A healthy living blog from Marshfield Clinic Health System

How to: Pudgy pie makeover

Pudgy Pies on platePie irons, used to make pudgy pies, are camping essentials. Unfortunately, food prepared in them often isn’t great for your health.

Does that mean you have to give up this camping tradition? Absolutely not. It simply means you may have to be creative with your pie iron recipes. Swap in healthier alternatives when you can, experiment with new, healthy recipes and prep your iron thoughtfully.

Try new ideas

“Think outside the white bread,” said Chrisanne Urban, a registered dietitian at Marshfield Clinic. “Instead, try tortillas, phyllo dough or the ‘thin bread’ that is popular these days.”

All these options are lower in calories than traditional white bread.

Or try going without a “crust” altogether. “There’s no reason why you can’t cook food directly on the iron,” Urban said. “Try baking fruit directly in the pie iron. Stone fruits or pineapple would be good.”

Crust or no crust, iron prep is important. Avoid unnecessary fat and calories by using a cooking spray instead of coating your pie iron in butter.

Check out these nontraditional pie iron recipes for healthier camping:

Quesadilla Pudgy Pie

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 2 5-inch corn tortillas
  • 1/4 cup refried beans
  • 1/4 cup shredded Monterey jack cheese
  • 1/4 cup salsa (reduced-sodium salsa preferred)

Instructions:

  1. Lightly spray both sides of the pie iron with cooking spray.
  2. Place corn tortilla on one side of the pie iron.
  3. Place refried beans inside the tortilla and sprinkle with shredded cheese.
  4. Layer on other tortilla and close pie iron.
  5. Cook the quesadilla in the campfire until tortillas are slightly toasted.
  6. Serve with salsa.

Nutritional information:

Each serving contains: 295 calories; 10 g fat; 45 g carbohydrates; 16 g protein; 6.3 g fiber; 895 mg sodium

Peanut Butter Banana Pudgy Pie

Ingredients:

  • Cooking spray
  • 1 sheet phyllo dough
  • 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
  • 1/2 medium banana, sliced

Instructions:

  1. Lightly spray both sides of the pie iron with cooking spray.
  2. Lay the phyllo dough horizontally and cut in half.
  3. Take one half, fold in half lengthwise and spread on peanut butter. Place on one side of the pie iron.
  4. Layer on sliced banana.
  5. Fold other half lengthwise and lay on top of bananas. Close pie iron.
  6. Cook on campfire a couple minutes on each side being careful not to burn the phyllo dough.

Nutritional information:

Each serving contains: 312 calories; 16 g fat; 35 g carbohydrates; 9 g protein; 2 g fiber; 175 mg sodium

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