Pumpkin Custard And Pie Filling

This is actually one of my favorite breakfast foods for fall and winter - I bake it without a crust in a lightly buttered baking dish. Or pour it into your favorite pre-baked pie shell (cover those pie crust edges with a pie shell protector or foil so they don’t burn) and voila–pumpkin pie. The custard is dairy free, protein and fiber rich, and easy to digest.

Pictured above, I adjusted the recipe. I had a small butternut squash that was pre-cooked and yielded 2 cups of squash, I used 2 eggs, a few tablespoons of maple syrup and reduced the spices. I topped it off with an apple and pear that were going soft. I reduced the cooking time by about 15 minutes. It’s done when a knife inserted comes out clean

Servings: 6 Prep Time: 10 minutes Cook Time: 50 -60 min

Ingredients

• 3 cups pumpkin (or other hard winter squash) puree

• 4 medium eggs

• 1/2 -3/4 cup maple syrup

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp ginger

• 1/8 tsp cloves

• 1/4 tsp salt

Instructions

Heat oven to 425˚. Mix together all ingredients. Pour into oven safe baking dish. Bake at 425˚ for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 325˚ for 30-40 minutes or until a knife inserted comes out clean.

Bake your own pumpkin for puree.

If your pumpkin is small enough to fit in the oven whole simply wash off its exterior, remove the stem if it might touch the stove element, puncture a few slits in the pumpkin (so it doesn’t burst) and bake at 350 for 40-60 minutes - until a knife easily punctures the flesh and pulls out clean. Cool and then clean out the seeds and the flesh should easily fall away from the peel. This is an excellent way to prep squash before using it in a soup or making pumpkin/squash pack for pies or baked goods. Use it right away, freeze or can it for later.

Recipe Notes

Pumpkins are a perfect food for the digestive system. Rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals they stabilize, drain dampness and aid in healing. In all my years of practice, I have never met a person with an allergy to pumpkin or squash. Find out more about squash and pumpkins here.

Primary season: Autumn