Cocoa Nutty Monkey Pie *raw vegan*

This is my latest raw dessert recipe and let me tell you, I've seriously outdone myself this time! If you decide that you're only going to attempt one raw recipe, or you want to serve one to people who may be a little suspect about eating raw, this is the one to try.

I have really focused on raw dessert recipes over the past couple of years because I have a major sweet tooth and I am convinced that I can satisfy it without eating garbage. I've always eaten very well and now I can really indulge in the things I want like chocolate, chocolate and um, chocolate while continuing to keep a healthy diet.

Imagine a dessert with high amounts of fiber, protein, potassium, antioxidants, enzymes and essential fatty acids with no sugar besides naturally occurring sugars, no dairy, no gluten and no cooking! I know right? I can hardly believe it myself.

So, here's what I did...

Actually the first step was a trip to the bulk food store. Does anyone else get as stupidly excited as I do about having a fully stocked pantry shelf of fresh healthy nuts, grains, legumes and other staples? I'm a total nerd about it. The bulk food store just may be my favorite store!

*Find raw cocoa at ChocoSol Traders.*

I made a double batch of my raw chocolate pudding recipe that I shared with you last week. You'll notice that I made an update to that recipe because while I had made it a couple of times very successfully before I posted it, I tried it again and it came out runny. In the update, I give you ideas for fixing that if it happens to you.

Here's the recipe again:

Raw Chocolate Pudding
Filling 
1/2 cup sprouted* almonds (*soaked overnight and rinsed thoroughly)
1 1/2 cups water
5 pitted medjool dates or a handful or more of raisins
5 heaping Tbsp of cocoa powder or raw cocoa powder (it has to be very finely ground- grind it well in a coffee grinder if it's not)
raw honey to taste (about 1-2 Tbsp)
5 tsp finely ground flax seed powder (or the amount needed to reach the consistency desired)

Blend this all up until it's the consistency of pudding.

Then Add:

1 heaping Tbsp of cocoa

3 frozen bananas

1/2 cup of raisins. 

Blend again.

I took out my food processor and made a raw pie crust much like one recommended in Jeremy A. Safron's book, The Raw Truth: The Art of Preparing Living Foods

Crust
1 cup sprouted* almonds (*soaked overnight and rinsed thoroughly)
2 handfuls of raisins (you can use dates instead)
2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp agave or maple syrup (raw honey if you're not vegan)
olive oil (just to moisten to dough consistency)

Take these ingredients and blend them together in a food processor. Press the mixture into a pie plate. Then pour the filling on top of the crust and place it in the freezer.

When I served it for dessert, my husband said, "this is f#@king amazing!" No word of a lie folks, it truly is f#@king amazing.

Are you thinking about making this recipe? Let me know if you do. I'd love to hear all about it.

I get really into raw food recipes in the summer months. I hope you're enjoying them. I'm sure there will be more to come.

♥ Andrea ♥