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Hot Summers Call for Cool Desserts
Ever since I was a kid, I’ve been pretty impossible to live with if I get hot. My parents didn’t even bother to get an air conditioner until I came along. And to keep the house (and my bratty self) cool in the summer, my mother had my dad build an outdoor kitchen so she could cook and keep the heat outside.
Fast forward 30 years.
When it’s hot and humid here in Florida, the last thing I want to do is cook. The bad thing is, I still want dessert. AND I want a dessert that will help me cool off.
I don’t exactly want an outdoor kitchen like my mother, but I do want recipes that are easy and going to keep me cool. That involves using the oven as little as possible. That’s why I love this easy low carb strawberry pie.
Anatomy of a Low Carb Strawberry Pie
I was never a pie baking person because I never could get the crust to come out right. Icebox pies though were another story. I loved being able to throw it together, refrigerate, and enjoy a nice cool slice of pie in the summer.
I wondered if I could make an icebox low carb berry pie work. My old recipe had all of three ingredients. Jello, Cool Whip, and strawberries. Easy breezy!
I kept the strawberry jello, albeit I used sugar free.
Cool Whip is great and all, but I don’t want fake food. Who wants basically eat oil and corn syrup? Especially when the real stuff tastes sooo much better! I decided to use heavy whipping cream in place of the Cool Whip.
I’m so glad that strawberries are relatively low carb. They’re my favorite fruit, and I think I’d die if I couldn’t have any. A cup of chopped strawberries has roughly 10-12 carbs. That’s not bad when you break the pie up into servings.
How I Made a Low Carb “Graham Cracker” Crust
Time saving convenience foods like a pre-made graham cracker crusts are a thing of the past when you’re low carb and gluten free. But making a low carb nut crust takes only minutes, and you can have it done and ready to go in less time than it take you to go to the store and buy one.
You can find recipes for low carb crusts all over the internet. They’re quick and easy to make. All you need are pecans, walnuts, or whatever your nut of choice is. But I add something a little different to give it a darker flavor to kind of mimic the “graham cracker” look and taste.
I add Golden Lakanto monkfruit sweetener to my crust. This is a new sweetener to me. I bought it because I read it tastes like brown sugar. I’ve only used it in my low carb “graham cracker” crust, and it does give it a darker flavor just like brown sugar would.
Oh, and by the way, each slice of pie only has 3.5 net carbs!
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First, the Low Carb, Gluten Free “Graham Cracker” Crust Recipe
Add 1 1/2 cup of nuts and 1/2 cup Golden Lakanto monkfruit sweetener to your mini food chopper. (I couldn’t live without my Ninja Chopper!) Pulse until it’s ground.
Mix 4 tbsp melted butter to nut mixture and combine well. Press the dough to the bottom and sides of an 9 inch pie plate. Bake at 350 F for 12-15 minutes, or until golden and set. Remember to let it cool completely before you add your pie filling!
Now Let’s Make a Low Carb Strawberry Pie!
Chop enough strawberries to make 1 cup. (About a half a pound) Set aside.
Add enough ice cubes to 1/2 cup of water to make 1 cup.
Dissolve a box of sugar free strawberry jello in 2/3 cup boiling water. When there’s no granules left, pour in the ice water. Stir until the ice cubes completely melt and set aside to thicken.
Beat 2 cups whipping cream on high until extremely stiff. It should be able to stick to your spoon when you hold it sideways.
Add the thickened jello mixture to the whipped cream and fold gently until thorough combined. Gently mix in chopped berries. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Remove from fridge and mound the pie filling into the nut crust. Refrigerate for six hours or overnight. Top with sliced fresh berries and whipped cream and enjoy your cool low carb strawberry pie!
Variation: This also makes a pretty parfait. In tall parfait glasses, layer filling and fresh sliced strawberries and top with homemade sweetened whipped cream.
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup nuts
- 1/2 cup Lakanto Golden Monkfruit Natural Sweetener
- 4 tbsp melted butter
- 1 box sugar free strawberry jello
- 2/3 cup boiling water
- 1/2 cup cold water
- 2 cups whipping cream
- 1 cup chopped strawberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F.
- In a food processor or small food chopper, blend nuts and sweetener until ground. Add melted butter and mix well. Press into a 9 inch pie plate
- Bake for 10-15 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Add boiling water to jello and stir until completely dissolved.
- Add enough ice cubes to cold water to make one cup. Add to the gelatin and stir until the ice cubes are melted and the mixture begins to thicken. Set aside.
- With a mixer or blender, beat whipping cream until very stiff.Add thickened jello mixture and fold gently until combined. Next, fold in strawberries.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Remove and spoon into the crust. Refrigerate for six hours or overnight.
- Serve with sweetened whipped cream and fresh sliced strawberries.
Nutrition Facts
Easy Breezy Gluten Free Low Carb Strawberry Pie
Serves: 8 Servings
Amount Per Serving 1 Slice | ||
---|---|---|
Calories | ||
% Daily Value* | ||
Total Fat 43.9 | 67.5% | |
Saturated Fat | 0 | |
Trans Fat | ||
Cholesterol | 0 | |
Sodium | 0 | |
Total Carbohydrate 6.1 | 2% | |
Dietary Fiber 2.6 | 10.4% | |
Sugars | ||
Protein 3.4 |
Vitamin A | Vitamin C | |
Calcium | Iron |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Gluten Free Down Home Cooking
My son just went Gluten Free so I’ve had to change the way I cook. This will be a real treat for him. It looks like it will be easy to make.
yumola! Love strawberries! this will work for me. I hate to be hot too. So I moved to Ireland. Problem solved forever!