What We're Eating

This is a delicious pie to celebrate Earth Day this April 22.

Mother Earth’s Apple Pie

From The Chopra Center Cookbook
Serves 8

Double Crust

3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1 pinch salt
½ cup cold butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
4 to 6 tablespoons ice water

Filling

1 teaspoon ghee
5 large green apples, unpeeled, thinly sliced, and placed in water with lemon juice
1 tablespoon apple juice
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup turbinado sugar
2 teaspoons arrowroot powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon cold butter, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 tablespoon milk or soymilk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Place the flour and salt in a food processor and pulse (by quickly turning the machine on and off) to combine. With the machine running, begin to add the butter, one piece at a time. Continue to pulse until the mixture looks like coarse meal. Add the vinegar. With the machine still running, begin to slowly add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, waiting a moment or two before each addition, until the dough begins to form a ball in the bowl of the processor.

Remove the dough from the bowl and divide in half. Wrap one-half in wax paper and place in the refrigerator. On an oil-sprayed surface, roll out the other half to the size of a pie pan, plus 1 inch around. Lightly oil the pie pan and place the dough in it, leaving a 1-inch edge around the pan’s perimeter. Place the piecrust in the refrigerator while preparing the apple filling.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees (F).

In a large sauté pan over medium heat, place the ghee apples, apple juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar. Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes or until the apples are well coated with the spices. Add the arrowroot and maple syrup and sauté another 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

Take the piecrust and the extra dough from the refrigerator. Roll out the extra dough into a round piece larger than the piecrust. Arrange the apples in the piecrust evenly, mounding them above the level of the piecrust. Dot the apples with the little pieces of butter. Place the other piece of dough on top of the apples. Using your fingers, lightly press the dough into the apples. Trim the dough to match the bottom layer, then press together.

To create a finished look, pinch the dough along the perimeter of the pie pan by placing the dough between your pointer finger on one hand, and your thumb and pointer finger on the other hand. Vent the pie by making small diagonal slashes in the crust in an attractive design. Bake for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees and bake for 40 minutes. Brush the pie with milk or soymilk just as it comes out of the oven. Mix the sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle on top of the milk. Let the pie sit for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

Nutritional Facts per 3-inch slice
Calories 343, Total fat 13.8 g,
Saturated fat 8.6 g, Carbohydrates 34.3, Protein 2.7 g