Meatless Mondays: Vegan, Raw Fruit Pie

Mid-August evenings can be a dilemma for me and many others when it comes to cooking. Local produce is at its peak in most regions of the country, so I want to enjoy the bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables, but I don't want to be stuck in a hot kitchen for hours, wistfully dreaming about relaxing on the porch with a cold beverage in hand.

Fortunately, I'm not the first person who's thought about this dilemma, and there are plenty of delicious, no-cook and easy-to-make dishes that maximize the use of seasonal produce and minimize kitchen time. My recipe for White Gazpacho from two weeks ago is good example. Now, it's time for dessert. For a tasty treat that relies on seasonal produce but doesn't require cooking, try a raw fruit pie.

This recipe for Raw Fruit Pie is both vegan, and yes, raw. Think it of more as a ratio than a recipe, and use whatever you have available. As I've said before, if you start with good ingredients, you really don't need to do much to make a great dish. And for those concerned about their waistlines, fear not: This dish is very healthy as the only ingredients are nuts and fruits!

Raw Fruit Pie

For the crust:
2 cups almonds (or pecans, walnuts, or a combo)
1 cup pitted dates (or a mixture of dates, dried apricots, raisins, or other dried fruits)

1) Place the nuts in a blender or food processor and grind to a coarse meal. It will be noisy at first, so don't be scared.

2) Add the dates, and continue to blend until there are no more large chunks. The final product should look like crumbs. Scrape the mixture into a 9-inch pie dish and press the mixture against the bottom and sides of the dish with your hands to form a crust. Put in the freezer while you make the filling.

For the filling:

5-6 cups of fresh fruit, such as raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, peaches, apples, etc. (if not using small berries, slice the fruit into bite-sized pieces)
3/4 cup pitted dates, soaked in water for a few minutes
1-2 tablespoons lemon juice

1) Place 2 cups of the fruit, the dates, and lemon juice into a blender or food processor. Blend to a smooth puree.

2) Pour puree over the remaining fruit in a bowl, mix well, and add to the pie crust, spreading it around evenly with a spatula. You can eat the pie right away, or refrigerate for a few hours.

The final dish is a delicious, healthy treat — and you won't even have worked up a sweat.

For more "Meatless Mondays" recipes, see here, here, and here.

Photo credit: a2gemma via Flickr