I celebrated my birthday last week and what better way to celebrate than with a creamy, dreamy, high-vibe freezer pie topped with some of my favorite summer fruits? Easy-peasy, no-bake and beautiful to boot—score for a lazy, hot summer day.
I whipped this baby up after breakfast, stuck it in the freezer and headed out for a day of fun in the sun. After dinner all it needed was a quick thaw on the counter and a sprinkle of fresh mint from my garden (and maybe a little chocolate drizzle to make it extra special, cuz why not?) It was a delicious end to an awesome birthday—no achy tummies or crazy blood sugar spikes here—pure, whole and totally satisfying.
Completely Adaptable
This pie base lends itself well to almost any fruit combination you can dream up. Whatever your favorite fruit of the season, it will likely taste divine atop this creamy cheesecake-like filling. Why not try fresh figs or nectarines this summer, pears in the fall or persimmons in the winter? Anytime you have a hankering for a cool creamy treat, look no further.
Don’t have room in your freezer for a full pie? Use cupcake liners, ramekins or mini spring form pans to make single serving pies. The crust is flexible as well. I’ve used almonds and walnuts here but you could use almost any nut or seed.
As always this recipe is gluten- and dairy-free, chock full of nourishing whole food goodness; sure to please sensitive tummies and satisfy your sweet tooth.
Cherries on Top
Cherries are an excellent source of anthocyanins—antioxidants that give cherries powerful anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties shown to reduce pain and inflammation associated with gout, arthritis and exercise soreness and inhibit the growth of colon cancer. As a matter of fact, the anthocyanins in cherries work in a way similar to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, like aspirin and ibuprofen, except without the side effects[1]. Darker Bing cherries are a richer source of antioxidants than Reinier cherries (as much as 4 times[2]) and much more affordable.
How to Buy Cherries
Get the freshest, organic cherries you can find to take advantage of the quick depleting nutrients and reduce your exposure to pesticides. Conventional US cherries are heavily sprayed, more so than imported cherries, surprisingly. Pick fruits that have greener, flexible stems and skip ones that are brown and rigid. The stems are the best indicator of freshness.
Ingredients
- ½ cup each almonds and walnuts
- 10 Medjool dates, pitted
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup of coconut cream (scooped from the top of a full-fat can)
- 1 cup cashews, soaked for 3-6 hours
- ½ maple syrup or raw honey
- one lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 tsp vanilla
- pinch of salt
- 3 cups pitted fresh cherries and/or mixed berries
- a few mint leaves, to garnish
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 2 Tbsp raw honey
- 4 Tbsp raw cacao powder
Instructions
- Combine all the crust ingredients in a food processor and process until it starts to stick together, but the nuts are still a little chunky. Transfer to a 9” tart or spring form pan and press evenly in the bottom.
- Combine the filling ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour the filling over the crust and transfer to the freezer to firm for 10-15 minutes. It should be firming up, but not solid.
- Meanwhile chop the fruit into bite sized pieces of similar size. Remove the base from the freezer and top with the berries. Return to the freezer to firm up for several hours or overnight.
- Remove the pie from the freezer 10 minutes before serving.
- If using, prepare the chocolate drizzle. Melt coconut oil and honey over low heat or in a double boiler, whisking to combine. Remove from heat and whisk in the cacao powder.
- Serve the pie topped with torn mint leaves and a warm the chocolate drizzle if desired (it will harden like magic shell).
I want to know. What are you piling on top of your creamy dreamy freezer pie?
[1] Murray, Michael and Pizzorno, Joseph. The Encyclopedia of Healing Foods. New York, Atria Books. 2005 p.265. Print.
[2] Robinson, Jo. Eating on the Wild Side. New York: Little, Brown and Company. 2013 p.288. Print.
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