Pumpkin is such a delicious vegetable, bursting with flavor, fiber, antioxidants, Vitamin A and so much more. We love pumpkin in our home, and try to use it throughout the year, not just at Christmas and Thanksgiving in pies! Low carb, gluten free, can be made casein free (substitute coconut milk) and great for diabetics!

How can you make a delicious organic pumpkin custard without sugar that satisfies the pumpkin pie cravings? With a few easy changes, and a definite tweaking of the taste buds, you can create a low carb, no sugar added, no harmful chemical sugar substitutes pumpkin custard. When topped with vanilla whipped cream, you will barely notice this counts as a vegetable, instead of dessert!

• 1 large can of pumpkin 29 oz (or about 4 cups of fresh, cooked, pureed pumpkin)
• 4 organic eggs
• 1 can evaporated milk  12 oz (or use the equivalent of coconut milk for CF)
• 3 packets of Stevia (to your desired sweetness level)
• 1 Tbls cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg (we love freshly grated nutmeg)
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

(Optional - can add 1/4 cup of maple syrup or agave syrup for extra sweetening if desired) 

Place all of the filling ingredients into a food processor or blender and blend until smooth and well combined. Pour into a 13 x 9 baking dish and bake at 350 for about an hour, until firm in the center. Let cool. Serve with a dollop of vanilla whipping cream. Keep cook in fridge.

Note - sweetening with stevia is an acquired taste. Do not make this and expect it to taste JUST like pumpkin pie - it will not. The secret to successful stevia desserts is to accept that it will taste similar, but different. Instead of bemoaning the lack of sugar, have fun, play with the recipe, tweaking the stevia up or down until it gets to a point that YOU like it! You can always smother it in vanilla maple whipped cream!

Vanilla Maple Whipped Cream

• 1 pint of whipping cream
• 1 dash of vanilla (1/2 to a full teaspoon)
• 1 dash of real maple syrup (1/2 to a full teaspoon) can also use agave syrup or honey
  

Whip cream in Vita-Mix, blender, with beaters or by hand. When whipped and frothy, add vanilla and a dash of maple s syrup. You can add a tiny, tiny bit of stevia to bring up the sweetness if desired.

Pumpkin Nutrition Facts (from University of Illinois Extension)
(1 cup cooked, boiled, drained, without salt)