Have you ever gone to a pot luck dinner and your friends either assume or hope that you will bring your signature dish? I have a friend who brings a layered taco dip to every party. If she doesn’t- well let’s just say it isn’t pretty. My signature dish was always pie. I love making pie. I love eating pie. I am going to brag here- I make amazing pie. I’ve won blue ribbons at the local fair- I was even “pie champion” one year. Some people have even said that my pastry is the best they ever have tasted.

When I began “eating clean”, pie was out. I felt a little lost on “who I was”. I was “the baker” and “the pie queen”. I was the person who brought dessert. Everyone loves the person who brings dessert! It was really hard to stop being that person. I am a people pleaser by nature. I like making people happy but all the dessert baking wasn’t making me happy- it was making me fat.
It was also a challenge for those around me. I heard things like “oh you can’t eat that because of your diet“ I wanted to scream- it’s NOT A DIET ITS A LIFESTYLE CHANGE! But I totally understand why they thought that- 1 week, 2 weeks, even a month layer still looked like every other fad diet I had tried…. No carbs, points, low fat, cabbage soup….. Etc etc. I could go on…. I tried many different diets. I was all “hardcore” for a week or two then I would fall off the wagon. I knew this clean eating thing was different. I could feel it. I just had to prove it to the people around me. Now that I look different and have been eating differently for months, it’s easier for people to understand.
One important thing I have noticed. I still love to bake. I just use different ingredients now. I’ve made clean versions of my favourite muffins, cakes and cookies. It has been an adventure to lose the white flour and sugar and try coconut flour, agave syrup, almond meal and honey. All these new baked goods were great but I still longed for pie.

One day, while wasting some time on Pinterest, I came across this recipe for a Paleo Coconut Cream Pie http://livinghealthywithchocolate.com/desserts/paleo-coconut-cream-pie-1203/. It looked AMAZING! It was so good, I’ve made it five times now. My awesome friend Michelle even requested it for her birthday lunch! I’ve tweaked the recipe a little bit. The instructions at livinghealthywithchocolate.com are great!

Here’s how I made the pie.

Crust:
1/2 cup pecans (crushed in blender or food processor)
½ cup almond flour
½ tbsp honey
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted

Chocolate Layer:
6 tbsp dark chocolate chips
1 tbsp butter or coconut oil

Coconut Cream Layer:
1 can full fat coconut milk (premium)
1 large egg
3 tbsp arrowroot powder (can be found at Bulk Barn)
3 tbsp honey
½ tsp vanilla extract
½ cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
⅛ salt

Coconut Whipping Cream:
½ cup full fat coconut milk (light coconut milk will not work)
1 tbsp maple syrup
toasted coconut to garnish

Melt the coconut oil in the microwave. Add the honey and the almond meal and pecan crumbs. Spread evenly into a pie plate and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes. Let cool.

For the filling- combine coconut milk, egg, arrowroot powder and honey in a pot on the stove. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until it thickens. Add shredded coconut and vanilla. Set aside.

For the chocolate layer- melt the chocolate chips and butter in the microwave (at 50% for about 1 minute). Stir and spread over crust. Put the pie crust in the freezer to firm up.
Pour the filling over the crust and let cool and firm up in the fridge for about 2hrs.

For the whipped “cream”- carefully open the FULL FAT PREMIUM coconut milk. You will notice that the milk fat and the coconut water have separated. Carefully scoop out just the milk fat and place in the bowl of your stand mixer (my Kitchen Aid is named Martha). Add the maple syrup and whip it on high.

Spread the whipped coconut cream on the pie and top with toasted coconut.

Another fun way to serve this pie is by making it in small mason jars. You can bake Mason jars in the oven as they are heat safe. I’ve made brownies, cupcakes and mini pies in Mason jars. Super cute!

Give these little jars of healthy goodness to someone who makes you happy– I am 🙂
You don’t have to be Layered Taco Dip Girl anymore…. Try to find a new signature dish… A healthy and happy dish! Be brave and reinvent a cleaner and healthier you.

Choose happy 🙂