Easy as Pie – Banana Creme, that is!
Raw, Vegan and Gluten-Free
This was one of my first “inventions” when I jumped headfirst into the raw foods world. I always recommend having a bag or two of raw cashews on hand (I buy mine at Trader Joe’s, they are competitively-priced and great quality) as they only require an hour or two of soaking to get the right consistency for making an impromptu Vanilla Pudding or Vegan Ranch Dressing.
Raw desserts are so superior to convention ones, not only in nutrition and digestibility, but also in flavor. They are quite concentrated and dense and truly “a little goes a long way.” I have made this for company and it’s always a hit that opens up more of a discussion on raw foods. Try topping it with a simple chocolate sauce that you can serve at room temperature or warm it gently in a saucepan for a lovely pairing with the frozen pie.
Frozen Banana Creme Pie
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of combination of the following nuts or any one of them: macadamia, brazil nut, hazelnut
- ½ cup shredded coconut
- 8-10 dates, pitted
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 TB. virgin coconut oil
- 2-3 bananas
- 1 cup Vanilla Cashew Crème (see recipe below)
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
Crust: In food processor with “S” blade process nuts, dates, vanilla extract, coconut and 1 ½ TB. coconut oil until all of the ingredients stick together and move up the sides of the processor bowl.
Use the remaining coconut oil to moisten the pie tin or plate. Form the crust to fit the pie plate.
Assembly: Slice the bananas thinly and cover the pie crust with a layer of bananas. Pour the vanilla crème over the bananas and decorate the top with sprinkled cinnamon and more slices of banana. Cover with waxed paper and then with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze for several hours. Slice and serve. This pie will keep for up to 2 weeks frozen.
Vanilla Cashew Creme
Ingredients:
- 1 cup soaked cashews
- 1 TB. vanilla extract (use alcohol-free) or 1 vanilla bean
- 2 TB. virgin coconut oil
- 5 medjool dates, pitted
- 2 TB.”gooey” sweetener of your choice: agave, maple syrup, coconut nectar or honey
Prep: 2 hours ahead – Soak cashews in water. Drain and rinse. Soak dates separately in 1 cup of water. Remove pits from dates.
Directions: Remove dates from soaking water, but reserve water. Place drained cashews in blender with ½ of the date water, agave and coconut oil and blend until smooth. Add rest of water with the dates and vanilla and blend until smooth. Refrigerate 20 minutes before serving. Can be sealed and stored for several days in fridge. This pie is especially good with a teaspoon or two of warm cacao sauce drizzled over each serving.
Optional Chocolate Sauce: In a glass or metal bowl put a few tablespoons of agave or other viscous sweetener and ½ that quantity of coconut oil. Whisk in a tablespoon at a time of raw cacao or carob powder until you have the consistency you want. Place in dehydrator for several hours to warm or heat gently. You can also warm over a bain marie or in a saucepan, but not in the microwave!
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