I don’t need to tell you, pumpkin pie is a staple Thanksgiving dessert. Given my affection for pumpkin, you might guess I would be first in line for a slice at the end of this week’s big meal. I won’t. Not because of the calories, although they can be plentiful. I will be skipping pumpkin pie because of the crust.
When it comes to pie I have decided if I am going to splurge on a slice of pie, it must have a stellar crust. I want to hear a crackle as my fork digs in and see razor thin bits of pastry raining down on my dessert plate. I will hold out for a pie crust made with love, care, and butter — or better still, butter and lard. If I am going to give up those calories, and dig into a slice of pie, it had better deliver.
In the absence of such a crust I will just scoop out the filling. If I am only interested in the filling, I thought, why not just make a dessert that delivers the best of pumpkin pie filling to end Thanksgiving on a lighter note? So I did.
This mousse is so simple to make you will be in and out of the kitchen, with the dishes washed in under 20 minutes. It is smooth and creamy but not too heavy. Dress up the mousse with an assortment of toppings that add a bit of crunch and color. In mere minutes, you’ll have a truly festive holiday dessert. Your guests will feel like you have given them something really special.
Set your parfaits out right after the Seahawks win on Thursday evening. You’ll have a guaranteed sweet ending!
Pumpkin Pie Mousse 6 (1/2 cup) servings
Prep time: 10 minutes, Cook time: none
1 cup non-fat vanilla Greek Yogurt
1 cup low fat 1% milk
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 (3.4oz) package vanilla instant pudding mix, sugar-free, fat-free
Whisk together the yogurt, milk, pumpkin, and spice. Add the pudding mix and stir just until combined. Spoon the mousse into your serving dish or dishes, cover, and chill for 4 hours or overnight.
Serving suggestion: Top the mousse with crumbled gingersnap cookies, fat-free whipped topping, and a sprinkle of nutmeg. Garnish with a few pomegranate seeds.
Cover any remaining mousse and store it in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
If you are making this for a crowd, serve the mousse in clear plastic wine tumblers.
Approximate nutrition per serving: 64 calories, .5g fat, 233mg sodium, 9.8g carbohydrates, 1.3g fiber, 4.6g sugar, 7g protein. Weight Watchers Points Plus = 2
UPDATE: There was no doubt in my mind that the question of “real” ingredients would be waiting in the wings when this recipe went live. I am a big fan of whole foods. If you have a little more time to make dessert I love this crustless pie that uses coconut flour to give it some body and has a dusting of pecans around the outside. Whatever is on your holiday table, I hope it is surrounded by people you love. Happy Thanksgiving!
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