Twas the night before Thanksgiving and all through the house, every mom is busy stirring and baking…sorry ya’ll, that is all I got. I can’t think of anything that rhymes with “house” right now. Haha!
The point is, I have been baking and probably you have been too. I actually enjoy baking for the holidays. I don’t make everything from scratch but one thing that is never store bought is pecan pie. This is especially true now that my Dad is a diabetic. Sugar free pecan pies are not easy to find, plus we are all kind of pie snobs. I admit it.
Since diabetes runs in my family (and also because 4 kids has added a few pounds to the ole waistline) I have been more careful about my sugar intake. One of the ways I have done this is through Trim Healthy Mama
Since 2010 I have been on an off of the THM lifestyle. Sometimes with more success than others. Not because of the plan but because of my own self-discipline 🙂 The basic idea – juggle fuels (fat or barbs), low glycemic, high protein, high in veggies & nutrients. My favorite thing – food FREEDOM!
I love that it is a life long plan not just a diet. “The plan encourages you to learn to put meals together that will suit your own needs, challenges and food preferences. Since Trim Healthy Mama is geared as a lifelong plan, you learn as you go, but after a while it becomes second nature for most people.”
I encourage you to check out more from Trim Healthy Mama. Hopefully I will be sharing some THM stories here soon as well. For now, I am going to share a pecan pie recipe that as it is written is semi-on plan but could be made completely on plan if you change the crust.
This pecan pie is a combination of 3 recipes – My mom’s chocolate pecan pie, a pecan pie I found online from Jerome Grant, and a sugar free pecan pie recipe I found online. I adapted each of these and am very happy with the results.
I was able to make two pies using this recipe because I was using shallow store-bought crusts (the kind that are already in a foil dish). If you are using a homemade crust or a deeper dish, you may only get one pie.
Sugar Free Chocolate Pecan Pie
I dare you to serve this at your next gathering but not tell anyone it is sugar free. It is so good, I guarantee they will never guess. If you need gluten free, simply use your favorite store bought or homemade gf crust. If you are a Trim Healthy Mama – use a plan approved crust for an S treat.
Ingredients
- 2 regular pie crusts If using a deep dish crust you will only need 1.
- 1 1/4 cups Truvia brown sugar blend
- 3/4 cup sugar free maple syrup I used the Maple Grove brand
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter Make this dairy free buy using your favorite butter alternative.
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 3 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups pecans use only 2 cups if making 1 pie
- 1/2 cup sugar free chocolate chips THM has an option as well as Lilly’s brand. Alternatively you can use a very dark chocolate.
Instructions
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Combine the Truvia brown sugar, syrup, butter, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring to dissolve. Reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool to lukewarm.
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In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and vanilla together and add the cooled syrup mixture. Continue whisking until fully incorporated.
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Place the pecans in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for 5 minutes. Be careful not to let them burn. This will give the pecans a toasted flavor that adds an incredible depth to the flavor of the pie. Allow to cool.
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Raise the oven temperature to 375 degrees F. Place your crust in a pie dish (or if you are like me and bought your crusts already in a pie pan – get them out of the fridge.) Pour 1/4 cup chocolate chips in the bottom of each pie dish so that they are evenly distributed. Add 1 1/4 cups pecans to each pie dish. Pour 1/2 the syrup mixture over the pecan & chocolate chips, in each pie dish, cover the pecans as much as possible but don’t worry if it does not completely cover.
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Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees F then reduce the temperature to 325 degrees F, and continue to bake for about 35 minutes, until set. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
Happy Thanksgiving friends! 2020 has been a crazy year but we all still have much to be thankful for – friends, home, clothes, and pie to name a few.
