Avocado and almond milk replace evaporated milk in this healthy take on a holiday classic. But this nutritional upgrade can be your little secret…no one will be the wiser.

Pumpkins are super high in beta-carotene and recent research shows that adding avocado to carotene-rich veggies not only boosts absorption of the nutrient but also aids in their conversion to vitamin A.

As an experiment, I replaced the evaporated milk in the standard pumpkin pie recipe with a blend of almond milk and ripe avocado and served it to guests without tipping them off. Not only were they none the wiser, but the superior flavor and light, mousse-like texture of the filling prompted several requests for the recipe.

Here’s my recipe for Pumpkin Avocado Pie. The fact that it contains nutrient-boosting avocado (or that it has 25% fewer calories and 40% less sugar than the standard recipe) can be your little secret.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cloves
• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 ripe avocado
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 inch piece of ginger root (or 1/2 tsp ground ginger)
• 2 eggs
• 1 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 1 9-inch pie shell (unbaked)

Instructions

1. Pre-heat oven to 425⁰F.
2. Combine sugar, cinnamon, salt, and cloves in a large mixing bowl. Set aside.
3. Place almond milk, avocado, vanilla, and ginger into blender and blend on high speed until smooth.
4. Add eggs to blender and blend on low speed until combined.
5. Add avocado mixture and canned pumpkin to sugar mixture and stir until combined.
6. Pour mixture into prepared pie shell and bake at 425 for 15 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake 40 minutes. Pie will be slightly jiggly but set.
8. Cool on a rack and serve with whipped cream if desired.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories 220, Total fat 10g, Saturated fat 2.5g, Cholesterol 45mg, Sodium 310mg, Total carbohydrate 28g, Fiber 3g, Sugar 14g, Protein 4g.

This soup tastes rich and creamy but only has 100 calories per bowl. Avocados boost the absorption of the beta-carotene in the carrots and also help your body convert it into vitamin A.

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 medium onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 pound carrots, roughly chopped (about 3 cups)
• 1 quart low-sodium chicken or vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 ripe avocado (plus more for garnish, if desired)
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Instructions

1. Heat oil in large saucepan until shimmering and add onions. Cook over low heat until golden (5-10 minutes).
2. Add spices and cook until fragrant (1 minute)
3. Add carrots, stock, and soup and simmer gently until carrots are tender (about 20 minutes). Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
4. Transfer soup to blender along with avocado, cover and blend until smooth. (Use caution when blending hot foods!)
5. Taste and add salt, if needed. If your carrots weren’t very sweet, you may also want to add a teaspoon of honey or other sweetener.
6. Serve warm or chilled, garnished with plenty of fresh cilantro and a thin slice or two of avocado, if desired.

Serves 6