11/15

Southern Cookin’ Done Healthy | Buttermilk Pie

I wasn’t raised in Berkeley, California where the health-food movement started years ago. I was raised in Kentucky where our idea of health food was fried okra. I still love, love, love fried chicken, coleslaw, biscuits and gravy as much (if not more!) as any tailgatin’, country-music lovin’, church-goin’ southern girl. And I absolutely do indulge in the occasional downhome meal like this when I’m in Kentucky. But when I’m not back home, I just don’t. However, sometimes I do get homesick and crave the taste of the South.

As I was going through my cookbooks, I instantly gravitated toward my family cookbook from back home in Kentucky, “Coming Home: Recipes From The Heart.” Yes, my family loves food! My Aunt, Emilie Mills Keeling, came up with the idea of printing a cookbook and gathered all the recipes together. She organized them and typed the initial draft of the cookbook. Bless her heart! I’m so grateful that I can have these recipes to pass on and enjoy these yummy dishes with my family.

As I was sifting through the fried chicken and the casseroles of my Southern roots, I had an idea. I can do a little remix of these recipes and make them a bit more guilt free! So, that’s what I did. I decided to start with my Grandmother’s Buttermilk Pie that I was absolutely obsessed with. And just in time for the holidays!

Here’s the recipe for my Grandmother’s original Southern classic:

Mama’s Buttermilk Pie

Ingredients:

Mix Together:

• ½ cup butter
• 1 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 eggs, separated
• 3 tablespoons flour
• Pinch of salt
• 1 ½ cups buttermilk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon peel
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

• Cream the butter and sugar; add the egg yolks beating after each one.
• Beat in the flour and buttermilk. Add the lemon juice, lemon peel, nutmeg, and salt.
• Beat the egg whites until stiff; fold into the filling.
• Pour the filling into the pie shell; bake at 325F in the center of the oven. Bake until custard is set and slightly brown, about 1 hour.
• Eat plain or serve with berries, fresh fruit, or dessert sauce.

Okay, so even though this is literally HEAVEN ON EARTH, it’s jam-packed full of calories. Here’s how I baked a pie with less guilt but just as much flavor:

Molly’s Guilt Free Buttermilk Pie:

(gluten free, egg free & dairy free)

Ingredients:

Mix Together

• ½ cup ghee
• 1 1/3 cup coconut sugar
• 3 flax seed egg substitutes (1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 2.5 tbsp water)
• 3 tablespoons rice flour
• Pinch of Himalayan salt
• 1 ½ cups almond milk
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon peel
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions:

• Cream the ghee and coconut sugar; add the flax seed “yolks” beating after each one.
• Beat in the rice flour and almond milk. Add the lemon juice, lemon peel, nutmeg, and salt.
• Beat the flax seed eggs until stiff; fold into the filling.
• Pour the filling into the pie shell; bake at 325F in the center of the oven. Bake until custard is set and slightly brown, about 1 hour.
• Eat plain or serve with berries, fresh fruit, or dessert sauce.

Even though nothing will ever compare to my grandmother’s cookin’, this will have to do! And trust me, not only is it a bit healthier but it’s delicious!