Fresh Blueberry Mini Pies
Tiny but mighty blueberries are some of the most powerful superfoods out there. But what exactly is their superpower, you ask? Free radical fighting antioxidants and inflammation busting phytonutrients! I recommend enjoying them as often as you can on their own, in smoothies, and on top of yogurt or salads.
Clients sometimes ask me “can I have blueberry pie” when I tell them to eat more berries. And now you can have your PIE and eat it too, with our brain healthy version. Here’s why:
- We used sprouted rolled oats for the shell because sprouting increases the bioavailability of nutrients.
- We replaced standard sugar with low and moderate glycemic sweeteners coconut sugar and organic maple syrup (which both bring additional antioxidant vitamins and minerals to this pie).
- Organic Ceylon cinnamon was added not only for that delicate hint of spice, but to improve insulin receptor sensitivity (which helps our body deal with sugar and clear it out of our blood).
The filling is very simple, just blueberries and yogurt — but is a brain and gut loving powerhouse. We also made a super easy strawberry glaze for even more berry brain goodness in this quick, delicious, and good-for-you pie.
Pie Shell Ingredients:
- 2 cups sprouted organic rolled oats
- 3 Tbsp organic coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp organic Ceylon cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 6 Tbsp grass fed butter, melted*
- 1 Tbsp organic maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Filling Ingredients:
- 4 cups fresh organic wild blueberries, washed
- 3/4 cup coconut or dairy yogurt**
Glaze Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb. fresh organic strawberries, washed and greens cut off
- 1/4 cup raw organic cane sugar
- 2 Tbsp tapioca starch
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Add rolled oats, coconut sugar, cinnamon and sea salt to a food processor, and begin pulsing until oats are broken up into much smaller pieces.
- Add melted butter, maple syrup and vanilla to food processor and continue to pulse until a dough forms.
- Divide dough into 6 equal parts and put one in each cavity of a nonstick 6 cup jumbo muffin pan.
- Using the back of a spoon, begin to press the dough down and halfway up the sides of each muffin cup to form a pie shell. Smooth it out as best as you can, making the thickness as even as possible.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and if the shells have puffed up or lost their shape, simply use the back of a spoon to gently push the shell to reshape if needed. This needs to be done right away, while they are still hot.
- Allow the shells to cool in the muffin pan.
- Begin making the glaze by adding the strawberries to a small pot and thoroughly crushing them up (I find a potato masher works great).
- Bring strawberries to a boil, and then simmer for 5 minutes to allow for all of the juices to release.
- Using a fine mesh strainer over a heat-proof measuring cup, strain the hot strawberry mixture. You may need to use a spatula to gently press the remaining strawberry pulp and help the last bits of juice to release. You should have about 2/3 cup of strawberry juice.***
- Combine cane sugar and tapioca starch together and mix well with a whisk to combine. This ensures there are no lumps in the glaze.
- Add your strawberry juice back to the same pot, and turn it to medium heat.
- Once the mixture is warm, add in the tapioca and sugar mixture and whisk to fully combine.
- Bring it back to a boil until thickened. Stir frequently, as this will not take long.
- Set aside to cool completely.
- Gently remove each pie shell from the muffin tin. Using a butter knife, slide it between the metal cup and the outside of the pie shell (you may need to do this a second time in a different spot if doesn’t pop free the first time).
- Once the glaze has cooled and you are ready to assemble your pies, add the blueberries and the glaze in a large bowl, stirring very gently to evenly cover the blueberries, but being careful not to squish them.
- Add 2 Tbsp of yogurt to the bottom of each pie shell, and smooth it out as best as you can.
- Begin adding the blueberries to the pie shells, piling them up evenly to form the domed top of your pie filling. Serve fresh.
* For a dairy free version, swap the butter for melted coconut oil.
** Use your favourite yogurt, dairy or non dairy, sweetened or unsweetened.
*** If you have more or less strawberry juice, you'll need to amend the amount of tapioca starch and sugar you’re using. The ratio should be 1 Tbsp tapioca starch and 2 Tbsp cane sugar for every 1/3 cup of strawberry juice.
These assembled pies can be stored in an air tight container for up to one day in the fridge.
Blueberries:
- A quintessential brain food, if you ask us. Learn why these tiny berries are so good for your brain and mental health, here.
Cinnamon:
- Learn about why cinnamon is a bona fide brain food, here!
Strawberries:
- Just because blueberries are the star of this pie doesn’t mean strawberries aren’t also great for your brain! Eating them has been shown to significantly improve blood sugar control and lipid markers. This is relevant to us neuro-nerds because Alzheimers disease is being called type 3 diabetes and is related to heart disease — so foods that reduce these risks may also reduce the risk of Alzheimers.
- References
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- Basu, A., Izuora, K., Betts, N.M., Kinney, J.W., Salazar, A.M., Ebersole, J.L. & Scofield, R.H. (2021). Dietary Strawberries Improve Cardiometabolic Risks in Adults with Obesity and Elevated Serum LDL Cholesterol in a Randomized Controlled Crossover Trial. Nutrients, 13(5), 1421 - 1435.
