Raw, Vegan & Gluten-Free Recipes: Fresh Summer Fruit Tart

Today we are once again excited to have guest blogger, Judita Wignall, author, raw food chef and holistic health counselor from Los Angeles, California. Judita shares another summer favorite, a raw, vegan and gluten-free Fresh Summer Fruit Tart. This tart is easy to make and perfect for a light summer dessert. Chef Wignall is a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition and Living Light Culinary Institute. She’s been passionate about raw foods, holistic health and nutrition for the past five years and empowering others to take control of their health. She is the author of “Going Raw: Everything You Need To Start Your Own Raw Food Diet & Lifestyle Revolution At Home” which demystifies raw foods and shows how easy it is to add vibrant living foods to any diet. Her next book “Raw & Simple” a collection of 100 quick and easy, dehydrator free recipe book of will be available March 2013 from Quarry Books. Enjoy and experience how good raw, vegan and gluten-free can be!

Makes 8 servings

Plan Ahead: Soak cashews 2 hours

Prep time: 45 minutes

Chill time: 2 hours

This pretty dessert is always a hit at tea parties and summer celebrations.

Crust

2 cups macadamia nuts

Pinch of sea salt (optional)

1/3 cup dates

Place macadamia nuts and sea salt into a food processor and process until ground. Add dates and process again until incorporated. Don’t over process or it will release too much oil.

Spread mixture evenly into a 9 1/2” removable bottom tart pan lined with parchment paper.

Starting in the center, press with fingers to form a firm crust.

Custard

1 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours

2/3 cup coconut oil, warmed to liquid

1/2 vanilla bean, scraped

1/4 cup agave nectar (or maple syrup)

2 tablespoons water

Blend cashews, coconut oil, vanilla, agave nectar, and water in a Vita-Mix until very smooth.

Pour custard over crust and chill for at least two hours.

Fruit Topping

1 cup sliced strawberries

3/4 cup blueberries

2 kiwis, peeled and sliced

Before serving, top custard with sliced strawberries, kiwis and blueberries.

Will last two days in refrigerator.

Chef’s Tip: Use whatever fruit is in season. The fall is a great time to make a cinnamon apple/pear tart while in the winter months you can create a tropical fruit tart.

Do you want to lower your triglycerides naturally with food? Eat cashews because they supply the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil which lowers triglycerides reducing the risk for heart disease and type-2 diabetes.

Cashews are actually seeds that adhere to the bottom of the cashew apple, the fruit of the cashew tree, which is native to South America. They have a lower fat content than most other nuts and approximately 75% of their fat is oleic acid, the same heart-healthy monounsaturated fat found in olive oil. Studies show that oleic acid promotes good cardiovascular health by lowering triglycerides, even in individuals with diabetes.

Triglycerides are a form in which fats are carried in the blood, and high triglyceride levels are associated with an increased risk for chronic diseases, especially type-2 diabetes and heart disease. When you eat, your body converts any calories it doesn't need to use right away into triglycerides. The triglycerides are stored in your fat cells. Later, hormones release triglycerides for energy between meals. If you regularly eat more calories than you burn, particularly "easy" calories like carbohydrates, you may have high triglycerides.

Cashews also contain high levels of the essential minerals iron, magnesium, zinc, and manganese which are so important in reducing chronic inflammation associated with heart disease and type-2 diabetes.  Plus, these minerals strengthen the immune system and balance the body for a good night’s sleep. In addition, cashews are an excellent source of copper. Copper plays a role in a wide range of physiological processes including iron utilization, elimination of free radicals, development of bone and connective tissue and production of melanin (the skin and hair pigment). Inadequate intake of copper can lead to health problems such as:

• Iron deficiency anemia
• Ruptured blood vessels
• Osteoporosis
• Joint problems such as rheumatoid arthritis
• Brain disturbances
• Irregular heartbeat
• Increased susceptibility to infections

To get your daily dose, grab a handful of raw cashews or treat yourself to a serving of the Hail Merry® Meyer Lemon Tart which features raw healthy oils from both the cashew and coconut plants. For a quick rich dessert you make yourself try the Tropical Fruit Pudding recipe below. It is vegan, gluten-free and RAWlicious!

Raw Vegan Desserts: Tropical Fruit Pudding

In this creamy flavorful dessert, cashews form the basis of this anti-inflammatory fruit filled pudding. Not only is pineapple an excellent source of vitamin C and manganese and good source of vitamin B1 and B6, copper and dietary fiber, but it also contains the enzyme, bromelain, a potent anti-inflammatory agent that aids in digestion. The spice turmeric is a powerful Chinese and Indian medicine known for its anti-inflammatory properties to treat a wide variety of chronic conditions including arthritis. Throw in some potassium from the banana and you have one dynamic high-energy dessert!

Makes 2 cups.

1 ½ cups soaked cashews*
½ cup mashed banana (1 small)
1 cup pineapple
1 tablespoon raw local honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ cup raw cold pressed coconut oil, melted
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/8 teaspoon sea salt

1. Blend all the ingredients except the coconut oil in a blender until smooth (2-3 minutes). Add coconut oil and blend until combined. Chill for 30 minutes and serve.
2. For a crust less pudding pie: top with sliced bananas, shredded coconut and vanilla yogurt.

*Soak raw cashews 2 hours in water and drain thoroughly