If an apple a day keeps the doctor away then a home-made apple pie must be the sweetest example of food as medicine.

This recipe is in my book, Ayurveda Cooking For Beginners, but unlike in the book, in this case it is baked upside down for even more golden roasted, treacly, apple-y tart ambrosia.

It’s one of those, how could something this good be so good for you?

NUTTY UPSIDE DOWN APPLE PIE
Makes 8–10 Servings

Inspired by the classic Tarte Tatin, although not at all the same, I turned this pie upside down, baked it, then drizzled it with honey. It’s a beautiful holiday dessert, whipped up in only 20 minutes, plus baking time. Rosemary and pomegranate add holiday color.

For The Pie Crust

8 medjool dates, pitted
1 tablespoon coconut oil
1 very hearty pinch ground cinnamon
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 small pinch pink salt (or sea salt)
2 cups pecans

For The Pie Filling

6 apples, cored and chopped
1 lemon, juiced
¼ cup chia seeds
4 medjool dates, pitted
2 tablespoons almond butter
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
pinch pink salt
optional: 1 handful candied ginger

To Make The Piecrust

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Put the dates in a blender and pulse to mince. Add the coconut oil, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt to the blender and pulse to combine.

Toss in the pecans and pulse three times, only enough to break up the pecans, and careful not to make pecan butter.

Transfer to a 9-inch pie pan and press the crust evenly across the bottom and up along the sides of the pan. Bake for 3 minutes. Set aside to cool.

To Make The Pie

Increase the oven temperature to 375°F.

Put the apples in a large bowl and toss with 1/3 of the lemon juice and the chia seed. In the same unwashed blender used to make the crust, mince the dates. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the remaining lemon juice and blend well. Stir this mixture in with the apples in the large bowl.

Spread the apple mixture over the pie crust and bake 30 minutes. You could cover the pie to keep the apples moist as it bakes, but I didn’t and it turned out great.

Once removed from the oven, allow it to cool, then cover the pie pan with a plate, flip the pie, drizzle the crust which is now a topping with honey, and serve.