Healthy Holiday Apple Cranberry Mini Pie

 Here is my winning healthy holiday pie recipe featured on the Today Shows recipe contest " Too Good to Be Healthy Holiday Pies". I created this recipe while trying to come up with a healthy holiday treat for my family and friends to enjoy!

To make this recipe healthy I used a  low fat cinnamon graham cracker pecan crust instead of pastry crust. In the filling I cut back on the added sugar and used  apples, anti-oxidant rich cranberries and orange zest for great combination of sweet and tart flavor!  To top it all off I added a oatmeal crumb topping for added texture and flavor!

For a fun a healthy twist I used a muffin tin to make the pie recipe into mini pies!  This not only makes for a fun and easy way to enjoy pie but also helps with portion control!  In comparison to 500 calories in an average piece of  pie, these mini pie only contain 180 calories a piece!

 Apple Cranberry Mini Pie

Crust

• 10 cinnamon graham cracker sheets ( ~ 1 ½ cups crushed )
• 1/3 cup chopped pecans
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 
• 2 tablespoons milk, fat-free

Filling

• 3 medium (4 small) apples, peeled and diced
• 1 cup cranberries, fresh
• ½ teaspoon orange zest
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1/8 cup orange juice
• 3 tablespoons corn starch

Topping

• ¼ cup old fashioned oats
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons milk, fat-free
• 2 teaspoons brown sugar
• ½  teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:

1. Pre –heat oven to 350 degrees. Fill 12 cup muffin tin with muffin liners.
2. To make crust. Crumble graham crackers and pecans in food processor, add oil and milk and combine until smooth. Evenly fill muffin tins with ~ 3 tablespoons of crust mixture. Press crust mixture down evenly into muffin cups. Bake crust in pre-heated oven for 5 minutes.
3. To make filling. Combine apples, cranberries, orange zest and cinnamon. In a separate dish, mix cornstarch with orange juice to dissolve. Pour orange juice mixture and maple syrup over fruit mixture and combine. Evenly fill crusts with fruit mixture.
4. To make topping. Mix together all topping ingredients and then sprinkle over the top of the fruit mixture.
5. Bake mini pies in oven for 25-30 minutes.

Servings: Makes 12 individual pies

 Nutrition Facts (per serving):  180 Calories, 6 grams Total Fat, 1 gram Saturated Fat,

0 grams Cholesterol, 68 grams Sodium, 30 grams Total Carbohydrate, 2 grams Dietary Fiber, 2 grams Protein

To see the segment and recipes from the other contestants click the link below

Today Shows " Too Good To Be Healthy Holiday Pie" Recipe Contest 

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