Gluten-Free Self-Crust Strawberry Pie

This has to be the quickest, easiest gluten-free
pie you’ll ever make! And so pretty! It makes its
own crust from the batter!

You can use this recipe with any fruit, but there
are other similar recipes included in this book that
work with other fruit.

Strawberries are tricky to bake with, especially frozen
defrosted strawberries like I used here. They have a
high water content, and you don’t want them to be
mushy or the pie crust to be soggy. That’s  why I’m
excited about this recipe.

You can enjoy it as is or top it with whipped cream or
ice cream.

Strawberries are an amazing source of folic acid.
Inadequate amounts of folate in the aging population can
contribute to atherosclerosis, vascular disease and even a
decline in cognitive function. Medications used for conditions
like rheumatoid arthritis can actually deplete folic acid.

Strawberries are being studied for their unique ability to suppress
the inflammatory responses of the body and reduce our risk of
hypertension by lowering LDL cholesterol. A 2013 study found
women who ate three or more servings of strawberries and
blueberries in a week reduced their risk of heart attack by 32 percent.

Strawberries contain more than 100 percent of our daily
recommended intake of vitamin C in just one cup. Recent studies
show that when vitamin C is consumed during times of stress, it
actually has the ability to decrease our blood pressure to a normal
level, preventing the development of hypertension — especially in kids.

Strawberries are high in fibre, which is important for moving food
through your digestive system to keep us regular.

Strawberries contain anthrocyanin, which is a powerful antioxidant
that protects us from the damaging effects of our environment,
especially the sun. The antioxidant power of the anthrocyanins
found in strawberries lasts up to 24 hours after consumption; this
makes them a great defence against free radical damage.

Bake time 40 to 50 minutes

Ingredients
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
¼ tsp salt

1/4 cup oil
1/4 applesauce
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2¼ cups strawberries, quartered, divided

Preparation
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch pie plate.

In a large bowl mix together flour,
3/4 cup sugar  (plus 2 Tbsp sugar, divided)
¼ tsp salt

In a medium bowl whisk together butter, eggs and
vanilla.Pour into dry ingredients. Stir to combine. Fold
in 2 cups strawberries. (Batter will be thick.) Transfer
to pie plate.Add remaining ¼ cup strawberries to top,
pressing in a bit.

Optional: Sprinkle top with remaining sugar.

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes until toothpick in center
comes out clean. (It can have crumbs on it, but no
liquid batter.) Transfer to a wire rack to cool.