Pie gets healthier with still-tasty makeovers

Bake that pie and eat it, too -- without compromising your health-supporting diet.

You can still enjoy holiday favorites - pumpkin, pecan and fruit pies - just make some substitutions and pay attention to basic principles of nutrition.

Nobody will notice the changes.

At the least, you'll transform favorite recipes into nutritional neutral treats. At best, you can create a treat that's not only guilt-free but good for you.

First, some pie principles:

• Trade up to a heart-healthy crust. Store-bought pies are usually made with partially hydrogenated vegetable oil, which contains artery-clogging trans fat. Homemade and restaurant pies often contain lard or butter, saturated fats that also raise blood cholesterol levels and increase the risk of heart attack.

Make pie crust at home with vegetable oil instead of butter, shortening or lard. Or use a trans fat-free margarine such as Earth Balance or Canoleo. You can also take the easy way out: Buy trans fat-free, ready-made frozen pie crusts at a natural food store.

• Replace the eggs. Use liquid egg substitutes available in the supermarket in lieu of whole, cholesterol-laden eggs. Or use two egg whites in place of one whole egg.
• Cut back on sugar. You generally can reduce the sugar in pie recipes by at least a fourth to cut empty calories and boost nutritional density.
• Boost the nutritional value of the crust. Trust me on this: Once you try a whole-wheat crust, the white, refined kind will never again measure up. Replace white flour with whole-wheat, or use half whole-wheat and half all-purpose white flour. Don't be afraid to mix it up. Replace part of the flour with wheat germ.

Another favorite is from "The New Laurel's Kitchen" by Robertson, Flinders and Ruppenthal (Ten Speed Press, 1986). Graham cracker crust is made by mixing together then pressing 1 cups finely crushed graham crackers, 3 tablespoons yogurt, 1 tablespoons honey, and 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon into an 8- or 9-inch pie or quiche pan. Wetting your fingers helps, because this dough is sticky. Bake 15 minutes, until lightly browned.

Where pie is concerned, fruit or vegetable fillings are the healthiest choices. Eat more of these and fewer pies with chocolate, cream cheese or custard filling.

Other pie facts worth noting:

• Pumpkin is a nutritional powerhouse. Mashed sweet potatoes are a close cousin. Both are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins C and A, potassium and other vitamins and minerals.

Optimize an otherwise healthful pumpkin pie filling by using organic canned pumpkin, widely available in stores. Pumpkin filling also lends itself to a crustless pie, essentially pumpkin pudding, baked in individual ramekins or a baking dish.

• Cranberries add sparkle and nutrition. Add a handful to apple pie filling, or top a pumpkin pie with a mixture of chopped, fresh cranberries, oatmeal, brown sugar and ground ginger.