Nothing evokes the smell and feel of Thanksgiving more than a homemade apple pie baking in the oven.
For our Thanksgiving feasts in New England, we enjoy making apple pie with some local blueberries—for some added nutrition.
Of course, by baking these delicious pies yourself, you can leave out all the extra sugars, flour, and other processed ingredients found in store-bought varieties. That’s why—to help you get ready for your own upcoming Thanksgiving feast—I’ll be sharing one of my favorite family recipes with you here today.
It’s quite tasty, yet not too sweet. Plus, it’s loaded with health-boosting nutrients!
And we thoroughly enjoy making it together as a family during the holidays and year-round.
So, without further ado, here it is…
Micozzi family’s apple-blueberry pie
Ingredients:
- 1 shortcrust pie pastry (you can use a store-bought shortcrust or make your own, using the recipe below)
- 2 medium organic apples
- 2 ¼ lbs fresh frozen organic blueberries
- ¼ cup granulated organic brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon organic oat bran
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line 11 ¼-inch pie dish with half the pastry pie crust.
- Peel, core, and slice the apples; spread slices on bottom of crust base.
- Pour the blueberries on top and spread.
- Drizzle the lemon juice on top.
- Mix the sugar and oat bran in a bowl and sprinkle the mixture on top.
- Place the top crust and seal together the edges; pierce with a fork or knife.
- Bake in oven for 25 to 30 minutes, until crust is crisp and golden.
Note: You can choose whatever type of apple you like. Some of my favorite sweet-tasting varieties include Ambrosia, Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Golden Delicious (tree-ripened), Red Delicious, and Pink Lady.
Homemade shortcrust pie pastry recipe
We like to use a shortcrust pie pastry—made with organic coconut oil rather than shortening—which uses less flour than regular pie crust. Here’s a simple recipe…
Ingredients:
- 1 cup organic flour
- 2 ¼ ounces coconut oil
- ½ cup fine ground organic cornmeal
- ½ cup of ice-cold water
Directions:
- Place the flour in a large mixing bowl.
- Add coconut oil and fold in using a fork or butter knife.
- Fold in the cornmeal in the same way to make a consistent texture.
- Add water and mix into dough with fingers.
- Shape dough into a ball and chill in the refrigerator for at least one hour, up to 24 hours.
- Take out the dough 25 minutes prior to use and bring it to room temperature.
- Lightly flour your work surface and rolling pin.
- Split dough into 2 halves and knead each half to an even consistency.
- Roll out 1 half of the dough into a circle or rectangle, depending on the shape of your pie pan.
- Lift the flat dough into the pie pan and press into place. Roll the 2nd half of the dough in the same way to make the top crust (or to line a second pie dish).
After baking, the pie will keep well in the refrigerator for up to a week. So, you can make it ahead of time, for Thanksgiving, if you so choose.
On Thanksgiving morning, I suggest sitting the pie out on the counter and serving it later at room temperature or even after warming it a little. You can also put your nutcracker to good use by cracking open some walnuts and sprinkling them—along with some fresh ground cinnamon and nutmeg—onto your apple-blueberry pie.
Enjoy! And let me know what you think by leaving me a comment on Facebook or by sending me an e-mail to [email protected].
Lastly, I’ve shared the MANY health benefits of apples and blueberries over the last several years, right here in my Daily Dispatch and in my monthly Insiders’ Cures newsletter. For example, blueberries show both short-term and long-term brain benefits for prevention of memory loss and dementia. And apples help support healthy digestion, keep your blood sugar balanced, and may reduce your stroke risk!
So, if you’re not yet a newsletter subscriber, now is the perfect time to become one. (Plus, I describe cooking basics, including how to bake a pie, in the current November issue. You won’t want to miss it!)