Fresh Strawberry Pie (gluten, dairy and nut-free)

Did I mention I picked 40 pounds of fresh strawberries this week? Well, I did, I'm crazy! And I will freeze most of them. But I also have been making honey sweetened jam, jello and jam, and smoothies with many of the adorable heart-shaped lovelies too. When it is the season for a fresh fruit I really try and make the most of it. There really is no better way to eat fruit than fresh-in-season and right from the vine, plant or tree!

And, I just couldn't wait another minute to share this recipe. It is a revised "healthy" version to the traditional fresh strawberry pie that you can see advertised in the ol' ma and pop diners in the US. A traditional summer treat. I went to researching what was made in those pies and some were made with a lot of sugar, butter and cream. And, some were also made with strawberry flavorings and red dye. I was in shock! Why on earth would you need to add flavor and dye to fresh strawberries?! They are glorious and divine just by themselves and I would be super happy to just eat them as is right off the plant. 

So, yeah, I did my researching and came up with using some healthy alternative ingredients to make this treat. I used agar powder to help gel the fresh strawberries with a nice honey-sweet sauce. Agar powder is derived from an algae seaweed that offers lots of nutritional value and fiber too. And it may look like you are indulging in some super sweet treat, but this pie just brings out the already amazing flavors of fresh berries, coconut and honey. It can also be made with Grass-Fed Gelatin, which is a great health supplement as well, read here to learn more.  This pie is my take on what a fresh strawberry pie should taste like and if you can get your hands on some fresh ripe strawberries- then don't think twice on making this summer treat! And, after you make it once, you'll see why I almost double this recipe every time I make it :)

Fresh Strawberry Pie Recipe 

(gluten, dairy, soy and nut-free)

Crust:

1/2 cup gluten-free oats

1/2 cup of shredded unsweetened coconut

1 1/4 cup of gluten-free oat flour ground (1 cup of oats in ground in high power blender to make 1 1/4 cup of flour)

2 TB of honey or maple syrup

dash of sea salt

1/3 cup of organic extra virgin coconut oil

In a mixing bowl, mix the oats, coconut, salt and flour all together well and then add the honey and coconut oil and mix with a fork. You should get a sticking pie crust batter that you will use your hands to press into a 9 inch glass pie pan. You will have to pressed firmly up to the tops of the pan and press firmly along the bottom. It doesn't have to be perfect looking, but do try and make the crust spread evenly over the pan. Then bake the crust in a preheated 350 degree oven for 16-18 minutes until golden brown. You may need to press a fork up to the sides again after you pull from the oven while it is still hot if the crust slide down a touch while baking. Then, let the crust cool on the counter until it is cold.

Fresh Strawberry Filling:

1 pound of fresh hulled whole strawberries 

        + 1 cup of chopped fresh strawberries

2 TB of fresh squeezed lemon juice

pinch of lemon zest

1/3-1/2 cup of local honey

1/2 cup of water

1 1/2 TB of agar powder or  use 1 1/2 TB of gmo-free plain gelitan (Great Lakes Brand)

When you crust is cooled, the you can place 1 pounds of fresh picked and hulled strawberries face down into the pie crust. Then set aside in the fridge or freezer to make the liquid sauce to pour over the berries in a small saucepan. 

First, put your chopped strawberries and lemon juice in the pan and let cook down for a few minutes on low heat, then add your honey and water and keep simmering. Lastly add the agar powder and stir quickly to keep from clumping. Let cook on low heat for up to 5 minutes until the strawberries are cooked down and the liquid is hot. 

 If you use gelatin then you must mix the gelatin with 1/4 cup of water in a separate bowl first for it to "bloom" then you can add it into the strawberry sauce after a few minutes and you will have to stir well with the heat off while it melts into the rest of the sauce. So it has one step more, but both can be used the same way.

Lastly pour the warm strawberry sauce over the fresh whole strawberries already in the pie crust. Use a spoon or brush to coat all the tops of the strawberries, and it make take up to 5 minutes to let cool and set and you will have to re-arrange the strawberry tops to be straight. Then place in the fridge and chill for 3 hours before serving. 

Coconut Whipped Topping:

1 can of full fat coconut milk (use the cream only)

2-3 TB of pure maple syrup

Chill the can of coconut milk for at least a few hours or speed up the process in the freezer. Then right before serving, open the can and scoop out the separated coconut cream on the top and pour all of the remaining coconut water in a separate container to keep and use for other baked goods or smoothies. After putting the coconut cream in a bowl with syrup, use an electric mixer and whip up the cream for at least 3 minutes until you get peaks and a thicker cream. Then you can top the pie with this cream however you like. I scooped the cream into a Wilton's pipping bag with a star tip and squeezed out some cream stars over the pie. But you can top however you like- it will taste superb no matter how you top it :)

You can sub 1-2 TB of honey for the maple syrup. And if you want, prefer or like dairy you can use just regular whipping cream whipped up to perfection. 

Then, slice big hearty slices and serve up! This pie is perfect for a hot summer day and will not last long. It will be best kept in the fridge for safe keeping and will only last a few hours or at the most a day ;) But if for some reason you have extras, it will taste best kept in the fridge no more than three days.But really, when I make this in the two weeks of June that we have fresh Michigan strawberries, we eat this for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I mean, because, well, we can! And it's so good, we look forward to the season and then before you know it, it's gone.

Each slice is the perfect combo if crust, fresh strawberry goodness and a little extra creamy goodness to top it all off. This pie is for sure one of the best ways to eat fresh strawberries, well at least I think so :)

But seriously, this is my new found way to use some fresh picked strawberries. You can only make this pie once (or maybe twice) during the few weeks a year when strawberries are fresh off the plant. Super delicious!

I think you know what I will be doing to enjoy this weekend. Lots of time out in the sun and after-dinner pie eatin'. Maybe even some more berry picking before the season escapes us. Summer hasn't even officially begun yet and I just know it is going to be a good one. I hope you find ways to enjoy this summery weekend and some berries to enjoy!

Much love as always!

Sunflower Chocolate Pudding Pie (vegan)

I love when 'after-the-baby-goes-to-bed' cravings evolve into amazing dessert treats. Well, that is how this one started a few weeks ago. I was just sitting on the couch reading a magazine waiting for my husband to get home. Baby was asleep. It was a long day of diapers, tomato plants, teething and cleaning. And, I was putting my feet up. That is a good feeling, no?! I think so. I sometimes even get a second wind at this time and forget how tired I was.

Well, this night in particular I was craving just a bite of dark chocolate. I think you can understand. But there was no dark chocolate in the house to satisfy this craving. So after looking in the fridge, the freezer and the pantry, I came up with dark cacao powder, sunbutter, and sunflower seeds. Hm, what could I make with sunbutter and cocoa?!

Well, I made a pudding like substance on the stove top and wasn't sure what I was really making. But, it turned out and it was tasty. I have been on a sunbutter kick lately, and have really fallen in love with sunflower seeds all over again. I licked my bowl and spoon and then saved a little for my husband, and thought that this pudding creation would make a great pie.

And, that's just what I did a few days later :) I made a yummy pudding pie dessert to celebrate 6 years of marriage with my hubby, a new garden, a healthy baby, and the first year in our new house. And of course the list could go on and on for things I am thankful for...

Sunflower Chocolate Pudding Pie Recipe (vegan)

Crust Ingredients:

1 cup of ground raw sunflower seeds (grind whole seeds in food processor)

1/2 cup of ground gluten-free rolled oats, or GF oat flour (grind in processor)

2 TB of tapioca flour

2 TB of coconut palm sugar 

1/2 ts. of sea salt

1/3 cup of warmed coconut oil, or Earth Balance, soy-free

Grind the sunflower seeds and oats and mix them together in a bowl with the sucanat, tapioca and salt. Then add the warmed coconut oil (or Earth Balance) and mix into a nice crust dough. Then pour the crust into a 9x9 pie pan and spread very thin all over pie pan and form a nice crust with your fingers or a fork. Crust will be crumbly before baking, but do your best to have it stick together and be the same thickness in the pie pan. Then bake in a preheated 375 degree oven for 15-18 minutes until the crust is golden brown. This crust can be made with ground almond as a sub for the sunflower seeds, and any GF flour could be a sub for the oat flour. I made this crust with the sunflower and oats because I wanted it to be a replica of a graham cracker type crust. It turned out perfectly crispy and "buttery". Pull from oven and let cool completely before pouring in the chocolate pudding.

Chocolate Pudding Filling Ingredients:

1 cup of creamy sunbutter (sunflower seed butter)

1 1/3 cup of non-dairy, no-nut milk (either hemp or coconut beverage will work, I used So Delicious Vanilla coconut milk beverage)

2 TB of dark cacao powder

2 TB of tapioca flour

1-2 TB of pure maple syrup

Mix all of the above ingredients in a sauce pan on the stove on low to medium heat. Whisk in the sunbutter with the milk and make sure there are no tapioca or cocoa clumps. Use a whisk or spatula to mix well, and within minutes you will get a pudding like substance. Let cool just a minute, and then get ready to pour into a cooled pie crust. When ready, pour the chocolate pudding into the pie crust and spread out to look pretty. Then put pie in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but you can keep in fridge as long as you want before serving. After two hours, the pudding pie will be stiff and ready to serve.

You can top the pudding part of the pie with some added toppings if you desire...

Optional Toppings:

more crust batter

raw sunflower seeds

strawberries or raspberries

banana pieces when ready to serve

Cut slices of pie with a clean knife and serve up with an optional topping.

The best way to keep this pie is to refrigerate.

I topped my pie with some raw sunflower seeds and then also some fresh organic strawberries for an added touch of color and fresh flavor as well. The fresh berries with the chocolate pudding was a really yummy combination too, which may lead to another desert idea soon ;)

This dessert will seem a bit decadant. It's true... how can you be eating such a delicious dessert and it still be gluten and dairy free, and vegan too? Well, friends, real foods and fresh ingredients make it again. You gotta love how you can get creative with some simple ingredients and come up with a beautiful and yummy pie.

It was a perfect treat to celebrate an anniversary, and I am also looking forward to when I can make it again for other friends and family gatherings. This pie will impress anyone you plan on making dessert for, I promise. I mean, just look at the bite of crumbly crust and rich chocolate...best.pie.ever.

So friends, I hope you find space to celebrate with your loved ones. Remember, good health and life comes out of having deep relationships, love and gratefulness. I know times when I am stressed, sad or greedy is when I start feeling sick again. Eating real food and gluten-free for me is what it means to be the healthiest I can be, but just as important to good food and a pure diet is healthy relationships and love. So, if you are like me and sometimes spend too much time on a strict diet, I say loosen up today and let yourself live. Don't let your gluten-free living define you or your relationships. Be free of the restrictions and find a balance of joy, love and gratefulness in all areas of your life.

May you be blessed with love and happiness today, and find peace in the simple joys of life and chocolate pie...

Much love to you today!

Raw Almond Honey Bars

Need a mid day pick-me up? Almonds are the perfect nuts for the job! I have a large bag of raw almonds on my counter to say so. It's that time of year when the hustle and bustle of school and new projects are starting, and the relaxing summer breeze is ending. So why not have a little almond bar to give you the energy and power you need to be at your best! It may not be busy for you, but maybe you have been seeking out a homemade energy bar to have on hand rather than buying so many gluten-free raw bars a week. I have to confess...Lara bars have gotten a bit more boring lately. (Sorry, Lara). But really must we always depend on the store bought anyways? I think not, why not try to create something in your own kitchen to beat the afternoon blues. 

For me....almonds. Mostly because I have a bulk bag to enjoy and use up, but also because I truly enjoy the flavor and texture of the blessed nut. Almond butter, almond flour, almond oil, almond love. It is such a versatile nut with so many uses that it is hard to snub off such a generous friend. So today, we make something raw, something nutty. Oh and add the honey, sweetie!

Raw Almond Honey Bar Recipe:

1 cup of ground raw almonds

1/4 cup of ground flax seed meal

1 cup of whole raw almonds

1/2 cup of flax seeds

1 cup of raw shredded coconut 

1/3 cup of raw local honey ( if you can not tolerate honey, add agave nectar here... it works fine)

1/3 cup of any raw nut butter

1/3 cup of coconut oil, walnut oil, or olive oil

Mix all of the above together and press firmly in a 9x8 Pyrex glass pan, or a tin pan works too.

Then melt 3 ounces of dark chocolate in the microwave for 30 seconds to a minutes and spread across the top of the whole pan. Put in the fridge to firm up for a few hours or overnight. 

Warm a smooth steel blade knife in some hot water and then use to cut the bars so that the chocolate coating does not crack all over the place. Cut 4 by 5 bars so that you will end up with 20 bars. Or cut larger or smaller depending on your intentions. These bars are great to be more bite-sized so to just have enough of it to have the right amount of sweetness and calories.

To store, layer in a Tupperware or glass container with parchment paper between layers so that the chocolate will not connect the pieces. Also, it stays together best in the fridge because it is cooler, but not really a must. Especially if you are eating them up quickly :)