Patriotic Pie

This Sugar-Free Sunday happens to fall on Memorial Day weekend, a time usually reserved for beer, ribs, chips n’ dips, and all sorts of festive early summer fare. But what about the dessert table? 

As you gear up for BBQs and get-togethers, you might be nervous about facing the strawberry shortcake alone. To help you out, I came up with a cooling, red-white-and-blue summer treat free of grains and refined sugars. It’s actually more of a tart, but “patriotic pie” has a much better ring to it… Don’t you think?

 

Anyhow, if your willpower runs low on holiday weekends, offer to bring this pie as a contribution. That way, you’ll have at least one healthful option to choose from, and you don’t have to stand empty-handed next to your cake-guzzling cronies. 

I know, tough life. 

But in actuality, this tart is quite delicious. And if you bring it, you’ll be the talk of the party. With tangy goat cheese, sweet berry preserves, and mascarpone to smooth things out, it satisfies cravings in the best possible way. The crust has a lively kick from lemon zest and holds together quite well, despite the absence of eggs and grain flours. Give it a try!

 

Mixed Berry Tart -or- Patriotic Pie

1 cup walnuts

1 cup almonds

pinch of kosher salt

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 teaspoon raw honey

3 tablespoons coconut oil

2 tablespoons ice water

8 ounces chevre (soft goat cheese)

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup raw honey

1/2 cup mascarpone cheese

1/4 cup mixed berry preserves (I used strawberry and blackberry… St. Dalfour is a great brand, fruit juice sweetened)

fresh berries for topping

1. In a food processor, grind nuts and salt until fine and crumbly. Add the lemon zest, honey, and coconut oil and pulse to combine. Add ice water a tablespoon at a time, until dough comes together and is not too wet. Wrap in plastic, shape into a disk, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
2. When you’re ready to roll out the dough, remove from the fridge and let sit for 5 or so minutes. Place between two pieces of wax paper and roll out to a circle, about 14 inches in diameter. Place gently in a round tart pan with a removable bottom. Fold over the sides and press so it holds together; you might have to do a bit of patchwork, but remember that rustic is pretty! Pierce all over with a fork and freeze for 20 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350’. Bake the crust for 15-20 minutes, until browned. Be careful, as nuts burn easily. Remove from the oven and let cool to room temperature, a few hours. You can store the crust in the refrigerator overnight if you are not ready to make the filling.
4. To make the filling, let goat cheese and mascarpone soften a bit on the counter. With an electric mixer, beat goat cheese, vanilla extract, and honey until fluffy. Add mascarpone and beat to combine. In a saucepan over low heat, soften the berry preserves. Pour into the cheese mixture and fold with a spatula gently, just a few times, to swirl it through. Pour into prepared crust and smooth the top. Refrigerate until firm (can be done a day ahead). 
5. When ready to serve, garnish with lots of fresh berries.

A sugar-free birthday

Without warning, about a year ago, my brother completely and effortlessly gave up refined sugar. No complaints, no justifications, no cheat days – just sheer willpower. On birthdays, he skipped the cake; at Christmas, he left his cookies for Santa; this Easter, you wouldn’t have found chocolate on the corners of his mouth. Every party, get-together, brunch/lunch/dinner out, he forewent the sweets for something more savory. 

I am proud, and in awe.

Naturally, I wasn’t about to let him turn 18 without a proper birthday treat. Not only has he been loving the date + pistachio energy bars of late (I also made a mocha version!), but this little sugar-free project is the perfect reason to invent a healthy, naturally-sweet birthday cake. A challenge in which I was more than willing (excited, even) to partake. 

I thought about trying my hand at a cashew cream cake, but I found myself gravitating towards something lighter and less substantial – it’s been hot here, and we have bathing suits to fit into! What I ended up with is something I’ll name a frozen fruit cream cake – it’s smooth, it’s refreshing, the base is delightfully chewy, and it reminds me of the ice cream cakes of childhood birthdays’ past. 

So, this cake is to wish a happy birthday to my brother, and let us not forget to wish a happy mothers’ day to our mothers! Celebrate with a perfectly virtuous, sugar-free icebox cake, and enjoy your sugar-free Sunday!

STRAWBERRY BANANA CREAM CAKE
Note: I used a springform pan to make this cake, but a regular round cake pan could also work. Just be sure to line it with parchment or plastic wrap for easy removal, and allow plenty of time for it to set in the freezer before serving.

7 ripe bananas

1 cup pitted medjool dates

1/2 cup shelled pistachios

1/4 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

8 tablespoons salted butter, divided

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

8 tablespoons coconut oil, divided

1 pint strawberries

more shredded coconut for garnish, if desired

1. Peel bananas and cut into 1-inch chunks. Place in a ziploc storage bag and freeze for 1-2 hours minimum.
2. Prepare the pan you are using by lining with parchment paper or plastic wrap. Set aside.
3. In a food processor, pulse dates and pistachios until crumbly. Add coconut, 4 tablespoons butter, the cinnamon and nutmeg, and pulse until evenly mixed and mixture starts to conform as one ball of dough. 
4. With slightly wet hands or spatula, press mixture evenly into the bottom of prepared pan. There should be a good 1/2-inch of crust, but if you have extra, you can press dough up the sides of the pan a bit. Place in the freezer to firm up.
5. Meanwhile, remove bananas from the freezer and allow to thaw for 10 minutes (this is important – I don’t want to be blamed for broken food processor blades!)
6. Add half of the bananas to the food processor bowl along with 4 tablespoons of the coconut oil. Grind until a completely smooth, soft-serve consistency is achieved. Coconut oil freezes quickly, so you may end up with a few unprocessed bits, and this is fine.
7. Take crust out of the freezer and pour the first layer of banana mixture on top. Smooth the top evenly with a spatula. Place back in the freezer while you prepare the next layer.
8. Remove the ends of the strawberries and cut into quarters. Add to the food processor bowl with the other 4 tablespoons of butter. Grind until completely smooth. Once banana layer is firm enough, pour strawberry layer on top, and place back in the freezer. This layer will take a bit longer to set than the banana layer.
9. Once strawberry layer is almost firm, prepare the last banana layer: add the rest of the bananas and the other 4 tablespoons coconut oil to the food processor, and grind until smooth. Pour over the strawberry layer and smooth the top. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup shredded coconut, if desired, and place back in the freezer for 1-2 hours minimum.
10. Before serving, remove cake from the pan and allow to sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Store leftovers in the fridge or freezer in an airtight container. 

Sugar-Free Recipe Roundup

This Sugar-Free Sunday, I thought I'd start by wrangling all my favorite naturally sweet recipes from The Chocolate Fig as well as from around the web. If you have a recipe you'd like to be included next time, feel free to leave it in the comments! The following recipes use maple syrup, honey, dates/dried fruit, or a less-processed coarse sugar such as coconut palm for their sweetness. Treat yourself!

S W E E T 
Banana Walnut Freezer Fudge
Chocolate Fig Freezer Fudge
Spiced Cacao Hazelnut Bites
Raspberry Oat Squares
Apricot + Coconut Milk Ice Cream
Blood Orange + Barley Cake
Flour Free, Sugar Free Oatmeal Chocolate Cookies
The Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
Carrot Cake with Greek Yogurt Frosting

S A V O R Y
Lemon, Lavender, Olive Oil Crackers
Cinnamon Pear Pancakes with Spiced Honey
Date + Orange Power Muffins
Blueberry Bread
Savory Pear Puree with Spices
Meyer Lemon + Fig Scones
Peanut Butter Trail Mix Bars
Goat Milk Mexican Hot Chocolate

F R O M   T H E   W E B
Scandi Foodie – Almond Butter Squares
Elana's Pantry – Peach Crisp
Cannelle et Vanille – Tutti Frutti Crumble
My New Roots – The Raw Brownie
Honest Fare – Almond Meal Banana Muffins
Green Kitchen Stories – Summer Berry Cake (you will spend all day on this site)
Roost – Cinnamon Roll Donuts (yes, sugar-free!)
Sarah Wilson – Sugar Free, Grain Free Breakfast Ideas

Hopefully, you now have enough ideas to keep your sweet tooth properly satisfied for the rest of the week. Until next Sunday, stay simple + stay (naturally) sweet!

Sugar-Free Sunday

Sugar is one of the most harmful things we can put in our bodies. That being said, I take a very balanced approach to eating, and I’m not usually the type to pass up dessert at a restaurant. However, in my own kitchen, whenever a craving for something sweet arises, I can usually be found whipping up something deliciously and naturally sweet. I don’t buy refined white or brown sugar, and I probably never will: What you’ll find in my cupboard are dried fruits, raw honey, spices, and maple syrup. And for cookies, some coconut palm sugar or evaporated cane juice is a nice treat. 

So I suppose the title of this post should be Refined Sugar-Free Sunday. Nonetheless, it’s a new feature I want to begin. Sugar consumption is something we all struggle with, and I believe our overindulgence is the main cause of degenerative diseases like depression, alzheimer’s, and arthritis, to name a few (I am not an expert – this is solely my opinion). Sugar is inflammatory, and sugar is damaging to our body and mind. Therefore, on Sundays going forward I’m going to be highlighting some sweet and healthy indulgences to keep us sane and happily disease-free. 

If you’d like more information from credited sources on the detriments of sugar, please read Sarah Wilson, Sally Fallon, and Weston A. Price. You can also email me with more specific questions, and I’ll do my best to point you in the right direction for further research and where to find accredited people.

Onward. The first recipe I’m going to share with you is one that I just now threw together in five minutes flat. It’s a homemade Larabar of sorts, with healthy saturated fat to aid the absorption of critical nutrients and curb hunger cravings. The measurements are approximate – add or subtract whatever suits your fancy until you get the right consistency. This is fun, not rocket science. 

 

Pistachio + Spice Energy Bars

1 cup pitted medjool dates

1/4 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios

4 Tbsp. grass-fed butter

1/2 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

perhaps a tiny pinch of sea salt, if using unsalted butter

In a food processor, pulse dates and pistachios until crumbly. Add butter and pulse to combine. Add coconut, cinnamon, and nutmeg, and pulse again until everything is well blended. Unplug the food processor, reach in and grab a handful of the mixture: if it sticks together and can easily be molded, the consistency is right. If not, add some more butter until you like what you see/feel. Spread a large piece of plastic wrap on the counter, pile the mixture into the middle, and wrap it up. Mold and shape into a square or rectangle, then place in the freezer for 10 minutes. Cut into squares and enjoy.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.