Oatmeal-Coconut pie crust is flour and sugar free

Dear Cook’s Notebook: I am looking for a recipe that I lost. It was a pie crust recipe using oatmeal, unsweetened coconut and fruit juice.

Any other sugar-free, flour-free crust would be great, too. My husband and I are starting Dr. Gott’s “No Flour, No Sugar Diet.” – Paula Isadore, Spokane

Dear Paula: I found an Oatmeal-Coconut Crust that sounds like the one you lost. It originally called for brown sugar, but I tested it with calorie-free Sugar Twin with good results. You might also experiment with sugar-free maple syrup or fruit sweetener as recommended in Dr. Gott’s “No Flour, No Sugar Diet” in place of the brown sugar.

I also found an oatmeal and nut pie crust at www.recipezaar.com that sounds like it would work for your diet. Again, granulated brown Sugar Twin can be substituted for the brown sugar in the original recipe.

I’m also throwing in a recipe that I came across several times during my search for Sugarless, Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies. It’s a favorite treat among Atkins dieters and others who are trying to avoid sugar and flour.

Good luck.

Oatmeal-Coconut Crust

Adapted from www.ellenskitchen.com1 cup rolled oats

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

1/3 cup softened butter

1/4 cup brown sugar or Sugar Twin, Granulated Brown

Toast oats in a shallow pan at 375 degrees about 7 minutes, or until golden. Mix in coconut, softened butter and sugar or sugar substitute. Press into a 9-inch pie dish. Fill with desired ingredients.

Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie crust

Approximate nutrition per serving, based on 8: 141 calories, 11 grams fat (7.7 grams saturated, 71 percent fat calories), 2 grams protein, 8.5 grams carbohydrate, 21 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 83 milligrams sodium.

Oatmeal Nut Pie Crust

From www.recipezaar.com1 cup rolled oats

4 tablespoons brown sugar or Sugar Twin, Granulated Brown

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup melted butter

2/3 cup finely minced walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toast oatmeal in a shallow pan for 7 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and in a small mixing bowl combine oatmeal with remaining ingredients.

Press into a 9-inch pie plate. Fill with desired ingredients.

Yield: 1 (9-inch) pie crust

Approximate nutrition per serving: 172 calories, 14 grams fat (5 grams saturated, 71 percent fat calories), 4 grams protein, 9 grams carbohydrate, 21 milligrams cholesterol, 2 grams dietary fiber, 154 milligrams sodium.

Sugarless, Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies

From www.recipezaar.com1 cup natural peanut butter

1 cup Splenda, granular

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 large egg, beaten

1 teaspoon baking soda

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix peanut butter and Splenda together. Add vanilla and egg. Add baking soda.

Roll into 1-inch balls and place at least 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheet.

Cross hatch with a fork.

Bake 8 minutes, or until light brown.

Yield: 2 dozen cookies

Approximate nutrition per cookie: 65 calories, 5 grams fat (less than 1 gram saturated, 71 percent fat calories), 2.8 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrate, 8 milligrams cholesterol, less than 1 gram dietary fiber, 55 milligrams sodium.