Eat Skinny Be Skinny Thanksgiving Desserts Part 1: Apple Cherry Pie
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First things first, HAPPY THANKSGIVING!! I hope you are all enjoying the extra day off work and are having fun with the ones you love! Now, before you start stuffing yourself with turkey and all of the trimmings, remember to give thanks for every blessing in your life. This holiday may be best known for the food, but the real reason behind it is to celebrate all of the people and opportunities in your life that you are thankful for. I know I’m thankful for the world’s most amazing family, a hilarious group of friends, a loving and supporting fiance, a furry little child, good health, fantastic readers and fans and having a great job! [That keeps me outfitted in my favorite brands!].
Now, onto the desserts! My family is a “desserts first” kind of family so today’s posts are all about the sweet stuff, starting with a delicious variety of the apple pie. Pie is a Thanksgiving institution, with apple and pumpkin dominating the dessert table. However, as a cherry kind of girl, I wanted to make something using these tangy sweet little fruits. So I took a light apple pie recipe and cut the apples in half and added 12 ounces of cherries! The result? A delicious and sweet apple cherry pie! It’s not overly sweet like the standard cherry pie and the oatmeal streusel topping adds a delicious, crunchy texture. This pie will definitely be a new staple at my Thanksgiving table ! Oh, and even better news? It has 150 less calories and 10 less grams of fat than the standard apple pie!
Apple Cherry Pie
What You’ll Need for the Crust:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 3 tablespoons ice water
How to Make It:
- Whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
- Cut in 4 tablespoons butter and cream cheese using a fork until the mixture is crumbly.
- Add oil; stir until evenly moistened. Sprinkle water over the mixture; toss with a fork to combine.
- Knead the dough in the bowl a few times. Gather into a ball, press into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
- After dough has hardened, roll the dough into a 14-inch circle onto of wax paper, adding flour to the rolling pin and the dough to avoid sticking.
- Peel off the top sheet and place into a 9-inch pie pan. Press the dough firmly into the bottom and up the sides of the pan. Tuck the overhanging dough under, forming a double-thick edge. Using a fork, prick the dough around the sides and crimp the top with your fingers. Refrigerate again for another 10-15 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and bake the crust for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before you fill with filling.
What You’ll Need for the Filling:
- 3 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
- 12 ounces of fresh, pitless cherries
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
How to Make the Filling:
- Combine apples and cherries [cut in halves], 1/2 cup brown sugar, lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes.
- Sprinkle 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the apples and toss again; mound the filling into the cooled crust.
- Coat the crust edges with cooking spray and bake pie for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare topping.
What You’ll Need for the Topping:
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 tablespoons frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
How to Make the Topping:
- Combine 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour, oats, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/8 teaspoon salt in a bowl.
- Cut in butter with a fork.
- Stir in orange juice concentrate and nuts.
- Scatter the topping over the apples.
- Return it to the oven and bake until the topping is golden and the filling is bubbling around the edges, 20 minutes more. Cool for an hour before cutting. [Ps. I suck at cutting pies, that’s why the below picture looks more like jumble! Either way, it was tasty!]
Nutritional Information per 1/8th slice: 340 calories, 13 grams of fat, 4 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber.
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