Thanksgiving 2016 Juicense Makes Raw, Vegan Pumpkin Pie for the Holidays

Healthy-lifestyle company Juicense opened its doors in Coconut Grove (2992 McFarlane Rd.) this past summer, stocked with raw foods and cold-pressed juices. This holiday season, visit the local spot to pick up treats to add to your meal.

Owner Mariana Diez has whipped up a nutritious dessert to finish any Turkey Day gathering: raw, vegan pumpkin pie.

"We usually have a chocolate tart and a key lime pie year-round," she says, "but with the holidays, I wanted to make something fall-inspired."

A cook at heart, Diez often makes this pumpkin pie at home. Last Thanksgiving, she experimented with different recipes and decided to perfect it for this year's holiday season. As a believer in the power of food to change lives, she wanted to create something fun and flavorful but also nourishing.

"It's not as difficult as it seems to be healthy," she says. "Having a healthy lifestyle doesn't mean eating salads all day long."

The pie, priced at $36, is stuffed with a blend of pumpkin, dates, coconut oil, maple syrup, agar-agar, and pumpkin spice, creating a thick and creamy filling with a light pumpkin aftertaste. She makes the crust with walnuts, dried coconut, dates, and sea salt and places more nuts along the rim for added crunch. All of the ingredients she uses are fresh and raw.
Pair a slice of pie with an Autumn Pick Me Up ($8.75), Diez's seasonal fall juice. It's cold-pressed with pomegranate, orange, lemon, and pineapple.

Pies are available to order by phone or in-store. For more information, call 305-814-5971.