THANKSGIVING SERIES!
I LOVE Thanksgiving. It’s without a shadow of a doubt, my favorite holiday. I love it more than my birthday, Fourth of July, and all the bank holidays combined. I start getting excited for Thanksgiving right after the last day of summer. As I bid farewell to the long wonderful days of summertime I welcome two months of anticipation for my beloved fall feast!
I became the main organizer/cook of the meal in my late teens. Completely taking over the menu, the kitchen, the shopping lists, I would do everything. Well, everything except the turkey, because that is, and always will be, my father’s pride and joy. When my eating habits started shifting to more “healthy” meals I started incorporating dishes into the menu that I could eat along with all the regular holiday fare so that I could enjoy the dinner while still feeling good about what I ate after the fact.
So over the years I’ve developed a pretty good arsenal of healthified versions of traditional Thanksgiving eats and I’m SO excited to finally share them through this little site of mine. This is the first recipe of many that I’ll be posting in this Thanksgiving series and I hope that by the end I’ll have posted an almost complete menu (everything except the turkey) of Thanksgiving food that are all gluten free/dairy free and mostly low carb/Paleo.
Things to look forward to in this series: two salads, alternative mash (aka Mash Faux-tatoes), sweet potato casserole, GF dressing, and a second dessert!
PUMPKIN PIE SQUARES
paleo, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, vegan, refined sugar free, low carb, low fat, oil free
These Pumpkin Pie Squares are for the lovers of pumpkin, pumpkin pie spice, and baked goods, but not wanting the condensed milk or gluten filled crust that typically goes along pumpkin pie. These taste like a crustless pumpkin pie had a healthy love child with a blondie. I topped them with pecans and chocolate chips but that’s totally optional. I must say though, it did give it a wonderful crunch and chocolate is always welcome at my dessert party. And they seriously satisfy those fall spices cravings being packed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and the like. I love these because they are quick to make and only require one bowl! Which is a major win for holiday cooking/baking. These are also a great make ahead dish too, they are even better the day after and will keep in the fridge for about 3 days. Oh, they also happen to be oil free and low fat, so if that’s your jam, this if especially for you!
Pumpkin Pie Squares
paleo, gluten free, grain free, dairy free, vegan, refined sugar free, low carb, low fat, oil free
These taste like a crustless pumpkin pie had a healthy love child with a blondie. They seriously satisfy those fall spices cravings being packed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and the like. They are quick to make and only require one bowl! They are also a great make ahead dish being even better the day after and will keep in the fridge for about 3 days. The topping of pecan and chocolate chips is optional but encouraged. This recipe can also easily be doubled for larger crows, just use a 9x12 baking dish and you may need a bit more time in the oven.
Ingredients
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup almond flour
- 1/4 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/2 tsp cloves
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips optional
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans optional
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line 8x8 baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a stand mixer, or by hand, mix together the pumpkin, coconut sugar, eggs, and vanilla until well incorporated
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Then add all the remaining ingredients and mix on low just until everything is evenly distributed. Scraping down the sides of the bowl occasionally. Be care not to over-mix.
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Pour batter into prepared baking dish. Using a rubber spatula evenly distribute the batter into the dish and evening out the top. Add chopped pecans and chocolates if you like, or another topping combo.
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Bake for approx 40 minutes or until a toothpick poked into the middle of the dish comes out clean.
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Let rest for about 15 minutes before removing from baking dish and slicing.
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These are amazing the day after, kept in the fridge. Will keep well in the fridge for 3 days, after that I suggest moving to the freezer.
Recipe Notes
If you make this recipe I'd love to see your creation! Please either post a comment or picture on this page or if you're posting on Instagram please tag @freshlydafna and use #freshlydafna.
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