrees.

Sweet potato Filling

1. Take sweet potato. Peel and chop. Pour water in pot and bring to a boil. Add in chopped sweet potatoes and boil for about 15 or till soft. Once potatoes are done, drain in a colander and add to a mixing bowl.

2. Add butter, sugar, salt, sugar, cinnamon powder, vanilla extract, lemon juice, coconut cream, apple sauce, and corn starch. Beat with your electric mixer or smash potatoes with fork or potato masher and mix well making sure to whip sweet potatoes until all ingredients are combined. Taste and adjust seasonings to your liking.

3. Add your sweet potato filling to your pie crust and bake for 20 minutes to set the filling. While baking begin to prepare your pecan filling. 

Pecan Filling

1. In a large mixing bowl add corn starch, brown sugar, rice syrup, corn syrup, apple sauce, and flax seed egg. Use your electric mixer to whip filling. You can also put this in your high speed blender if you don't have a hand mixer. Taste and adjust sweetness to your liking. (Should be sweet enough but you can add more sugar if you desire).

2. If you desire you can crumble up some pecans and fold it into your syrup mixture or you can save that part of for last and place it on top of the pie. Your choice.

3. Remove your pie from oven after 20 minutes and pour your pecan filling on top of sweet potato filling. Top it off with some pecans both whole and pieces. Arrange pecans to your liking.

4. Put pie back in oven for 20 to 25 minutes  in oven on bottom rack and let it cook for 30 to 40 minutes until it bubbles and its brown. Put in the refrigerator for at least 2 to 3 hours to allow it to set all the way before serving. Serve with coconut cream and Enjoy! 

Nutrition Facts

Grandmothers Sweet Potato Pecan Pie

Amount Per Serving (1 g)

Calories 313 Calories from Fat 99

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 11g 17%

Total Carbohydrates 55g 18%

Dietary Fiber 2g 8%

Sugars 38g

Protein 1g 2%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

IF YOU LOVE THIS RECIPE: You might enjoy the other recipes to make your thanks giving more vegan friendly. Check out BBQ Lentil Balls, Cranberry Almond Green Beans, Dairy Free Mac and Cheese, and Black Eye Pea Kale Soup.

Original photos of recipe.

Equipment use to improve photos

• Canon EOS Rebel T6 Digital SLR Camera
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 STM Lens
• Natural light

For more tips on improving your food photography check out the Food Photography Tools Page.

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