Key Lime Pie For Your Soul!

Got the summer citrus dessert cravings yet? Maybe you just want a vacation in your mouth. This is a super simple, hard to botch freezer dessert. I've already eaten two of these. So, I had to get photos before my hubs ate the other half of the batch. I usually don't tell people (at potlucks etc.) what is in my pie or puddings, because some people haven't eaten the main ingredient before. It's the amazing, beautiful, ugly, don't judge a book by it's cover avocado!

OK, you MIGHT have heard Avocados are the shiz nit. Here is some general info, just in case.

I could do a month of posts on avocado recipes alone. It never fails me. It's good in just about everything, my favorite way is right off the pit. It makes a great snack, meal, supplement, thickener, savory, sweet friend to just about .. everything.

The avocado pudding/pie has certainly been done before. Although I find most recipes for raw desserts a little heavy on the nuts, too sweet and too complicated, although almost always beautiful.

This is EASY. (and way healthier than the SAD version!) And you can use this as a template for any 'pie' you want to invent. Changing up the filling when needed. I've made this pie with Cocao, banana, strawberries and plain vanilla bean (and coconut meat). The only thing is when you get into blueberries, mango etc.. you'll need to sub part or all of the avocado with nuts, more oil or psyllium, irish moss etc. It's a big experiment, that's for sure.. and there may be times you eat it out of a bowl, but that's okay! Remember that the coconut oil is important. When it freezes, it makes your filling a custard-cheesecake consistency. A blender is nice for this, but if you have the patience, you can hand whip the avocado. Halving this recipe doesn't work so well. It can be a pain to get the blender really going with a smaller amount than this. Besides, this is so good, you'll wish you made more!

Jo's Key Lime Pie (6 smallish servings)

Filling:
2 Avocados
2 Tbs Lime Juice
1/2 Cup Coconut Oil (did I say it was low fat? Whoops)
2 Tbs Raw Honey (any honey really, I don't favor date syrup with this, experiment)

Crust:
1/2 Cup Almond Pulp (I used leftovers from making milk- finely ground almonds/almond flour will work)
1/2 Cup Dates (not soaked)
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Cayenne (may think I'm crazy.. that's just how I like it..the spicy/sweet thing)

*Blend all filling ingredients together. Set aside.
*For the crust, process dates and almond pulp (and salt/cayenne) together until smooth(ish).
*Press the crust into greased or lined muffin tins (or custard dish, whatever you've got really).
*Spoon in filling. Freeze for 1-2 hours.. if it freezes hard, like ice cream, just leave out for 5 minutes before eating (of course you could have key lime pudding instead of freezing, but chill first for best taste.

If you love this and want to make it for a potluck, grab a spring form pan (smallish), double/triple the recipe and top with shredded coconut for looks, and taste- coconut loves lime- you know.. put da lime in da coconut?

Nutritional Info (according to Spark recipes)
233g Calories
14g Fat
525mg Potassium
276. g Carbs
8g Fiber
18.2 g Sugar
4.4g Protein
and bunches of vitamins and minerals

Allrecipes.com's top Key Lime Pie recipe (at 6 servings:
324 calories per serving
13.4 g of bad fat (versus healthy avocado/coconut oil-good fat)
37 g of sugar!

Flax Cakes with Fruity Syrup

Raw Flax Cakes Berry Sauce & Gojis

Mmm.mmmmm MM! One of my favorite things to eat for breakfast. These are inspired by Ani Phyo's first recipe on Flax Pancakes. But, as I often do, I fit this recipe to fit my needs.

    1/2 cup golden flax (any will do, but golden tastes lighter in this)
    1 apple/1/2 avocado OR (1 banana-under ripe for mildest flavor)
    1 teaspoon Yacon (or Agave etc)
    1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
    1 tablespoon water, as needed

Just process it all and spoon into thick patties on a dehydrator tray. Dehydrate at 104 for 1 hour/ flip, 10-20 more minutes.

You can add cocao, other fruit, vanilla... get creative! Awesome way to get fiber and omegas. A really satisfying meal!

For the syrup: Process berries, maple syrup (or yacon etc.) until the consistency you desire. Add soaked goji's or sliced berries... etc. An alternative is just 'syrup' and vanilla. Get creative! Nutritious and Delicious!

Ani Phyo's Red Pepper "Hummus" Bean Free

I love savory dips and spreads. This is my take on Ani Phyo's Red Pepper Hummus from her new book Raw Food Essentials:

1 Red Pepper chopped
1/4 cup sesame seeds (ground first into a powder is best)
1 1/2-2 Tbs Tahini
1 clove garlic
pinch of parsley or 1 tsp chopped cilantro

Ani Phyo adds lemon and cumin-and her proportions are different, also omit parsley/cilantro. You can get creative here. I've always loved zucchini hummus, but red pepper hummus was an awesome surprise! Delicious, healthy and perfect for sandwiches, chips or veggies!
Shown here on a Zucchini Bread sandwich. Isn't the color fabulous!?

It is 8 degrees here, so it's warming up. However, the wind chill is 25 below! Forecast to be 35 below from tonight on through 2 days! So, sadly, I'll be hitting the treadmill. Yesterday, I reluctantly called a 2nd rest day because of the weather, and it's only getting colder and windier. The air is so cold to breathe, you get nose bleeds and man does it hurt! So, treadmill, here I come.

Spiced Pomegranate Avocado Salad

My first post!

This is a delicious way to enjoy pomegranate arils. The salty/cumin spiciness seems to continually reset your taste buds making the pomegranate flavor more intense than ever. The juice bursting in your mouth is a welcome calm to the medley.

    1/2 pomegranate, seeded
    1/2 avocado, sliced or cubed
    1 tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped

    Dressing:
    2 to 3 tablespoons grapeseed or olive oil
    2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice
    1/2 to 1 teaspoon cumin, to taste
    1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a bowl, place avocado and pomegranate seeds. Sprinkle with chopped cilantro.

2. In separate bowl, whisk all dressing ingredients with fork in bowl or use a food processor.

3. Drizzle dressing over bowl of pomegranate/avocado and enjoy!

I always have leftover dressing.. so perhaps double the salad ingredients.. the dressing keeps well. My husband eats this as a dip with seedy tortillas (like the Food Should Taste Good brand). Delicious!

 RUN:

This morning's run was hot! 32 degrees and I had to take my gloves off after about 1 mile. Even though I decreased layers according to the temp, after the many mornings of -2 to 5,  icy lashes and frozen snot; 32 felt like a sauna in my jacket. My doggy companion must have been heating up too, she stopped, dropped and rolled in the fresh powder!