Triple Berry Pie

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berrypie

My 6-year-old daughter has been ill. Today it seems she is turning a corner and feeling better, so we are grateful for that. She is already a slender child, but with her fever this week she was unwilling to eat. She dropped 2 pounds and suddenly you can see all of her little bones sticking out. So worrisome (and please know we are on top of the illness and have plenty of doctors on our side). I was offering her any food under the sun. Literally, I said, “I will go to the store and buy you anything you want. I will make you ice cream or cake or beef stew or ANYTHING.” She finally agreed that she could eat raspberries. So we bought two containers… Then last night I finished baking a chocolate cake made with sweet potatoes, eggs, cashew butter, and coconut milk at 10 PM. (I thought that might put some meat on her bones.) (And that recipe will come up on the blog at some point!) This morning I got up at 6:30 AM and made maki rolls- she ate about 5 pieces (not much but a start!)
The recipe for this pie is one I wrote a while back for an Earthbalance contest.
Cherries, cranberries, and blueberries give this pie a special tangy-sweet quality. I stopped making this pie after perfecting the recipe to save myself from gaining ten pounds. I kept sneaking into the refrigerator for “one more bite”. That being said, it would be very nice to make for guests!

Triple Berry Pie Recipe
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CRUST
3/4 cup almond meal, packed
1/2 cup quinoa flakes
3 tablespoons buttery spread or butter
1/4 cup maple syrup
Pinch salt

FILLING
1 1/2 cups pitted black cherries (fresh or frozen)
1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 cup cranberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tablespoon bourbon (optional)
3 tablespoons agave
1/2 tablespoon cornstarch (or arrowroot)

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1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Generously prepare 4 (4-inch) tart pans or a pie pan with buttery spread.
3) Combine all of the crust ingredients in a mixing bowl.
4) Press the crust mixture into the prepared tart pans. It is sticky, but with a bit of patience it will make a great crust. You can pop it in the freezer for a few minutes if it gets too sticky.
5) Bake the crust for 10-12 minutes until golden. (It also puffs up a bit.)
6) Combine the berries, bourbon, and agave in a sauce pan and simmer on medium heat until the berries start to break down.
7) Create a slurry with the cornstarch and 1 tablespoon of water. Add to the berries and bring the mixture to a boil briefly. Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool a bit.
8) Transfer the berry mixture into the prepared pie crusts. Enjoy warm, room temperature, or cooled.

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I am sharing this recipe on Allergy-Free Wednesday,

3 thoughts on “Triple Berry Pie”

    • Thank you Amber! She had a mystery vomiting illness as a 3 yr old and lost 3 lbs that time. She was SO skinny. This is day 9 of the fever but it is lower so I think we are almost done. My husband is naturally lean and I am carefully diet and exercise “induced” lean- not overweight but more filled out as a child and I gain weight at the drop of a *pie*. So… this kind of thinness is new to me!
      PS. My husband is begging me to make the pie again!

      Reply

  2. HI Dawn,

    I’ve been there! When my son was 2 some crazy virus or whatever it was invaded his body and he was sick for a month with diarrhea and vomiting. It was so scary. Of course I thought he had Crohn’s like me, but that came back negative. We had him tested for everything…all negative. I remember how much weight he lost. It’s just so scary to see your little one suffering. You feel so…helpless. Just as quickly as whatever he had took hold, it was gone. And then it was all about plumping him up. We are a skinny family – long and lean so I know what you mean by not having much meat on the bones to being with! I’m so glad your daughter is feeling better. You’re a great mommy and she is in the best care with you at home!

    And your pie looks fabulous. Look at how easy and fuss-free. I can’t wait to try your crust. So smart!

    Take care of yourself too momma.

    -Am

    Reply

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