I don’t know what it is about that first sunny day here in Stockholm. It’s like my shell gets cracked open and I can throw my sorels up in the attic, put the potato chips and goodies away (jesus, mary, and josheph finally!), start walking the little dove to and from school, and rip that heavy burden of winter (you know, the one that feels like the lead blankets they use at the dentist office) off my body. For those of you who don’t know me, I hate winter. I know, I know, but I live in Sweden. Let’s be clear: I moved for love, not for the weather.
So spring has sprung and that makes me want to swap the aforementioned crutches with healthy treats. I wish I was one of those people who is consistent, but I’m not. Maybe if I lived in say, Jamaica, but sadly that’s not happening right now. So when winter is here I slack a bit on the comfort food. But spring kicks me right back into gear. Thank the goddesses.
Now, don’t get this gal wrong, I still love treats and here in Stockholm – the land of ‘fika’ (afternoon coffee and sweets) it’s sacrilegious to deny oneself sweet buns and cakes and gooey fudgy treats. It’s how we get through winter, ahem. However, there are two things that have prompted me to explore more healthy options. One is our kiddo who is old enough now to demand whatever we eat & if that’s gonna happen it best damn well be healthy and two is the fact that there aren’t that many good gluten free treats to be found [that calls for a whole other post]. Okay, so I’m not a raw foodie, or a vegetarian, or a vegan for that matter (you might not be either), but cutting out dairy and gluten and eating foods that are raw and whole is really good for our bodies and if it tastes good, why not incorporate it into our kitchen?
So that’s where the RVGF banana cream pie comes in. It’s actually good for you *gasp* and it tastes divine. Dates, walnuts, coconut, banana, cashews… I mean it’s like a yoga journal and elephant journal wet dream. So here’s to spring and letting ourselves indulge in the good life. And yes, Mr. Wonderful, the little dove, and our friends loved it. Enjoy!
*** You have to soak the cashews for the filling overnight – so if you want this NOW you’ll have to take a deep breath and wait. But get those cashews in the water stat and you can have this tomorrow!
Raw, vegan, gluten free, guiltless banana cream pie:
Adapted from Minimalist Baker
- 1 1/3 cups walnuts
- 1 1/3 cups pitted dates (soaked for 10 minutes in warm water and drained)
Filling:
- 1 & 1/4 cups cashews soaked overnight in a bowl of water that just covers the nuts, then drained
- 3 & 1/2 Tbsp coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 & 1/2 bananas (a heaping 1/2 cup mashed)
- 1/3 cup full fat coconut milk or coconut cream (for extra creaminess refrigerate the can overnight and then use the fat that has separated – you can save the rest for pancake batter or smoothies)
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 2 Tbsp lemon juice
Directions:
1. Place soaked dates in the food processor and process until small bits remain and/or it forms into a ball (don’t over process). Remove and set aside.
2. Process walnuts until a meal consistency is achieved (again, don’t over process). Add dates back in and a pinch of salt and mix to combine. The crust should stick together and feel moldable. If too dry, add another date or two.
3. Press into a springform cake pan lined with plastic wrap or parchment (I used parchment and it worked fine however it leaves big creases which you can see on my pie edges, if you want a cleaner edge use plastic wrap). Press until flat, going up the sides about 1/2 inch. Place in freezer to set.
4. Place all filling ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy. If it’s having trouble blending, add a little water to encourage it along. It should be silky smooth when completely combined.
5. Taste and adjust flavors as needed. Pour into crust and smooth. Tap to release any air bubbles, then cover and freeze until set – about 4-6 hours.
6. To serve, let thaw for 5 minutes. Should keep in the freezer, covered, for at least 1 week. I found that the longer it was in the freezer i.e. 3 days after, it needed more time to defrost – like 10-15 minutes.
I moved for love not the weather…I love that line and the rest of it is very funny and perky!
Wish I could have some of your banana cream pie right now.
Love it.
Mom
Thanks for reading Mom! Glad you enjoyed it.
Love,
A