He rolled over, eyes blinking in the morning light, and said that he wanted blueberry pie for breakfast. Even though he might have been kidding, blueberry pie isn't really a laughing matter in my book. So as the coffee brewed, I pulled out my new and already overused food processor, opened the cabinet, and got to grinding.
Over the past months, I've been working to understand how to stock a pantry, truly, for moments like this - when you're dying to whip up something delicious, yet healthy, and need the fixings. Through trial and error, the key players look like this: whole grains (millet, quinoa, steel cut oats, popcorn, and rolled oats), dried fruits (dates), nuts (cashews, walnuts, and peanut butter in the fridge) and seeds (chia, ground flaxseed and hemp). Even though basic or seemingly obvious, when paired with rotations of local and seasonal produce, the possibilities are endless.
Friends, this may have been the moment when the stockpiling paid off.
Blueberry and peach breakfast pie - a cashew-date crust topped with cashew cream and fruit and drizzled with a salted peanut butter drizzle. So easy, so delicious, and also good for you - and only a little bit in that way where you could say having an oatmeal raisin cookie is kind of like having raisins in a hot bowl of morning oatmeal. To make you'll just need some of the key pantry players, like cashews, dates, and peanut butter, and good late summer fruit. I picked up the most succulent blueberries and tiny peaches at the farmers' market because they were practically calling to me, but you could use any seasonal stone fruit or berry you get your hands on.
When compared to sugar, dates are a relatively low glycemic sweetener - which means that you get a nice taste without riding a blood sugar rollercoaster. Both the nuts and fruits are also a good source of dietary fiber. I'm not kidding when I say that the peanut butter drizzle tastes a lot like salted caramel. It's decadent, and as a girl who once made foie gras cupcakes, you can trust me on that.
Just a word on timing. Because it's essentially a raw vegan concoction, the pie requires some time to chill. My recommendation? Make it early, and take it out when the coffee brews. Or better yet, make it the night before and refrigerate, so you're not waiting on a slice of pie.
Blueberry and Peace Breakfast Pie
(Makes a 9' round pie)
For the crust:
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 7-8 pitted Medjool dates
For the cashew cream:
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/4 cup filtered water
- 1 teaspoon sea salt (we use Celtic sea salt)
For the peanut butter drizzle:
- 1 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 tablespoon filtered water
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Measure 1 cup of cashews and place them in a bowl. Set aside 7-8 dates in a separate bowl. Boil water and pour over cashews and dates so that they're completely submerged. Let sit for 1 hour, covered.
- To make crust, cut a parchment round to fit to your cake or pie pan. Place unsoaked raw cashews and oats in food processor and grind until a meal is created. Add in soaked dates, one at a time.
- Once you add in 6-7 dates, a ball of dough should begin in form on one side of the food processor. Remove ball of dough.
- Press dough ball into cake or pie pan. To easily spread out, I find it easiest to place another sheet of parchment paper over the dough and press down using the base of a cup. When flat, cover crust and place in the refrigerator for 30 min - 1 hour.
- To make cashew cream, drain and rinse cashews and place in food processor. Add 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, vanilla extract, maple syrup and 1/8 cup of filtered water and blend until smooth. Add more water as needed to achieve a whipped thick consistency.
- Remove crust from refrigerator, and using a spoon or spatula, evenly spread the cashew cream over it, leaving a 1/2 inch border of crust along the sides. Cover again, and put into the freezer for 30 minutes.
- To make drizzle, whisk peanut butter, maple syrup, vanilla, sea salt and water in a small bowl. Mixture should easily drizzle from whisk, so you might need to add more water (in 1/2 teaspoon increments) until desired consistency is achieved.
- o assemble, remove pie from freezer. Cover with fruit that has been pat completely dry if just washed. Drizzle peanut butter syrup on top, and sprinkle with a pinch of extra sea salt. Enjoy!
