My Texas Millionaire Pie is a Low Glycemic Index Dessert

Cook Time for Texas Millionaire Pie

Prep time: 15 min - Ready to refrigerate in: 15 minutes - Refrigerate for: 4 hours Yields: - Two whole pies - 16 slices!

Ingredients:

• Two prepared pie crusts, Graham Cracker or Almond Flour
• 1 small can sweetened condensed milk, or sugar free pudding (prepared for pie filling)
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup lemon juice, fresh squeezed is ok too!
• 16 ounce can crushed pineapple, well drained
• 1 jar maraschino cherries, halved and drained
• 16 ounce can mandarin orange slices, well drained
• 1 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened or sweetened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 cup walnuts or pecans, coarse chopped
• 1 regular size tub whipped topping, or real whipped cream

Texas Millionaire Pie Instructions:

1. Assemble the ingredients.
2. In a colander or strainer, add the crushed pineapple, mandarin orange slices and maraschino cherries (halved). Drain well.
3. Pour the condensed milk into a large mixing bowl and add the vanilla and lemon juice if using the condensed milk. Omit the vanilla and lemon juice if using the sugar free pudding/pie mix instead of the sweetened condensed milk. Mix well.
4. Add the drained fruit to the mixture along with the coconut and nuts. Mix well.
5. Add half of the tub of whipped topping. Or use whipped cream. Mix well.
6. Pour half of the assembled pie mixture into each ready to fill pie crusts and spread evenly.
7. Top off the pies with a thin layer of whipped topping. Sprinkle with nuts or toasted coconut for decoration.
8. Refrigerate for about four hours or overnight and serve.

Low Glycemic Substitutions for Texas Millionaire Pie:

Almond Flour Pie Crust (substitution for graham cracker pie crusts):

Mix together:

• 4 cups almond flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Add and mix until you form a ball:

• 4 tablespoons coconut oil (or melted butter)
• 2 eggs

Roll out or press dough into two nine inch pie plates. Bake at 350 degrees for eight to twelve minutes until brown. Allow to cool before adding filling.

Low Glycemic Desserts for Diabetics

Finding the perfect dessert for a diabetic is almost impossible. There are only so many ways to fix sugar free puddings, or make sugar free cakes.

Even making a dessert low or no sugar doesn't make it safe for diabetics. Anything made with flour or certain fruits or juices can raise a diabetic's blood sugar. A diabetic must consider the glycemic index of a food before eating it.

High glycemic foods include the 'white' foods: white flour, white rice, white potatoes and even popcorn. These foods almost instantly increase the level of glucose in the blood. Processed foods are also on the 'bad' glycemic food index.

Not all carbohydrates will raise a diabetics blood sugar however. There are foods in the complex carbohydrate groups that, when eaten, help to stabilize a diabetic metabolism. These include whole grains, unprocessed foods, whole fruits only (not juices), nuts and some dairy. These are the groups we need in order to make a diabetic friendly dessert.

Glycemic Index of Food:

What is the glycemic index? From the University of Sydney, Australia - It is a well researched and document account of the foods that raise blood sugar, especially in a diabetic metabolism.

Blood Sugar Conversion Chart

Texas Millionaire Pie is a Low Glycemic Index Dessert

My blood sugar before eating 1/8th of Texas Millionaire Pie was 163.

My blood sugar two hours after eating the pie - 195, a moderate rise in blood sugar. My target post prandial blood sugar is 180.

I used the ingredients originally called for in this first test. These are the ingredients shown in the photo. That recipe is featured in this hub. The lower glycemic substitutions will be tested the next time I make this recipe. I will update my findings at that time.

During this first test recipe, I did forget to add the nuts, but I sprinkled them on top and added a bit to the plate for testing purposes.

This version of Texas Millionaire Pie is totally delicious and extremely satisfying as a dessert. It doesn't leave a sweet after-taste or cause cravings. It is healthy and filling. It is super simple to make. No baking required unless you are using the almond flour crust that must be pre-baked and cooled before adding the filling.

This dessert is also the perfect potluck treat for a work party. Everyone loves it!