15 Comments / By KNI
The holidays are right around the corner, and most holiday feasts end with a slice of classic pumpkin pie! While pumpkin pie may not be the highest potassium dish at the table, it is considered a high potassium food. Not to worry, we’ve got you covered with this kidney-friendly mock pumpkin pie!
I feel like this recipe comes down to “where there is a will there is a way.” I’ve thought A LONG time about a low potassium “pumpkin” pie being made with spaghetti squash. A very long time. One year to be exact. I wanted to make it last year, but I had a new baby, and it was just busy and time got away from me.
This year, I was determined to get the recipe out before Thanksgiving to showcase how it is possible to really have some livable LOVABLE food for a #renaldiet. THIS pie is something you can eat and enjoy and have a second slice without worrying about exceeding your potassium limit.
What happens when you make pumpkin pie without pumpkin?
Classic pumpkin pie is generally not the most kidney-friendly option at Thanksgiving dinner.It is made with evaporated milk (boo!) and a hefty dose of eggs (okay). Not to mention the canned
The real taste though is in the spices.This pumpkin pie is knock off from Minimalist Baker’s Vegan Pumpkin Pie. I swapped the pumpkin out for finely pureed spaghetti squash and used KidneyGrub’s low sodium flaky pie crust. In addition, we used cornstarch instead of eggs and evaporated milk.
The result? 56% reduction in potassium, 69% reduction in phos, and 75% reduction in sodium (and that’s with added salt in the recipe). Check out how classic pumpkin pie compares to our recipe in the table below!
Serv size 1/8 of 9” pie | Classic Pumpkin Pie (per NCCDB) | KidneyGrub Pumpkin-free Pumpkin Pie |
Calories | 318 | 360 |
Protein | 7 g | 3.7 g |
Carbs | 40 g | 44 g |
Potassium | 282 mg | 125 mg |
Phosphorus | 145 mg | 45 mg |
Sodium | 359 mg | 90 mg |
Fiber | 2 g | 2 g |
What our taste-testers said about pumpkinless pumpkin pie
I took the pie (what we didn’t eat and photo-shoot) to my dialysis unit the next day to let the staff taste test. Consensus? Excellent.The crust (THIS crust)was flaky but firm enough to hold the pie.The pie has wonderful flavors due to the spicy, though more mild and less dense texture than traditional pumpkin pie.Even our medical director gave the pie a thumbs up (and said his old-time-baking Grandma would have been proud of THAT crust!).
I agreed with all of these observations and consider this one of my favorite low potassium kidney-friendly recipes that we’ve sported yet.
So, if pumpkin pie’s your thing (or even if it isn’t) THIS is a livable, lovable recipe! Livable, because it’s easy and you don’t have to worry about potassium, phos, sodium.Lovable, because it’s so good!
Kidney Friendly Pumpkin-Free Pumpkin Pie
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Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Low Phosphorus, Low Potassium, Low Protein, Low Sodium, Plant-Based
Diet Type: CKD, Dialysis, VLPD
Servings: 8 people
Calories: 216kcal
Author: Jessianna Saville, MS, RDN, CSR, LD, CLT
Ingredients
Filling:
- 2 3/4 cups pureed spaghetti squash the squash can be prepared up to 2 days and stored until it's ready to be used
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
- 1 Tbsp olive oil or melted coconut oil
- 2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder
- 1 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice or sub mix of ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg & cloves
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- Your favorite crust Our favorite crust is the low sodium pie crust
Instructions
To prepare spaghetti squash for filling:
Preheat the oven to 400℉ (204℃).
Using a large chef's knife, slice the spaghetti squash in half lengthwise through the stem and scoop the seeds out with a large spoon. Place the squash cut side down in a large baking dish or roasting pan. Add a little water to the pan (just to cover the bottom) or cover the pan with foil. Roast the squash for 30 to 45 minutes or until it is tender. When the squash is fully cooked, the flesh will pierce easily and when scraped with a fork, will separate into spaghetti-like strands. After the squash has cooled, puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. Set aside 2 3/4 cups of pureed squash to use for the filling.
To prepare the pie:
Preheat oven to 350℉ (176℃ ) and prepare pie filling.
Add all pie ingredients to a blender and blend until smooth, scraping down sides as needed. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed. Pour filling into pie crust and bake for 58-65 minutes. The crust should be light golden brown and the filling will still be just a bit jiggly and have some cracks on the top. Remove from oven and let cool completely before loosely covering and transferring to the refrigerator to fully set for 4-6 hours, preferably overnight.
Slice and serve with your whipped topping of choice.
Nutrition
Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 1mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 103mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 43IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @KNI_Care or tag #KNIrecipes!