The best part of fall?  It’s not the changing leaves, nor is it the full, harvest moon.  It is TOTALLY the flood of fall produce that turns into delicious, delicious pies!  Now, I am the person who waits for the arrival of fresh cranberries like most kids wait for Santa Claus.  I know they are coming, but all the same, there’s this lurking worry that maybe they won’t show up.  So when my local farmer’s market brings out the cranberries – and apples and pumpkins, oh my! – I jump around much like a kid on Christmas morning.  Because all of it can be turned into pie!   

Pie is good when warm, great when fresh, and absolutely-spectacularly-amazing when organic.  So to celebrate the return of autumnal produce, here are three absolutely-spectacularly-amazing organic pie recipes! 

Organic Whole Wheat Pie Crust

Inspired by: http://www.recipezaar.com/Organic-Whole-Wheat-Pie-Crust-301003

This makes top and bottom crust for a 9" pie or bottom.

Ingredients:

2 cups organic whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chilled organic butter
3 tablespoons shortening
6 tablespoons ice water
2 teaspoons organic lemon juice

Directions: Combine flours and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and add to bowl with shortening. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut butter and shortening into flour mixture until you achieve a grainy coarse appearance. Combine water and lemon juice, then slowly add to flour mixture as you toss gently with a fork until moist. Do not cover mix. Press mixture into a ball, cover completely with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.  Roll dough on lightly floured surface.

The best part of fall?  It’s not the changing leaves, nor is it the full, harvest moon.  It is TOTALLY the flood of fall produce that turns into delicious, delicious pies!  Now, I am the person who waits for the arrival of fresh cranberries like most kids wait for Santa Claus.  I know they are coming, but all the same, there’s this lurking worry that maybe they won’t show up.  So when my local farmer’s market brings out the cranberries – and apples and pumpkins, oh my! – I jump around much like a kid on Christmas morning.  Because all of it can be turned into pie!   

Pie is good when warm, great when fresh, and absolutely-spectacularly-amazing when organic.  So to celebrate the return of autumnal produce, here are three absolutely-spectacularly-amazing organic pie recipes! 

Organic Whole Wheat Pie Crust

Inspired by: http://www.recipezaar.com/Organic-Whole-Wheat-Pie-Crust-301003

This makes top and bottom crust for a 9" pie or bottom.

Ingredients:

2 cups organic whole wheat flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon chilled organic butter
3 tablespoons shortening
6 tablespoons ice water
2 teaspoons organic lemon juice

Directions: Combine flours and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into small pieces and add to bowl with shortening. Using a pastry blender or fork, cut butter and shortening into flour mixture until you achieve a grainy coarse appearance. Combine water and lemon juice, then slowly add to flour mixture as you toss gently with a fork until moist. Do not cover mix. Press mixture into a ball, cover completely with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.  Roll dough on lightly floured surface.

Directions:  Prepare the pie crust.  Set aside. In a small saucepan, combine cranberries, ¾ cup organic brown sugar, organic apple cider, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Boil gently for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool 20 minutes.  In a large mixing bowl combine ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and cinnamon. Add the apples; toss to coat. Stir in the cooled cranberry mixture. 

Line a 9-inch pie plate with half of the pastry. Transfer filling into the pie, trim pastry. Place crust on filling, cut slits or designs.  Brush top crust with milk, sprinkle with sugar!

Vegan Blueberry Raspberry Pie
Inspired by: http://veggie-terrain.blogspot.com/2007/09/starry-blueberry-pie.html

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9-inch pie crust.  (Substitute butter with vegan butter substitute.) Ingredients: ½ cup organic white sugar ½ cup organic brown sugar 5 tablespoons organic cornstarch ¼ teaspoon organic salt 1 teaspoon ground ginger ½ teaspoon cinnamon 2 cups organic blueberries            2 cups organic raspberries 1 tablespoon vegan butter substitute

Directions:  Place blueberries and raspberries in a large bowl.  Set aside.  In a separate bowl, mix white and brown sugar, cornstarch, salt, cinnamon, and ginger together. Then, sprinkle mixture over berries and stir.

Place one pie crust in pie dish and pour berry mixture into it. Then, dot berries with vegan butter substitute.  Sprinkle a bit of sugar over top of pie and bake until crust is golden brown.