Family Bonding In The Kitchen. Raw Strawberry Pie.

Raw Strawberry Pie

If you don't need a dessert right away and have some time to make it, you'll really like this pie. The reasons we liked making this pie: (1) it only takes a handful of ingredients to make (2) it's healthy for you, (3) it tastes yummy and (4) makes you look like a pro even if you're not. This was our first time making this pie. I read the directions and helped a little with the crust but my daughter Hannah (9) did all the rest! You can do it too!

We use cooking or baking as a time to bond as a family and to teach measurements, how to follow directions, health, and self confidence. Kitchen time doubles as date time in our family. Let your children help. Even toddlers can pour ingredients into the food processor or blender and push the button. As parents it's hard to sometimes slow down long enough to teach, but I guarantee you and your children will be so thankful you did! Happy Family Bonding In The Kitchen Time!

All You'll Need!

See doesn't that look simple?

Almond-Date Crust:

1 1/4 Cups Soaked Almonds (8-12 hrs)

1 C Dates, Chopped

1 TBSP Water

1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Dash of Cinnamon

2 tsp. Flax Meal

Soak those almonds the night before so you're not waiting on them.

Put 6 Pitted Dates in Water 4-8 hrs. before you begin.

That's the hardest part, thinking ahead. You can do this, hang in there!

OK, LET'S GET STARTED!

Dry your soaked almonds for 30-60 min. in sun or dehydrator

or just with a paper towel.

Chop nuts until they are evenly ground.

Add 1 Cup chopped dates, process until finely ground.

We actually put them in whole and soaked them.

I would not recommend this cause it makes the crust a little soggy. Keep them dry.

Add Water, Vanilla, and Cinnamon while processing.

Crust must appear slightly damp, and hold together before adding flax meal.

Add Flax Meal.

Press in pie pan immediately.

Dehydrate crust for 1 hr. or leave in sun for 1-2 hrs.

or in oven on "warm" for 20 min. or you can use crust immediately.

You're done with the crust! Good Job!

Filling:

4 Cups Strawberries, sliced

Binder:

6 Pitted Dates, soaked 4-8 hrs (less in you don't have time)

Reserve the Date Soak Water (from yep, the soaked dates)

2 Cups Strawberries, quartered

Maple Syrup or Date Sugar or Stevia, to taste (optional)

Slice 4 Cups Strawberries and Quarter 2 Cups Strawberries

or just slice 6 Cups and call it good.

Spoon 4 Cups Sliced Strawberries into Crust.

Now let's make the Binder.

Put 2 Cups Quartered Strawberries into blender.

Add the 6 Soaked Dates.

Process until you have a thick puree.

Add Date Soak Water if needed (we didn't). Sweeten if you need (we didn't).

The puree was tart without sweetener, but the crust balanced it as the crust was pretty sweet.

Pour Binder on top of Sliced Strawberry Filling.

With a spatula make sure the Binder gets in all the cracks around the strawberries.

Look at how pretty it is.

Now put it in the refrigerator for 1 hour before serving

or for a frozen dessert, put in the freezer.

Enjoy!!!

You can add a cashew-date fluff topping but we ate it like this! YUM!

You can find the recipe for the topping in The Raw Gourmet on Pg 177.

Raw Date Nut Torte

Raw Date Nut Torte

So I went to a Wellness Seminar at Bethel Church in Redding and now I am inspired more than ever to add raw foods into my diet. Before I went to the seminar I had a few food raw books: Raw Food Real World, The Raw Gourmet, Ani's Raw Food Kitchen, and Ani's Raw Food Desserts. I got the first two books awhile back and they are pretty involved. The Raw Food Real World is easier to me than the Raw Gourmet, but I like the variety.

I got Ani's books just this last month and how I LOVE them! They are so much easier and much more doable for a busy lifestyle. I'm learning you really can add more raw into your diet, even if you are busy! One thing I like about Ani's recipes is that she has very few ingredients for each recipe. You can check out more about Ani Phyo online.

At the Wellness Seminar I got to see a live raw food demo by Skyleene. I'll have to get her blog address on here so you can see how amazing she really is. This is her below. She demo'd the Raw Date Nut Torte that I am sharing with you today. Yay Sky! I love her!

Sky at the Wellness Conference 3/2010

RAW DATE NUT TORTE RECIPE

For Cake:

2 Cups Raw walnuts or almonds (soaked 8 hours or overnight)

2 Cups Organic Raisins

1 tsp Vanilla

1 tsp Cinnamon

2-4 tbsp agave nectar (optional)

For Frosting:

1 lemon (juiced)

1 Cup of dates (soaked 20-30 min)

Little bit of the soaked date water

Step 1: Soak Walnuts or Almonds.

Okay, this is the deal about soaked nuts. They are really much more nutritious when soaked but if you have to make this NOW and you don't have any nuts soaked just make it without them soaked, but soak em next time. It's more fun and more nutritious. All you have to do is put 2 Cups of nuts in a jar and put about double the amount of water over them. Put it on your counter and go to bed, in the morning they're done. It's that simple.

Step 2: Put dates in water and let them soak for 20-30 minutes.

Step 3: Grind up soaked walnuts or almonds, organic raisins, vanilla extract, cinnamon and agave (optional) in a food processor. Grind until they become a crumble that sticks together when you squeeze a handful.

Step 4: Pour crumble on a plate or platter and mold into a "cake" with your hands. You can make a circular cake or square. Set cake aside.

Step 5: To Make Frosting. Put lemon juice from 1 lemon and 1 Cup of Soaked Dates in Processor or blender until smooth. Add Soaked water to thin if you need to.

Step 6: Spread frosting onto cake and you're done! Now enjoy!!!

This is a rich dessert so you don't have to make generous portions to satisfy, a little slice will make you happy.

A tall glass of raw milk is a perfect compliment to this sweet dessert.