* See Directions
Traditional pie, with it’s flaky, buttery crust, has been a long-time
holdout in the trend to reduce the fat content in favorite foods. That’s
because fat, in the form of lard or shortening, is normally an essential
component of pie crust. However, there are some great low-fat alternatives.
A delicious, lowfat crust can be made with crushed graham crackers, held
together with jam that’s been heated in the microwave until it melts (about
20 seconds). You can further reduce fat by substituting Grape-Nuts for some
of the graham cracker crumbs. If the recipe calls for 1? cups of graham
cracker crumbs, use just 3/4 cup of crackers plus 1/3 cup of Grape-Nuts.
This crust has only 3 grams of fat per serving compared to 10 grams in a
serving of regular pie.
Another alternative is phyllo dough crust. Coat your pan lightly with a
vegetable oil spray, then put in a layer of phyllo, spray lightly and
repeat until you have 6 layers.
Of course, you can cut the fat from pie crust in half by leaving off the
top crust on a two-crust pie. If you feel a top is essential, apply a
crispy sprinkle made of 1/2 cup rolled oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/4 cup
whole wheat flour, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, and 4 tablespoons Grape-Nuts. Mix
the dry ingredients, add 1/4 cup buttermilk, and sprinkle over the filling.
Yields
1 Servings