Healthy Apple Pie Recipe

Fall has arrived, and apples are abundant. Sue writes from Luxemburg, Wisc., with a request for a lower-calorie apple pie. She loves apples any way they come, but she especially loves them in the fall and feels it would be a waste to pass through the season without baking her favorite apple pie recipe. This year, however, Sue is on a mission to lose 40 pounds. She has already lost 15 pounds by stepping up her gym workouts and trying to eat healthier, but she is struggling with her favorite fall recipes as this is traditionally the season for stocking up, not slimming down.

In order to create a lower-calorie filling for Sue, I will replace half of the apples with jicama. Jicama is higher in fiber and lower in carbohydrates and calories than apples, but has a very similar texture. It works well to bulk up the filling, without packing on additional calories. Using Splenda as the sweetener will lower the calories further. Now, Sue has been skipping the crust because of the high fat content, but with my lower calorie all whole-wheat crust, it is a great way to add fiber to any of your pies. I use whole-wheat pastry flour and reduce the amount of butter to create a healthier crust.

A typical slice of apple pie could cost you upward of 500 calories per slice; this version cuts the calories in half.

Ingredients:

Filling:
4 medium apples, peeled and sliced
1 medium jicama, peeled and shredded
1/4 cup sugar or Splenda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Crust:

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. Combine the apples, jicama, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and lemon juice in a medium bowl. Mix well to coat the fruit and put aside until crust is ready.
3. To make the crust, combine the pastry flour and baking powder in a medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture is soft and crumbly. Add water until mixture forms a ball.
4. Divide in half and shape into a ball. Roll dough on a floured surface. Line pie plate with half the dough.
5. Fill pie plate with the apple mixture.
6. Cover with the second crust. Cut slits in the top and brush with egg whites if desired.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Reduce heat to 325 F and continue to bake for another 30-40 minutes or until the apples are soft.

Serves: 12

Nutrition Content (per serving):
235 calories, 5 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 47 g carbohydrates, 16 g sugars, 9 g fiber, 5 g protein, 186 mg sodium
Note: Using Splenda reduces the calories to 213, carbohydrates to 41 g, and sugars to 10 g.

More Healthy Desserts:
Fresh Apple Cake
Pumpkin Pie
Banana Bread

Readers, I would love to hear from you! Please send me your favorite fattening recipes that need a RECIPE REHAB! Everything from your mom's meatloaf to your kid's favorite dessert -- let me lighten it up.

Celebrity dietitian and motivational life coach, Tanya Zuckerbrot, author of www.ffactordiet.com and founder of www.skinnyandthecity.com and www.theskinnyondietitians.com has helped thousands of people lose weight and keep it off with her program. Her philosophy? Tanya believes you should never sacrifice taste, even when you're eating healthy foods. Have a recipe in need of rehab? Send us your recipe!