Pumpkin Pie - almonds

Method

• This pumpkin pie is made with butternut squash, but it's a dead ringer for pumpkin pie.
• The first six ingredients -- almonds, date pieces, water, vanilla, cinnamon, psylium -- are for the crust. The other ingredients, beginning with butternut squash, are for the pie filling.
• To prepare the butternut squash filling:
• You will only need one half of the butternut squash. Cut the butternut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out the seeds of the half you will use, spray lightly with olive oil, and place face down on a baking sheet in a preheated 375 degree oven. Remove the squash when its skin is crinkly and the flesh is very soft -- about an hour.
• If the squash seems very juicy, you can drain it. To do this: After cooling the squash, peel off the skin and place the flesh in a colander lined with coffee filters. Allow the squash to drain for 8 hours.
• When the squash is ready to use, combine 1 1/2 cups of it with the rest of the filling ingredients and blend the mixture in the Vita-Mix.
• To prepare the crust:
• Chop the almonds in the Vita-Mix. Add the dates. As the date-nut mixture blends, add the water, vanilla, and cinnamon. When the mixture sticks together (add a little more water if it's not sticking), slowly add the psylium. The psylium binds the ingredients, so it's important to immediately press the mixture into a pie pan at this point.
• Fill the pie crust with the squash filling, then bake the pies in a 450 degree oven for 15 minutes. Lower the heat to 350 degrees, wrap strips of aluminum around the edges of the crust to prevent burning, and continue cooking until a knife inserted in the middle of the pie comes out clean, about 20 minutes.