There are an epic number of pumpkin pies being shared this week, so why another? As the name implies, this is no ordinary pumpkin pie. It’s actually made with nuts and carrot juice!

I first had the opportunity to try this raw vegan pie when Jess, a.k.a. Natural Chef Niagara, came to my in-law’s house to cook and serve us a three-course vegan meal, which I had won as a raffle prize at the Niagara Veg Fest back in June. With busy schedules and newborn babies, we weren’t able to schedule a dinner until earlier this month but the wait was absolutely worth it.

Jess and her warming personality and incredible cooking talents made this night extra special. It was so nice to sit back, sip a glass of wine and watch her whip up our meal. Jess is a certified natural chef who studied at the Natural Kitchen Cooking School, and before moving to the Niagara region she lived and worked as a private chef in New York City. She had many interesting stories to tell about her work there and her aspirations for creating a similar base of clients in Canada.

A few weeks before, Jess and I discussed ideas for a menu and, based on my preferences and the availability of local, seasonal ingredients, and taking into account my husband’s cashew allergy, Jess came up with an incredible array of options for our evening.

As a starter, we were served a creamy butternut squash soup with apple barley salad. I absolutely loved the presentation of this dish—the barley salad in the middle of the soup gave each spoonful a little texture and a refreshing and tangy twist from the apples.

The main consisted of stuffed tempeh with yams, asparagus, mushroom ragout and kale chips. This dish incorporated some of my all-time favourite fall flavours, including mashed yams that were creamy and sweet, lightly sauteed and crispy kale, and the deep flavour notes and meaty texture of the mushroom ragout.

And finally, the “I can’t believe it’s not pumpkin” pie topped off this full meal. It consisted of a pecan crust and a creamy filling made of macadamia nuts, carrot juice and pumpkin pie spices. The texture of the filling is like a cross between a cheesecake and an ice cream cake but with pumpkin pie flavour. I loved this pie so much I asked for the recipe so I could make it again, and of course share the recipe with you!

After dessert, Jess cleaned the kitchen and dishes entirely and left any leftovers neatly in the fridge. For the entire evening, I truly felt like a queen.

For more information on Jess and her personal chef and catering services, check out her website.

"I can't believe it's not pumpkin" pie

Yield: 1 pie

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 1/4 cups raw pecans
• 4 dates
• 2 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• pinch of sea salt

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup raw cashews or macadamia nuts
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 2 tbsp agave nectar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp carrot juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tbsp chopped thyme [I used 1/4 tsp dried thyme]

Directions:

For the crust:

1. In a food processor, pulse pecans and dates to small crumbs then mix the other ingredients in by hand. Press into a 9" tart pan or pie dish. Chill the crust in the freezer for about an hour before filling.

For the filling:

1. Blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender. Fill chilled pie shell. Chill in the freezer overnight for best results. Remove to set for 15 minutes before serving.

Recipe from Natural Chef Niagara.

I’m pretty excited to be a part of my friend Ricki’s virtual book tour for her beautiful new cookbook, Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free. You may have already read the praise she’s been receiving from others, like Angela, Tess, Allyson, Gena , JL, Carolyn and Dreena.

Ricki’s blog, RickiHeller.com (formerly Diet, Dessert & Dogs), has become a go-to resource for vegans and others with food allergies or sensitivities or looking for insight into the anti-candida diet. Over the years, Ricki has shared her struggles with health and weight because of her addiction to unhealthy sweets. When she cut out all refined sweeteners from her life, she began to search for alternatives and, in the process, learned to create recipes that are both healthy and satisfying. 

Her new book features an array of sweet treats that are vegan, allergy-friendly and, with the use of sweeteners like coconut sugar, stevia or agave nectar, every recipe has a reduced glycemic load. So, if you love baking like I do but want to start making use of ingredients like gluten-free flours and natural sweeteners, and also avoid common allergens like gluten, dairy and corn, this book is for you!

Baking with natural, whole-food ingredients is simply better for your body and, ultimately, your well-being, but Ricki has also taken great care to ensure her recipes taste just as good as traditional desserts, if not better. I’m so proud of Ricki on this new book, which also features beautiful, full-page photos scattered throughout, and I know it will soon become a cherished book in my collection.

Since Ricki is a local vegan superstar here in Toronto, I first had the opportunity to meet her at Ange’s birthday party back in 2011, when she introduced me to her Happy Hemp Two-Bite Brownies. When I came across the recipe in this book, I knew it would be one of the first things I made. These high-protein, bite-sized gems are a perfect little pick-me-up after a long day of work or school—and they’re made with almonds and hemp seeds to boot!

Ricki knows the process of baking without gluten, eggs, dairy or refined sugar is a little different from that of conventional baking, so her book also includes a thorough introduction on how to best use whole-grain, gluten-free flours, natural sweeteners, natural non-hydrogenated fats, and vegan egg replacers, as well as what to expect when baking with whole-food ingredients.

This Caramel Ice Cream, for example, makes use of cashews, sweet potatoes and coconut milk. It may seem like an unusual combination of ingredients that aren’t meant for ice cream, but you will be amazed by how much this tastes like caramel! It was decadent and creamy, and I loved it with bits of chocolate chips and cacao nibs mixed in.

This Grain-Free Autumn Fruit Crumble is a quick and easy recipe that is perfect for this time of year. Although it was hard to choose, this was probably my favourite so far, likely because these seasonal fruits have been calling my name for the last few weeks. I loved the crunchy topping, and the perfect balance of tart and sweet fruit. I served it with a dollop of coconut whipped cream (because whipped cream makes everything better).

Luckily, I was given permission to share this recipe with you today—straight from the book! If you get a chance, I highly recommend trying out this crumble recipe, and picking up a copy of Ricki’s book. The holidays are fast approaching, and this book would give you lots of options for desserts that will please everyone. Enjoy!

Grain-free autumn fruit crumble

Yield: Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients:

For the topping:

• 1/3 cup (45g) coconut sugar
• 1/2 cup (65g) natural raw walnut pieces
• 1/2 cup (80g) natural raw skin-on almonds, preferably organic
• 1/3 cup (50g) coconut flour
• 1/4 cup (40g) potato starch
• 1 tbsp (30ml) ground cinnamon
• generous pinch sea salt
• 3 tbsp (45ml) coconut oil, at room temperature, preferably organic
• 30 drops pure plain or vanilla stevia liquid, or to taste
• 1 tsp (5ml) pure vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp (45ml) water

For the filling:

• 2 medium pears, washed, cored, and diced, peeled or unpeeled
• 2 medium sweet apples, washed, cored, and diced, peeled or unpeeled
• 1 cup (115g) fresh or frozen cranberries
• 1 tsp (5ml) ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp (1ml) ground ginger
• 2 tbsp (30ml) coconut sugar
• juice of 1/2 lemon
• 1/4 tsp (1ml) pure stevia powder or 1/3 tsp (2.5ml) pure plain or vanilla stevia liquid, or to taste
• Coconut whipped cream for serving

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease a 9-inch (22.5cm) square pan or a 6-cup (1.4L) casserole or souffle dish with nonstick spray or coconut oil.
2. Make the topping: Place the coconut sugar, walnuts, almonds, coconut flour, potato starch, cinnamon, and salt in the bowl of a food processor and process until the mixture resembles a fine meal with no pieces of nuts visible.
3. In a small, heavy-bottomed pot, melt the coconut oil. Whisk in the stevia, vanilla and water. Pour the coconut-oil mixture in a ring around the dry ingredients in the processor and pulse until it all comes together. It should look like moist clumps. Set aside.
4. Make the filling: In a large bowl, toss the pears, apple, and cranberries together with the cinnamon and ginger. In a small bowl, mix together the coconut sugar, lemon juice, and stevia, and stir until the sugar begins to dissolve. Drizzle over the fruit and then toss again to coat evenly.
5. Assemble and bake the crumble: Turn the fruit mixture into the prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with the topping. Press down gently on the topping.
6. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes (depending on the depth of your pan, you will need more or less time for the fruit to cook), rotating the dish about halfway through baking, until the crumble topping is deeply browned and the fruit is soft. Serve immediately or at room temperature with a little coconut whipped cream. May be frozen.

Recipe from Naturally Sweet & Gluten-Free, reprinted with permission

If butter tarts are one of your favourite pre-vegan desserts, or a comfort food from your childhood, I think you’ll love this vegan, gluten-free version, which I adapted from this recipe from Tori’s Bakeshop. Tori uses coconut milk and maple syrup but all the flavour comes from the pecans and raisins (and yes, the sugar, too).

Oh, and I have no words to describe the gluten-free pastry, other than it is the best and easiest version I have ever made. This recipe will most definitely be added to my regular repertoire.

Since I love all things mini, that’s what I went for here. They are perfect for a holiday buffet because they qualify as finger food and are much easier to serve than pie or cake. They’re also easy to store and they freeze beautifully if you prefer to make them ahead. Enjoy!

Best-ever butter tarts (vegan and gluten-free!)

Yield: 3 dozen mini tarts

Ingredients:

Pastry crust:

• 3/4 cup chickpea flour
• 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp brown rice flour
• 1/4 cup tapioca flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp potato starch
• 1 tsp xanthan gum
• 3/4 tsp cane sugar
• 1/2 cup Earth Balance butter
• 1/4 cup Earth Balance shortening
• 1/4 cup cold water
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 tsp pure vanilla extract

Filling:

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/3 cup full-fat coconut milk
• 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 2 tbsp coconut sugar
• 3 tbsp sorghum flour
• 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
• 1 tbsp Earth Balance butter, melted
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 cup each (approx.) pecans and raisins

Directions:

For the pastry crust:

1. In a large bowl, sift the first six ingredients and whisk together.
2. Cut the butter and shortening into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter or fork, until you have pea-sized balls.
3. Stir together the water, vinegar and vanilla extract in a small measuring cup. Add to the flour mixture a little at a time to create a dough. The dough should be moist but not sticky. If it is sticky, add some brown rice flour.
4. Form the dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
5. After the dough has chilled and you are ready to roll it out, preheat your oven to 325F and lightly oil mini or regular size muffin pans.
6. Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick, using brown rice flour on the rolling pin and counter to prevent sticking.
7. Using a circular cookie cutter or the top of a glass, cut circles in the dough and fit into your pan. If they are two large, just experiment with folds until you find the shape you like best.

For the filling:

1. Whisk together all filling ingredients until smooth. You can add the pecans and currants at this point or add a few to the bottom of each tart shell instead.
2. Spoon or pour the filling into the tart crusts, filling up to 3/4 from the top of the crust.
3. Bake at 325F for about 10 to 12 minutes (or a little longer for larger tarts), or until the crusts are lightly browned and the filling is bubbly.

These freeze beautifully, so feel free to make them ahead and store them in a tightly sealed container in the freezer. Defrost at room temperature.

So, to help develop your repertoire of fabulous vegan deserts, I thought I’d highlight my six favourite go-to recipes, all involving important techniques or ingredients that will help you improve your vegan baking.

Mastering these vegan dessert basics will make all the difference when creating sweet treats for your friends and family. These basics–from a simple raw chocolate brownie to a vegan lemon curd–are well worth the time to whip up, and play an important supporting role in adding a fancy finish to many a luxurious dinner party.

Best-ever raw cheesecake–Skip the traditional dairy-laden ingredients and instead make use of raw nuts, coconut and lemon to create this stunning and sophisticated raw cheesecake. The secret to success? Use soaked cashews and fresh lemon juice and puree in your blender until you obtain a silky smooth texture.

Lovely lemon curd–Fill jars or tart shells with this lemon filling to create a simple yet luscious dessert. Agar flakes used to set the curd are vegan bakers’ gelatin of choice.

Easy vegan caramel–No time or interest in making traditional caramel with sugar and butter and cream? This super simple raw caramel makes use of only three ingredients: macadamia nuts, maple syrup and agave. Since macadamia nuts are soft enough to blend smoothly without pre-soaking them, your prep is less than 10 minutes.

No-bake apple tart—No time to make a pie crust? Whip up this easy, no-bake version with nuts and dates in your food processor and fill the crust with fresh apples and spices for an irresistibly homey fall dessert, or any of filling of your liking.

Raw chocolate brownies–This simple yet sophisticated chocolate dessert is one you’ll want to make over and over again. These brownies can’t be compared to the traditional baked version, but you’ll love how easily they come together in your food processor…and the smooth chocolatey frosting can’t be beat!

Flourless cookies–It is possible to make delicious, healthy cookies without flour! These almond ginger cookies are soft and chewy and full of goodness. The almond meal is the flour substitute in this recipe. I also recently created a flourless mocha bean cookie made with black beans and chickpease that are also a must try.

As much as I love baking, pastry is not really my forte. Or rather, my preference for other, more wholesome desserts often means traditional pie crusts and other pastries are left out of the picture. But with the abundance of rhubarb now in our possession, I couldn’t say no to this rather simple request.

Since hubby is the only one in the house who will be eating said pie, I decided to make individual mini pies so that they could be kept in the freezer and defrosted whenever his rhubarb cravings hit. He loves handheld treats that he can pop right into his mouth, so this seemed like the perfect idea.

Thankfully, I had Isa and Terry‘s latest book Vegan Pie in the Sky to help me get my bearings before delving into my once-a-year, pie-making project. The first section of the book—aptly named “How to create the universe or bake a pie from scratch”—is a must-read for bakers like me who need some back-to-school basics every once in a while. It goes over details about essential ingredients (all vegan, of course), pie-making equipment and, most importantly, step-by-step instructions on how to make the all-mighty homemade pie crust, including a cute diagram showing how to make a lattice top.

I’m not going to lie: making these cute little pies did take up a good portion of my afternoon. But it was a worthwhile investment of my time. Hubby loved them.

I started by making Isa and Terry’s buttery double pie crust and and the filling from their strawberry rhubarb crumble pie. After some chill time, I rolled out one portion of the crust dough and cut out 12 circles (re-rolling to use excess dough) to fill a muffin pan. I then filled the muffin tins with the strawberry rhubarb filling and used the second portion of crust dough to make the lattice tops. Surprisingly, I had enough leftover filling and dough to also make a 6-inch deep dish pie with crumble topping!

Lucky for you, you can find Isa and Terry’s recipe for the strawberry rhubarb crumble pie here.

Pies like these have gotten an undeserved reputation for being difficult to make or for the realm of an expert baker. But, like anything really worth having in life, a little commitment, dedication and willingness to get your hands dirty pays off big time. Saying that we are now in vegan pie heaven at my house would be an understatement.

Thank you, Isa and Terry, for creating yet another awesome cookbook. I couldn’t have done this without you.

Okay, so maybe the weather gods have some winter leftovers to get out of their systems before the sun starts shining again. Either way, I’m already starting to crave lighter, brighter, no-bake desserts that go along with the warmer months. One of my favourite summertime recipes involves a bright yellow lemon filling reminiscent of lemon meringue pie and made from a few simple ingredients that are lightly simmered on the stovetop and then chilled in the fridge until set.

The combination of fresh apple juice, lemons, maple syrup and almond milk never tasted so good.

After making my lemon filling recipe in tart form for a few years now (I recall teasing you with photos last year), I decided it was time to create something just a little different. Enter my “sunshine in a jar,” a wholesome treat that layers an oat-nut crust, a fresh take on my lemon filling using meyer lemons, and a coconut whipped cream topping in individual mason jars (I used the 250ml size).

This is a great dessert for picnics or travel because you can snap on the jar lids to keep them safe from harm’s way. You could even take it a step further and decorate the jar lids with pretty fabric and ribbon for special occasions if you wanted to!

I loved this creation so much that it may become my go-to recipe for the summer. The meyer lemons used here give the filling a sweeter taste and light, herbal fragrance, but if you can’t find them, feel free to substitute regular lemons. Enjoy!

Sunshine in a jar

Yield: 4 (250ml) mason jar servings

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 1 cup rolled oats (use certified gluten-free, if necessary)
• 1/2 cup raw macadamia nuts
• 1/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup chopped dates
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tbsp water, or as needed

For the filling:

• 1 1/3 cup pure unsweetened apple juice
• 3 tbsp agar flakes
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp nondairy milk
• pinch of salt and tumeric
• 4 tsp arrowroot
• 1/4 cup fresh meyer lemon juice
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp meyer lemon zest

For the coconut whipped cream:

• See recipe here

Directions:

For the crust:

1. Using a food processor, process the oats, nuts and coconut flakes to a coarse meal.
2. Add the dates and salt and process until well combined. Add water as needed to form a mixture that sticks together when pressed between two fingers.
3. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of four 250ml mason jars.

For the lemon filling:

1. Pour the apple juice into a saucepan and sprinkle the agar flakes on top. Swirl the pan lightly to wet all the flakes and then set aside for about 20 minutes to allow the agar to soften.
2. In the meantime, measure out the maple syrup, 1/2 cup nondairy milk, salt and tumeric in a small bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together the 2 tbsp nondairy milk and arrowroot. Finally, in another bowl or cup, measure out the meyer and regular lemon juices and zest.
3. Heat the apple juice and agar mixture over medium heat and cover the saucepan until it comes to a boil. Uncover, reduce the heat to low, and lightly stir the mixture to release the agar flakes from the bottom of the pan. Cover and simmer for about 10 minutes, or until the agar has completely dissolved.
4. Add the maple syrup mixture to the saucepan and lightly stir for about a minute. Next, add the arrowroot mixture and whisk to combine. Increase the temperature to medium and cook only until the mixture comes to a boil. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice mixture.
5. Pour the mixture into a bowl and allow to cool before pouring evenly over top of the crust in the mason jars. Place the jars in the fridge to set, about one hour. Top with coconut whipped cream.

Lemon filling recipe adapted from Fran Costigan's More Great Good Dairy Free Desserts Naturally. After a few trials, I've learned that the coconut whipped cream thickens the longer it sits in the fridge, so it's best to make this ahead.

First, I have to admit: I’ve never been a big fan of pie or tarts. I would much prefer a serving of pie filling, minus the heavy, buttery crust. So when I started dreaming about this idea for an alternative no-bake apple pie, I imagined a soft apple filling spiked with cinnamon and complementing spices, as well as my favourite alternative to a pastry crust, which is a simple blend of nuts and dates and a pinch of salt.

This is my first time making a crust with just walnuts, and dare of say I like them much better than my usual almond-based recipe. The raw walnuts provide a soft, buttery flavour and pair perfectly with the caramel flavour of the dates. The apple filling is made simply by simmering apples with apple cider and spices, and then layering it with a simple date cream. I used Granny Smith apples here, but feel free to mix it up if you wish. Enjoy!

No-bake apple tart

Yield: one 8-inch tart

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 2 cups California walnuts
• 1/2 cup chopped dates, soaked and drained
• 1/4 tsp sea salt

For the filling:

• 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 + 1/4 cup apple cider
• 1/2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
• pinch of ground cloves
• 1 cup chopped dates, soaked and drained

Directions:

For the crust:

1. In a food processor, process the walnuts to a coarse meal. Take care not to over process or they'll turn into butter.
2. Add the dates and salt and pulse to combine. The mixture should stick together when pressed between two fingers. If it seems too dry, add more water 1 tsp at a time.
3. Press the mixture evenly into an 8-inch tart pan with a removeable bottom. Place in the freezer while you make the filling.

For the filling:

1. In a large pan, carefully mix together the apples, 1 cup apple cider, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. Heat over medium heat until the liquid comes to a boil, and then reduce heat and let simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the apples are soft but not mushy and the liquid is reduced.
2. While the apples are cooking, blend the dates and remaining 1/4 cup of apple cider until smooth. It should resemble a soft cream.
3. To assemble, remove the tart crust from the freezer and spread half of the date cream over the crust. Next, add a layer of the cooked apples, overlapping in a ring formation, and then top with the remaining date cream and another layer of apples. Garnish with walnut halves, if desired.
4. Serve immediately or store, covered, in the fridge until ready to serve.

This recipe was submitted to the California Walnut Commission for its California Walnuts Holiday Blogger Challenge.

Now, on to dessert.

I don’t remember the last time I bit into a Snickers bar, but I’d imagine it tastes something like this sinfully delicious tart, which was the perfect ending to a meal with my brother- and sister-in-law last Saturday. They came to the city for the day and I suggested they stop by for dinner and drinks before heading home that evening. With little time to prepare, I whipped up Angela’s creamy 15-minute avocado pasta, a salad and bruschetta for our meal, and, lucky for us, I just happen to have this new recipe creation in my freezer for dessert.

It’s a little nerve-racking when I share my dessert experiments with others, not knowing if it should have been tweaked just a little more. Thankfully, this peanut caramel and chocolate tart came out just as I had intended. The combination of a light peanut crust (adapted from my pistachio-poppyseed crust), toasted peanuts and caramel (made from a base of brown rice syrup and peanut butter), and a smooth dark chocolate ganache turned out to be a sophisticated, vegan version of the popular candy bar I grew to love as a child. The best part? No sugar or butter or other non-vegan ingredients are required. Enjoy!

Peanut caramel and chocolate tart

Yield: one 8-inch tart

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 3/4 cup unbleached AP flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup ground peanuts (or other nuts)
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup sunflower or canola oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup peanuts, toasted

For the filling:

• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 1/4 cup smooth, natural peanut butter
• 1 tbsp agave nectar
• 2 tbsp flax meal
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp arrowroot
• 1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk

For the chocolate topping:

• 4 oz. dark chocolate
• 2 tbsp almond milk

Directions:

For the crust:

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, ground peanuts, baking soda and salt.
2. In small bowl, whisk together the oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture and mix until a dough forms.
3. Press the dough into a flat disk shape and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling, proceed with the filling (recipe below).
4. Remove the dough from the fridge and roll it out between 2 pieces of parchment paper, working from the middle out, until it is large enough to fit into a 7- or 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
5. Carefully transfer the dough to the tart pan and gently press it down to fit, filling cracks where needed. Be sure the dough is not thicker where the sides and bottom meet. Trim any excess dough on the rim. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
6. Evenly spread the toasted peanuts over the bottom of the tart and spoon the filling over top, making sure all the peanuts are covered in the filling.
7. Bake the tart at 300 degrees on the bottom rack of the oven for about 25 minutes, or until the filling starts to bubble and the crust is light golden. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to cool completely. Return the tart to the fridge for 2 to 3 hours to firm up before topping with chocolate ganache (recipe below). Place the tart back in the fridge to allow the chocolate to firm up before serving. Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer, covered with plastic wrap.

For the filling:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the brown rice syrup, peanut butter, agave nectar, flax meal and vanilla until smooth.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the arrowroot and almond milk until the arrowroot is dissolved. Add the mixture to the brown rice syrup mixture and stir until well combined and smooth.

For the chocolate topping:

1. Melt the chocolate using a double boiler and whisk in the almond milk until smooth.

Better still, I headed out on Saturday evening to spend time with my loveliest of lady friends. I’m convinced there’s no better cure for stress than an evening with friends, food and wine—this particular combination always leaves me glowing with happiness (not just from the wine).

To celebrate, I couldn’t help myself from taking advantage of the strawberries that seem to be invading the produce aisle at the grocery stores. Although I’m still anticipating the local harvest, I created a scrumptious summer tart by combining fresh strawberries and Granny Smith apples and baking them in a lovely pistachio and poppy seed crust. Enjoy!

Strawberry apple tart

Yield: one 8-inch tart

Ingredients:

For the crust:

• 3/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/2 cup ground pistachios
• 1 tbsp poppy seeds
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 cup sunflower or canola oil
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract

For the filling:

• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored and peeled
• 1 pound of strawberries, rinsed and dried
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Directions:

For the crust:

1. Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, combine the unbleached flour, whole wheat flour, pistachios, poppy seeds, baking soda and salt.
2. With the mixer running, add the oil, maple syrup and vanilla extract and continue to mix until combined. The dough should stick together when pressed between two fingers.
3. Press the dough into a flat disk shape and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for about 30 minutes. While the dough is chilling, proceed with the filling (recipe below).
4. Roll out the dough in between 2 pieces of parchment paper, working from the middle out, until it is large enough to fit into an 8-inch tart pan with a removable bottom.
5. Carefully transfer the dough to the tart pan and gently press it down to fit, filling cracks where needed. Be sure the dough is not thicker where the sides and bottom meet. Trim any excess dough on the rim. Refrigerate for 15 minutes.
6. Make small indents in the bottom of the unfilled crust with a fork and prebake it on the bottom rack of the oven for 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
7. Remove the crust from the oven and evenly spread 1 tsp of coconut oil on the bottom of the crust. Next, spoon the filling into the crust and slip a cookie sheet underneath it (to catch the juices while baking).
8. Return the tart to the bottom rack of the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes. If you notice the edges are browning too much during baking, cover with aluminum foil.
9. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees, move the tart to the middle oven rack and continue to bake for another 15 minutes. Remove the tart from the oven and allow it to sit undisturbed for 2 to 3 hours before serving. Store leftovers at room temperature, covered loosely with plastic wrap.

For the filling:

1. Cut the apples and strawberries into 1/2-inch pieces and place them in a saucepan. Add the maple syrup and lemon juice and allow to sit for about 20 minutes.
2. Stir in the cornstarch and cook the mixture over medium-low heat until it comes to a boil, and then simmer for about 1 minute, stirring constantly. The mixture should thicken. Remove from heat and allow to cool until the crust is ready.

The unusual part is my lack of interest in food or spending time in my favourite room in the house—the kitchen. I never realized how much my joy of cooking and baking revolved around not just feeding myself, but others as well. My husband is often my inspiration when I plan and prepare meals. It makes sense though, considering I never cooked when I was living on my own. My fridge was always empty, aside from a head of lettuce and a few apples. Pretty sad, eh?

These days, I look forward to creating full, nourishing meals, and satisfying my husband’s sweet tooth with homemade goodies along with a hot cup of tea. I think he’ll be happy to see these cute lemon tartlets waiting for him when he returns tomorrow.

The lemon curd filling took a bit of researching and testing, but thanks to this recipe I had a base to work with in order to get it just right. Do you want to know the secret to the perfect raw lemon curd? It’s lemon peel—the stuff you would normally throw away after juicing and zesting lemons. Hannah discovered that if you dehydrate it and then grind it into powder, it makes the perfect natural gelling agent. It’s the peel’s large amount of pectin, a substance typically used to set jams and jellies, that contains the jellifying properties. Unlike commercial brands of pectin, this version isn’t heated at high temperatures, chemically treated or mixed with sugar. To me, this is yet another raw food miracle.

This tartlet recipe begins with tiny crusts (I found my 2-inch tartlet tins at a local dollar store) that are dehydrated for a few hours to keep them stable. Then, once you’ve got the dehydrated and ground lemon peel ready, the lemon curd filling comes together easily. A short time in the fridge to set and the outcome is a pretty summer treat that is fresh and tangy with a slight bitter edge. This recipe makes about 16 tartlets. Enjoy!

Raw lemon tartlets

Yield: 16 tartlets

Ingredients:

Crust:

• 1/2 cup raw buckwheat groats
• 1/2 cup raw almonds
• 1 tbsp flax seeds
• 3/4 cup chopped dates, soaked until soft

Lemon filling:

• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 tbsp melted coconut butter
• 1 1/2 tbsp dehydrated and ground lemon peel (see notes below)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• pinch of salt

Directions:

Crust:

1. Grind the buckwheat groats, almonds and flax into a fine flour using a spice grinder.
2. Put the flour mixture into a food processor and add the dates. Process until the mixture is well combined and forms into a wet dough ball. If it doesn't, add a tablespoon of water.
3. Cut out small pieces of plastic wrap and place them in the bottom of mini tart tins.
4. Form small balls with the dough mixture using your hands and flatten them into thin disks that are large enough to cover each tart tin. Press them into the bottom of each tart tin and cut off any excess around the edges. Place the tarts on a dehydrator tray and dehydrate at 110 degrees for 2 hours. Carefully remove the tart crusts from the tins and remove the plastic wrap. Put the crusts back on the dehydrator tray and dehydrate for another 2 hours. The crusts should be firm but still flexible.

Lemon filling:

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes with the bowl sitting in a larger bowl of warm water.
2. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer and discard the remnants.
3. Fill the crusts (recipe above) with the strained lemon mixture and refrigerate for about 2 hours to set. Store tarts uncovered in the fridge until ready to serve.

Simply peel 1 lemon, cut the peel into pieces and dehydrate at 110 degrees overnight, or until crisp. Grind the peel into powder using a spice grinder. Store in a sealed container.