Grappling with the fact that summer is indeed gone and the autumn chill is rapidly taking over? You are certainly not alone! However, saying goodbye to warm summer days also open means waking up to fall hues and flavors that bring so much comfort. Along with ADRLF’s commitment to promoting awareness and education on liver health is its commitment to helping you cope with the challenges of the fall season by sharing liver-friendly practices and recipes—particularly unique pie recipes that your entire family will enjoy this fall season! Featuring fresh takes on traditional fall pie recipes, these delicious pies showcase main ingredients that are rich in antioxidants that help the liver metabolize free radicals and improve liver function.

Prioritizing the vital role that one’s liver plays in one’s daily well-being may not be on top of our autumn ‘To-Do’ list, however as we at ADRLF always highlight: Self-care is vital year-round! The liver is such an important organ that is responsible for synthesizing and regulating chemical levels in the blood, removing toxins from the body’s blood supply, breaking down fats, and other critical functions.

So kickstart this fall season, ensure your self-care — and check out these alluring liver-friendly pie recipes. And while you’re at it, we encourage you to review your vaccine records and consider getting your flu shot and hepatitis vaccines. Screen. Vaccinate. Don’t hesitate!

Now back to our featured stars…

SWEET PIE RECIPES

Spiced Eggnog Pumpkin Pie (from www.tasteofhome.com)  

Ingredients:

Dough for single-crust pie

1 can (15 ounces) solid-pack pumpkin

1-1/4 cups eggnog

3/4 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to a 1/8-in.-thick circle, then transfer it to a 9-in. pie plate. Trim the crust to 1/2 inch beyond the rim of the plate and flute the edge.
2. Place the remaining ingredients in a large bowl; beat just until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake for 15 minutes.
3. Reduce oven setting to 350° F and bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes longer. Cover the edge loosely with foil during the last 15 minutes if needed to prevent over-browning. Remove foil and cool on a wire rack. Store in the refrigerator.

Paleo Apple Pie Snickerdoodle Skillet Cookie (www.paleorunningmomma.com)

Ingredients:

1 egg

3/4 cup creamy almond butter

1 tbsp organic coconut oil

1/3 cup organic coconut palm sugar

1 tsp pure vanilla extract

1 cup blanched almond flour

1 tbsp coconut flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tbsp apple pie spice

1/4 tsp cinnamon

1/8 tsp salt

For the apple pie topping:

2 med/large apples peeled and cubed

1 tbsp organic coconut oil

2 tbsp almond or coconut milk or dairy-free milk of choice – I used this

1 tbsp + 1 tsp organic coconut palm sugar

1-1/2 tsp apple pie spice

1 tsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350°F and lightly grease an 8-inch oven-proof skillet with coconut oil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, almond butter, 1 tbsp coconut oil, coconut sugar, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, spices, and salt.
3. Slowly add the dry mixture to the wet and mix until smooth and fully combined. Transfer the mixture to the greased skillet, scraping the bowl to get every drop.
4. Bake in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes until the center is just set. Allow the skillet to sit stovetop for a bit while the apples finish.

For the apple pie topping:

1. Heat a large non-stick skillet over med heat and add the one tbsp coconut oil. Add the cubed apples to the skillet and cook, stirring until they soften.
2. Add the coconut sugar, dairy-free milk, and apple pie spice and stir to completely coat. Continue to cook, adjusting the heat if necessary to avoid the sugar from burning.
3. Once soft and browned, add the lemon juice and stir to coat, then cook for another minute over low heat. You can taste the apples to decide if they have the right level of sweetness to suit your taste, and add a bit of coconut sugar or lemon juice to adjust the flavor.
4. Remove from heat and allow the apple pie topping to cool a bit before spooning over the skillet cookie. Slice and serve warm with a scoop of coconut milk ice cream and chopped pecans if desired.

Sweet Potato Coconut Pie with Marshmallow Meringue (www.tasteofhome.com)

Ingredients:

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

6 tablespoons cold butter

2 tablespoons shortening

3 to 4 tablespoons cold water

Filling:

1 cup coconut milk

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/4 cup cream cheese, softened

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Meringue:

3/4 cup sugar

1/3 cup water

4 large egg whites, room temperature

1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar

1 jar (7 ounces) marshmallow creme

Miniature marshmallows and sweetened shredded coconut, optional

Instructions:

1. In a food processor, combine the flour, salt, and ginger; cover and pulse to blend. Add butter and shortening; cover and pulse until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2. While processing, gradually add water just until moist crumbs form. Shape into a disk; wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes or until easy to handle.
3. Preheat oven to 425°F. Roll out pastry to fit a 9-in. deep-dish pie plate. Transfer to a pie plate. Trim the crust to 1/2 inch beyond the rim of the plate, then flute or press the edge. Refrigerate until ready to fill.
4. For the filling, in a small saucepan, combine the coconut milk, brown sugar, and cream cheese. Cook and stir until smooth. Transfer to a large bowl; cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the sweet potatoes, eggs, lemon juice, vanilla, salt, and cinnamon. Pour into crust.
5. Bake on a lower oven rack for 10-15 minutes. Reduce oven setting to 325°; bake until set, 40-50 minutes. Cover the edge with foil if necessary during the last 15 minutes to prevent over-browning. Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours before topping with meringue.
6. For meringue, combine sugar and water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat; using a pastry brush dipped in water, wash down the sides of the pan to eliminate sugar crystals. When the mixture comes to a boil, stop brushing. Cook without stirring until a thermometer reads 240° (soft-ball stage).
7. As the sugar mixture cooks, preheat the broiler. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar on medium speed until soft peaks form. While beating, gradually drizzle hot sugar mixture over egg whites; continue beating until stiff glossy peaks form.
8. Place marshmallow creme in a separate large bowl; fold in a third of the egg white mixture, then fold in the remaining mixture. If necessary, beat again until stiff glossy peaks form.
9. Spread meringue over pie; broil 4-6 in. from heat until slightly browned, 1-2 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Store leftovers in the refrigerator.

SAVORY PIE RECIPES

Leek and ham soup pot pies (from www.delicious.com.au)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp olive oil

large leeks (white and pale green parts only), finely sliced

450g potatoes, cut into 1cm dice

1 smoked ham hock (about 800g)

2 liters of chicken stock (ideally homemade; otherwise use salt-reduced)

1 small handful of thyme

2 fresh bay leaves

Plain flour, for dusting

375g frozen butter puff pastry, thawed, plus more if required

80g cheddar, coarsely grated

1 egg, whisked

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add leek and cook, stirring frequently, for 4-5 minutes until softened. Add potato, ham hock, stock, thyme, and bay leaves and bring to a boil, skimming off impurities that rise to the surface. Reduce heat to low, cover, and gently simmer for 1½ hours until the meat falls easily from the bone.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the pastry lids. Roll out the pastry on a lightly floured surface. Using the rim of a 650ml soup bowl as a guide, cut out 4 squares of pastry 3cm wider than the rim. Cut a 2cm round from the center of each square and discard (or save for another use). Place pastry squares between sheets of baking paper, transfer to a plate, and refrigerate until required. Preheat oven to 390°F.
3. Remove hock and herbs from soup and, when cool enough to handle, shred the meat, discarding skin, fat, and bone. Return meat to soup and season with pepper (it probably won’t need salt – the hock and stock should be salty enough). Allow the soup to cool for 30 minutes.
4. Divide soup among four 650ml ovenproof soup bowls, filling only to three-quarters, and sprinkle with cheese. Brush the egg around the rim of each bowl and drape a pastry square over the top. Press the pastry to the side of the bowl and brush with more egg wash. Place the soup pots on a baking tray and bake for 20-25 minutes until the pastry is golden and cooked through.

Butternut Squash, Caramelized Onion and Feta Pie (from http://everydaypie.com/)

Ingredients:

9″ Spelt Pie Crust or Butter Pie Crust or Gluten-Free Crust

1 tablespoon olive oil

2.5 cups (about 20 ounces) of butternut squash, diced into 1/4-inch pieces

1 cup caramelized onions

2 eggs

3/4 cup half and half (or sub in ½ milk and ½ cream)

2 teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/2 cup feta cheese

1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

2 green onions, sliced thin

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.
2. Roast squash: Place diced butternut squash on a rimmed baking sheet with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and pepper, and toss to evenly coat. Roast in the oven, tossing halfway through for 30 minutes. Remove and let cool slightly.
3. If you haven’t done so already, caramelize the onions now. Check out this post for the recipe.
4. Prepare pastry: Roll out your pie pastry into an 11-inch circle. Place the pastry inside a 9-inch pie pan and prick the bottoms and side with a fork to help steam escape. Crimp or decorate the edges as desired. Line the pastry with a parchment round piece of paper and then add pie weights (or dry rice or beans or lentils). Bake for 20 minutes, then remove from oven and remove the parchment and pie weights. Return to oven and bake for an additional 10 minutes. Set aside until ready to use.
5. Make the filling: In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, half and half, lemon juice, salt, and pepper until completely combined. Then fold in the feta, thyme leaves, green onions, 1 cup of caramelized onions, and butternut squash.
6. Turn the oven temperature down to 375.
7. Bake pie: Pour filling into the par-baked pastry and bake for 35-40 minutes or until the eggs are set throughout the pie. Cover the pie crust edges with aluminum foil if they are browning too quickly.
8. Let the pie cool for about 10 minutes before slicing.

Mushroom Asparagus Quiche (www.thekitchenmagpie.com)

Ingredients:

1 pre-made pie shell

4 eggs

1 1/2 cups of cream

1 cup of swiss cheese

1 cup of mozzarella cheese

2 cups asparagus

1 cup mushrooms

1 teaspoon olive oil

1 clove of garlic

1/2 cup diced onion

Instructions:

1. Preheat over to 350°F.
2. Take the olive oil and roast the veggies in the oven for 5-10 minutes. This prevents the quiche from getting soggy.
3. Whip the eggs and cream together.
4. Something else to try: brushing the pie shell with egg white, then baking it for 5 minutes.
5. The pie shell did shrink a bit, but it was not the least bit soggy in the end. It helps to keep the egg and milk from soaking in.
6. Take your veggies and place them in the shell.
7. Sprinkle the cheese over the top, then pour the cream/egg mixture. You may or may not have egg mixture left, depending on how much the vegetables shrank.
8. Bake at 350 until cooked in the middle, all golden and crispy.