Kai Chronicles

Eating, exploring and enjoying life

Tag Archives: pumpkin pie


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How to make pumpkin pie

It’s Thanksgiving weekend in Canada and I’m feeling a bit nostalgic. I haven’t had a proper Turkey dinner since I left Canada. For years, I have been saying I want to do a big Thanksgiving turkey dinner but I’ve yet to pull it off. This year will be my closest attempt: BBQ chicken with mashed potatoes, roast potatoes, roast kumara, spinach, corn and peas. And then……..

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A Pumpkin Pie Down Unda

Pumpkin Pie

This is an easy recipe and one that I’ve adapted from the original belonging to my sister, Virginia. It’s not sugar-free, gluten-free, dairy-free or guilt-free but it’s worth it. I’ll work-out extra tomorrow.

It makes one pie. Serve with whipped cream. Enjoy.

1/2 cup of rapadura sugar

1/2 tsp salt – I use Himalayan Pink

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground ginger

1/4 tsp of cloves (I often omit this)

2 eggs (they better be free-range)

1 3/4 cups of pumpkin puree

3/4 cup light cream

1 unbaked pastry shell

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You’ll need this stuff

Do this:

Make the pumpkin puree by boiling half of a small butternut pumpkin. I think other varieties will work too. Add as little water as possible but be careful to not let it run dry. When very soft, cool slightly before adding the cooked pumpkin to a blender. You can also use a stick blender and puree it straight in the pot. By sure it is smooth. Add a little water if too thick. Should be like baby food, maybe slightly thicker.

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A puree close up

Using electrics beaters, mix the sugar and spices together.

Add the eggs, puree and cream.

Mix well on medium.

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Mix it up

Pour mixture into an unbaked pie shell. I cheated this time and bought one from the supermarket. My pastry is hit and miss. Next time though.

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Ready for the oven

Bake at 200C for 15 minutes then reduce heat to 180C for another 45 minutes or until a skewer or knife comes out clean from the centre. Test after 30 minutes. Mine was ready then.

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Straight from the oven. Cool for at least 30 minutes before cutting. Best served at room temperature or cold.

This is a very popular dish in North America and is very much associated with Thanksgiving and Autumn. I’d love to go back to Canada for a proper Thanksgiving Day dinner someday!

Happy Thanksgiving Canada!!

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Listen to your body

 

I’ve just stuffed down a piece of homemade (by me) pumpkin pie topped with fresh whipped cream. I had to force it down because I am so full from dinner: 3/4 of a veggie pizza and 3 beer.

Yes, I’m on a binge.

No, I’m not happy with myself.

I’ve had a shithouse day full of disappointment and self-induced stress but nevermind that, the binge was premeditated.

See, tomorrow is the start of another health kick or health booster as I’m calling this latest stint.

I’ve fallen back into the habit of  drinking alcohol everyday, whether I really feel like it or not and my eating habits are getting slack as well.

I’ve been baking too.

Raspberry white chocolate muffins

Banana cake, chocolate chip cookies, muffins…and of course, I eat it! The muffins…yummy!

I’ve also had a hamburger and I don’t even eat RED MEAT!!! Damn, it was delicious!

 

Hamburger with homemade pesto and salad

 

I said it before. I love food. I like to have a beer or two on a hot day. I love homemade baked goods and I’m pretty good at making yummy things. But it’s now time to listen to my body.

I’ve had a few headaches lately and my respiratory system is becoming clogged up again. Thankfully, I still have my sense of smell and taste, which is great but also makes it hard for me to resist good food. And  when I hear the word resist, I think of Eckhart Tolle when he says:

“What you resist, persists”

 

I truly feel ill at the moment. I’ve eaten so much tonight that I feel sick but I am still thinking, ‘only 3 hours left of today, then it’s back on the wagon, what else can I eat?’

But I cannot eat or drink another thing tonight so for the next 4 weeks (minus Oct 27th when I have dinner plans in Perth), I will be on my health booster which will include the following guidelines:

 
On the menu

 

Protein: Chicken, fish, eggs, yogurt, chickpeas, beans, nuts, seeds

 

Carbs/Starch: Brown rice, oats, gluten-free pasta

 

Oils: olive, sesame

 

Dairy: Greek yogurt, sheep’s feta

 

Veg: All except carrot, corn, potatoes

 

Fruit: ONLY berries, green apple, pear, lemon, lime

 

Drinks: Decaf tea/coffee, soy/rice milk, water – NO ALCOHOL or SUGAR Drinks

 

Limit sugar, fat, processed foods

 
Fitness (mind and body)

 

 

 

10 minutes meditation                                                  Daily

 

5 Healing Tibetans/yoga (15min)                             Daily

 

20 minutes (min) of cardio                                          4 times per week (M*, T, Th*, Sat)

 

1.5 hour yoga class                                                          Wednesday

 

* Training with Mr M

 

I do not need to lose weight, just tone and get rid of the beer bloat. I know for sure that I feel and look better when I cut out all the junk that my body doesn’t need. Gosh, I know I sound like a broken record and I truly hope that someday I will get to where I want to be. For now, I will get back up after I have fallen…again and again and again.

The thing is, I secretly look forward to these “restricted” periods. For some reason, I cannot go without unless I give myself a date and some rules. Control issues? Probably, but whatever works at the time.

October and November is a great time to get healthy before the Christmas season kicks off. Nobody in their right mind tries a health plan or restricted diet during that time!!

If you’re trying a new eating regime, remember this: it’s hard work and you really need to want it bad enough to be successful at it. (Yes, I’m talking to myself here…lol.)