Gluten Free, Vegan Tropical Raw Fruit Pie

Since I needed to make this today anyway to get some pictures, I thought I'd go ahead and post it for everyone.  I've made this pie several times for cooking demos and everyone always begs for the recipe. Its so easy that its almost a non-recipe.  The key to this pie's success is the combination of flavors and chilling the finished dish long enough to be able to get it out of the tart pan. 

The inspiration for this dish actually comes from an old church supper favorite.  My grandmother made it and I'm sure many of your grandmothers made it as well.  It was a jell-o salad with crushed pineapple, bananas, marachino cherries, pecans and that dried artificial whipped cream stuff that you mixed with milk and vanilla.  There is a laundry list of things that were unhealthy about that dish but it actually tasted good.  So I got to thinking about what elements of the dish actually WERE good and came up with this raw tropical fruit pie.  Oddly enough, it absolutely does taste like the old church supper dish.  Its hard to believe that the entire thing is made of fruit and nuts (in various forms).

Anyway, give it a try and see what you think. 


The grainless date, nut pie crust can be made ahead, wrapped and stored until you are ready to use it.  The wrapped crust dough will keep for a week in the fridge.  Once it has been made into a pie, it is best used within 1-2 days.

Note:  I have used raw almond meal that I had left over from making almond milk.  I place it on a sheet pan and turn my oven on the lowest setting and dry the meal for several hours.  You need to stir it so that it dries completely.  If you don't have your own raw almond meal, Bob's Red Mill has it in 16oz. bags available at healthfood stores and some grocery stores.  However, that almond meal is not raw.

For the crust: 

12 fresh (not dried), pitted medjool dates

1/2 cup unsweetened freeze dried organic coconut flakes

1 cup raw almond meal 

2 tablespoons organic coconut flour

1/4 cup melted organic extra virgin coconut oil

pinch of kosher salt

Place the pitted dates in food processor along with coconut.  Pulse until dates are processed and mixture has formed a gooy ball.  Add almond meal, coconut flour and kosher salt to mixture.  Pulse until mixture is well blended and crumbly.  Drizzle in melted coconut oil 1 tablespoon at a time, pulsing for several seconds between addtions.  Mixture will still appear somewhat crumbly but will hold it's shape when pressed together.  Press crust mixture into bottom and up the sides of a removable bottom tart pan, chill.

Tropical Raw Fruit Pie

There are two items in this pie that are not raw and they are the coconut milk and the crushed pineapple.  I have tried several substitutions but find that even though its not raw, unsweetened full fat coconut milk produces the most satisfactory results.  As for the pineapple, you CAN use fresh pineapple that you have crushed in the food processor but it has to be squeezed as dry as possible and the pie needs to be eaten within a few hours of preparation.  The longer it sits, the fresh pineapple will begin to "weep" and make the pie soggy.

1 cup unsweetened freeze dried organic coconut flakes

1/2 cup full fat organic coconut milk, refrigerated

2 large bananas sliced 1/4" thick

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

1 pint fresh organic strawberries, sliced

1 can organic crushed pineapple in natural juices, drained and squeezed dry

1/2 cup chopped organic pecans

additional unsweetened flaked coconut to sprinkle on top

Keep pie crust refrigerated until ready to assemble pie.   Using a spoon, remove only the creamy top layer of coconut milk until you have half a cupful.  Combine coconut milk and flaked coconut in a small bowl.  Let stand for 15 minutes until coconut is hydrated and coconut milk is completely absorbed.  Spread this mixture in the bottom of prepared crust.  Slice bananas and place in a small bowl.  Sprinkle with lemon juice and toss gently.  Lay banana slices out evenly on top of coconut layer.  Spread sliced straweberries evenly over banana layer.  Evenly distribute crushed pineapple over the top of pie.  Sprinkle pecans and additonal coconut on the top to garnish.  Chill for at least 4 hours.  To remove sides of tart pan, run a small knife around the sides to loosen and gently push up on the removable bottom until side ring comes free.  The pie will slice when it is cold. 

Make some whipped coconut cream to top the pie.  Spoon off the remaining "cream" in the can of coconut milk.  Save the watery layer at the bottom of the can for another use.  Place the cold coconut cream in a metal bowl and stash in the freezer for 15 minutes.  Add 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar and beat with electric mixer until soft peaks form.  Coconut whipped cream will not beat to stiff peaks.  You may sweeten with a few drops of stevia extract if desired but I find the unsweetened cream to be a better compliment to the pie.

Enjoy!

(c) copyright Jill Anderson

The Homegrown Gourmet

The Way to a Man's Heart.....

Happy Valentine's Day! 

The indignities I suffer while preparing a Valentine's Day dinner to impress my husband.  I'm typing with one hand because the other is wrapped in a dish towel full of ice.  What chuckle head grabs the rim of a blazing hot saute pan to center it on the burner? I haven't burnt myself in a couple of years so I guess I was over due.

Blistered fingers notwithstanding we did indeed enjoy a beautiful, romantic dinner for two.  On the menu tonight was elegant Gruyere Chicken en Croute with a sinfully delicious White Wine and Dijon Cream Sauce.  A fresh side dish of crisp tender Balsamic Roasted Asparagus and a sweet and savory salad of Arugula, Apple and Walnuts rounded out the meal.  Using skim milk in the sauce helps to keep calories and fat down and light, crispy phyllo dough instead of puff pastry saves a TON of calories. 

We needed to conserve wherever possible because dessert was my ridiculously rich Fleur de Sel Caramel Triple Chocolate Brownies.  Having everyone sign a release of liability before serving these is probably a good idea!  I rarely make things that are this fattening but hey, its a special occasion.  The key to enjoying these over-the-top treats is PORTION CONTROL!  The recipe makes 16 small brownies.  Obvioulsy  I've presented them much larger here for the sake of the picture.  You could use store bought fat free caramel in place of the homemade but I promise you it makes a difference.  That stuff isn't real caramel anyway.  Its a chemistry experiment with artificial flavor and color.  Make the caramel a day ahead to save time and the brownies will come together in a snap!

I hope you'll give these recipes a try and that you will enjoy them as much as we did!

Gruyere Chicken en Croute with White Wine Dijon Cream Sauce

Using leftover roasted chicken or rotisserie chicken to fill these delicate phyllo packets saves time and money.  A kitchen spritzer bottle filled with olive oil makes a good lower calorie substitute for brushing the tops with melted butter.  Buy reduced fat Gruyere if you can find it.  If not, substitute reduced fat swiss.

1 (6 ounce) package fresh organic baby spinach

2 shallots, thinly sliced

2  teaspoons unsalted organic butter, divided

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon coursely ground black pepper

1 clove garlic, pressed or finely grated

8 ounces organic sliced cremini mushrooms

1 (12 ounce) organic roasted red bell pepper strips drained and patted dry

1 1/2 cups finely grated reduced fat Gruyere, Emmenthaler or Swiss Cheese, divided

2 1/2 cups diced roasted chicken breast

24 sheets thawed phyllo dough

Olive oil spritzer (use your own instead of the canned stuff with all the chemical propellants in it)

White Wine Dijon Cream Sauce

minced parsley for garnish

1.  Preheat oven to 400F.  Give spinach leaves a rough chop.  Thinly slice shallots.  Melt 1 teaspoon of butter in 10" saute pan.  Add shallot, salt and pepper and pressed garlic.  Cook and stir 2 minutes or until shallot is tender.  Add chopped spinach to skillet and cook 2 additonal minutes until spinach is wilted.  Transfer mixture to strainer to remove any collected juices.  Press with paper towel to dry saute vegetables.  Set aside.

2.  Place saute pan back on heat and add remaining teaspoon of butter.  Saute mushrooms over medium high heat until tender and browned.  Remove from pan and place in prep bowl; set aside. 

3.  Drain roasted red pepper strips and pat dry between paper towels.  Roughly dice the peppers and place in a mixing bowl.  Add 1 cup of the grated cheese and the diced chicken breast and mix well.  Set aside.

4.  Unfold one sheet of phyllo on work surface and spritz with olive oil. Sprinkle with about 2 teaspoons of the remaining finely grated cheese.  Repeat two more times to create a stack of three phyllo sheets.  End with cheese.  Place about 1 tablespoon of the sauted spinach mixture on phyllo, two inches from the short end.  Place 1/2 cup of the chicken mixture over spinach and top with one eighth of the mushrooms.  Fold long sides of phyllo in towards center and gently roll up.  Spray rolls on all sides with olive oil spritz and place on baking sheet seam side down.  Repeat with remaining phyllo and fillings to make eight rolls.

5.  Bake 15 minutes until rolls begin to brown.  Top with any remaining finely grated cheese.  Return to oven and bake an additional 10-12 minutes.  To serve, cut in half diagonally and serve with White Wine Dijon Cream sauce. Garnish with parsley. 

White Wine Dijon Cream Sauce

1 tablespoon unsalted organic butter

1 clove garlic, pressed

1 tablespoon unbleached all purpose flour (you can sub spelt flour)

1/4 cup white wine

3/4 cup skim milk

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

salt and pepper to taste

1.  Melt butter in a 1 quart sauce pan and add pressed garlic.  Cook over medium heat for 1 minutes.  Do not brown garlic.  Whisk in flour to form a smooth paste.  Cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly until mixture smells toasty but do not brown.  Add wine and milk all at once; whisk constantly until mixture comes to a boil and thickens slightly.  Whisk in dijon mustard.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make 8 chicken rolls and about 1 cup of sauce. 

Serving size: 1 roll with 2 tablespoons sauce

350 calories, 12g fat, 28g carbs, 23 g protein, 2g fiber, 600mg sodium

Balsamic Roasted Asparagus

1 lb tender young organic asparagus spears

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 tsp salt

2 teaspoons olive oil

1 teaspoon minced garlic

1.  Preheat oven to 450F.  Discard tougher ends of spears.  Place prepared vegetables in shallow baking dish.  Add remaining ingredients and toss to coat. 

2.  Roast 5-8 minutes until crisp tender, turning as needed.

Arugula, Walnut and Apple Salad with Shaved Peccorino and Balsamic Vinaigrette

10 ounces organic baby arugula (roquette)

1 organic gala apple, peel on and thinly sliced

1/2 cup toasted walnut halves

shaved Peccorino Romano cheese

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Arrange arugula, apple slices and walnuts in decorative bowl.  In a small bowl, whisk dijon mustard into vinegar until blended.  Gradually whisk in olive oil until dressing is blended.  Season with salt and pepper.  Dress salad just before serving.

Makes 2 servings

My wine of preference for this meal is a Pignot Grigio.  The crisp bright notes are the perfect compliment for all three dishes.

Chicken en Croute with White Wine Dijon Cream Sauce and Balsamic Roasted Asparagus

Arugula, Apple and Walnut Salad with Shaved Peccorino

Now for dessert!

Homemade Caramel Sauce

Making this beautiful homemade caramel will take your brownies from delicious to outrageous!  It is definately worth the effort.  Make ahead and refrigerate.  Leftovers can be heated and poured over ice cream.  Have all your ingredients ready to go because this comes together lightening quick. 

1 cup unbleached cane sugar

6 tablespoons unsalted organic butter, melted

1/2 cup heavy cream (or half and half if you must)

Pour sugar in a high sided 2 quart sauce pan and place over medium heat.  You can swirl the sugar around as it melts but DO NOT STIR!  That will cause it clump up.  When sugar is completely melted and golden, take the sauce pan off the heat and whisk in melted butter.  The sugar WILL foam up so be careful.  Once butter is incorporated, add cream all at once.  Mixture will probably still foam up.  Just keep whisking until combined.  Pour into heat proof glass jar and set aside to cool.  When cooled; cover and refrigerate.  Makes about a cup and half of caramel sauce.  Caramel will become thick when chilled.

Fleur de Sel Caramel Triple Chocolate Brownies

I cannot be held responsible for any sugar or chocolate induced coma resulting from consumption of these brownies!

1 stick unsalted organic butter

12 ounce bag dark chocolate chips, divided

2 large organic eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

3/4 cup packed organic brown sugar

1/2 cup plus 1 heaping tablespoon all purpose unbleached flour

1/4 cup dark cocoa powder

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

3/4 cup chopped walnuts

1/3 cup homemade caramel, warmed

1/4 teaspoon fleur de Sel flakes

* you may substitute regular coarse sea salt if you can't find fleur de sel

1.  Preheat oven to 350F.  Grease 9' square baking dish and line with parchement paper.  Grease parchment as well.  If using a dark pan, reduce baking temp to 325.  Set aside.

2.  Place butter and 10 ounces of the chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler.  Make sure bottom does not touch the water.  Stir until mixture is smooth and chocolate is thoroughly melted.  Remove from heat.  Let mixture cool slightly.

3.  In a 2 quart mixing bowl, beat eggs and brown sugar until combined.  Stir in vanilla.  Gradually add chocolate mixture until well blended.  Set aside.

4.  Sift together 1 cup of the flour, cocoa powder and baking powder.  Add to chocolate mixture and stir until just blended.  Stir in the kosher salt.

5.  Place remaining 2 ouncs chocolate chips and walnuts in a small bowl and toss with remaining tablespoon of flour.  Fold into brownie batter.  Pour batter into prepared pan.

6.  Microwave caramel for 30 seconds to warm.  Drizzle evenly over top of brownie batter and swirl with a butter knife.  Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes or until pick inserted 2" from sides of pan comes out clean.  Do not overbake.  Allow brownines to cool completely before cutting.  You may drizzle with additonal caramel after baking.  Sprinkle fleur de sel on top of brownies.  Cut into 16 pieces.

Don't ask about calories, fat etc.  You don't want to know!

Serve with a lovely dry Brut.

Fleur de Sel Triple Chcolate Brownies

I hope everyone had a lovely Valentine's Day!

(c) copyright Jill Anderson

The Homegrown Gourmet

Musings

I am sitting at my desk on this atypically bleak morning (for South Florida anyway) looking out at the marsh birds foraging on the banks of the canal and thinking about what I need to do today.  Most of it probably won't get done because I am STILL nursing this back muscle and I can't get more than 10 steps away from my heating pad without having seperation anxiety.

My website is still a disaster and I KNOW I need to get it back up and running but I have no patience for html hell even when I'm feeling just ducky!  I keep hoping the website fairy will show up and leave me a note with the link to a url with my brand, spanking new, COMPLETED websit on it.  I wonder if it works like the tooth fairy?  I'm fresh out of just pulled teeth but maybe she would accept a yougrt and passion fruit puree parfait instead?  Probably not........

I've got to submit 2 articles today...both of which have to get done (muscle relaxant stupor not withstanding).  I think I might be able to kill two birds with one stone on that one.  See, I need to submit a column for aprroval to the Cape Coral Breeze because I may be their foodie blog person.  Oh wow...that just gave me the best idea for a column title.  The Go-to Gourmet...I love it!  I would be answering readers questions about cooking/food and providing new recipes each week.  Then the other article is for http://www.ezine.com/ of course.  You can find my previous articles there; author name S. Jill Anderson.  I may be able to use the same article for both submissions if I write it correctly. 

There are enough post-its stuck all over my desk, monitor, printer, lamp, dog...anything within reach really...for me to redecorate a room.  I get an idea for a recipe or an article or just a reminder to pick up the dry cleaning and I scribble it down on one of those blasted squares and slap up where I'll see it.  Very low tech I know and not all that effective since I end up either losing them or throwing them away because I am the female version of MONK!  I generally go through them in the evening and enter what info I need to into my computer, make phone calls, add things to my calander and then toss them.  This week though, I just sit here staring stupidly at the screen until I fall face forward onto the keypad and wake up an hour later with QWERTY stamped into my forehead!

Of course there are still the books to think about.  I have TWO completed cookbooks that we self-published but I really NEED a publisher.  Moreover, I need the marketing a publisher can provide.  Write letters, make calls, send emails...beg shamelessly and yet, still no publisher.  I sent a letter to Rodale last week and haven't gotten any sort of reply.  This week I just don't care.  Next week I can go back to stressing about it.

I am a week behind on menu plans for my personal chef services clients.  Fortunately my clients have become my friends and they won't be leaving scathing messages on my voicemail.  It just makes me crazy (crazier?) to be behind on anything.  It is the disease of Frustrated Perfectionism that I suffer from;  a senseless malady of one's own making really.

The water in the canal is grey and cold and the tropical breeze that usually caresses the palm fronds is howling like a pissed off banshee and beating the crap out of them.  Here I sit...blogging in my bathrobe with two throw pillows and a blistering heating pad wedged into the hollow of my spine.  Truely a SLUG!  I feel like a hen on it's nest waiting to lay an egg.  Thank God I'm not.  Mine would pop out hardboiled.  Maybe next week I'll have no more use for this thing other than to use it as an incubator for homemade yogurt (as I saw Alton Brown do on his show one time).  My luck, I'd get ecoli or something!

Pudding It All Together

I mentioned yesterday that if this turned out good, I would post the recipe today.  You never know until you test since the reduced fat/no fat dairy products COULD affect the texture of the finished dish.  Plus, I'm always looking for ways to get the refined sugar out of desserts.  Since I don't advocate the use of artificial sweeteners (even though we all manage to get a hit of sucralose or aspartame from SOMEWHERE), playing with fruit purees or stevia based sweeteners may affect the quality of the finished product too.  I generally have good luck but every now and then even the best cooks drop a culinary bomb! 

I've been lucky lately with the stevia blends.  I haven't tried baking with them yet so I don't know how well they'll do.  However, for puddings or fruit sauces or things of that nature that you can sweeten AFTER removing from the heat...they are working out great.  Once I've gotten over my kickboxing induced impairment and I can actually STAND without supporting myself on the counter, I plan to get in there and bake up something with some Truvia in it and see what happens.  I'm feeling rather scone-ish at the moment.  Oh rahhhther scone-ish...with a spot of jam and a steaming cup' o good Earl Grey!  It must wait until I can get off this blasted heating pad though.

In the meantime, these puddings I've been whipping up are quick and easy.  Their low calorie, fat and sugar counts make them even more appealing.  Plus, I am enourmously proud of the fact that they are NOT all junked up with sucralose and aspartame.  Oh, I don't know...I suppose if you don't mind a little chlorine with your sugar (sucralose) or some formaldahyde or ethinol (breakdown by-products of aspartame) in your chocolate pudding then knock yourself out (literally).  I digress.....

Back to the pudding....or as I said in the title....Pudding it all together.  I am discovering that using such greatly reduced butterfat products can prove challenging to texture and mouthfeel more than taste.  Sometimes you have to take a different approach in technique.  The classic Italian version of sweet polenta pudding has sweetened mascarpone either dolloped on top or lightly swirled through the warm pudding.  Well sure...with the cream and whole milk thats already in the body, the mascarpone is rather like "icing on the cake".  Its a stand alone ingredient.  With the lightened version, I found that actually melting the low fat whipped cream cheese into the hot polenta gave it the creaminess that it lacked from just being cooked in skim milk.  The drizzle of honey in the classic is yummy but superfilous.  The pudding is sweet enough without it.  Yes, you could a spoonful of all-fruit natural jam swirled through your pudding instead of my lighter strawberry coulis but again, we are back to calories and sugar that you really don't need to make this dessert work.  I actually preferred the simple strained strawberrie sauce.  The fresh, ever so slightly tart tang of the berries was a perfect foil for the thick, creamy polenta.  I've gone and made myself hungry now!  In any event...try it and see for yourself. 

Creamy Vanilla Polenta Pudding with Fresh Strawberry Coulis

2 cups organic fat free milk
pinch kosher salt
4 teaspoons Florida organic sugar
1 vanilla bean split and scraped
1/2 cup (dry) non-gmo fine grain polenta
3 packets stevia blend sweetener (I use Truvia)
4 tablespoons low fat whipped cream cheese ( I use weight watcher's brand)
2 cups fresh hulled strawberries
1-2 additonal packets of stevia sweetener

In a 1 1/2 quart saucepan combine the fat free milk, kosher salt, sugar and vanilla bean.  When mixture begins to boil; gradually stir in polenta.  Cook 3-4 minutes; stirring constantly until polenta is thickened.

Remove from heat and discard vanilla pod.  Stir in 3 packets of Truvia and the low fat cream cheese.   Mix well; until cheese is melted.  You may add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract for extra vanilla flavor if desired.

Divide among 6 dessert dishes or ramekins and set aside while you prepare strawberry topping.

Place strawberries in blender or food processor and process until smooth.  You may need to add a few drops of water to help blend.  Strain out seeds and sweeten with 1-2 addtional packets of stevial sweetener. 
Swirl strawberry coulis into the warm polenta puddings.

Makes 6 servings
Each serving:  105 calories, 18g carbs, .5g fat, 1g fiber, 3g protein, 75mg sodium

*These puddings are so low calorie/fat that you can afford a nice dollop of low fat or fat free Greek style vanilla yogurt on top!  Don't forget to add the extra calories though.

(c) copyright Jill Anderson
The Homegrown Gourmet

Please Drink Responsibly

Some genius thought it would be a good idea for my stiff old body to try a little kickboxing.  While the amount of calories and consequently FAT to be burned is substantial, the price of all that exercise-y hoop laa is a bit high.  If someone asked me what I had for breakfast today, the answer would be..."Oh, a bowl of high fiber cereal and half a banana with some almond milk and good stiff coctail of geritol, muscle relaxers and prune juice...shaken...NOT STIRRED!

It is way difficult for a busy body like me to sit on my behind (with heating pad) all day nursing an overtaxed back muscle.  I want to MOVE and GROOVE and clean my house (compulsively) and gather dog blossoms from my backyard.  Well, maybe I don't exactly WANT to do that but I need to so the neighbors don't think I'm starting a fertilizer farm over here.  I want to get in my kitchen and mix up something...experiment...
create...develop.  I want to flex my culinary muscles until they are bulging and fierce and even the Iron Chefs would stand in awe before me and....and....

Sorry, I dozed off for a minute and I guess my fingers kept going.  That Geritol, Soma and Prune juice shooter sure packs a wallup!  Anyway,  there must be something about being "laid up" that makes you want creamy, warm, comforting stuff.  I'm thinking calling out to the drug store and having them deliver a WALKER so I prop myself up long enough to whip up a lil sump'n sump'n for dessert tonight.

I saw this wonderful (rich and high calorie) recipe for Sweet Polenta Pudding and I'm dying to try a lightened up, healthier version.  I adore polenta anyway...sweet or savory.  My husband always calls it "placenta" which kind of makes me feel like gagging.  I think he just does it annoy me.  So about the recipe...ok, its loaded with high calorie mascarpone cheese and full fat milk.  Plus white sugar AND honey AND apricot preserves.  I'm sure it tastes heavenly but I KNOW it exceeds my 200 calorie dessert rule by several hundred.  I'll let you know how it came out and post the recipe tomorrow.   You just go on and don't give a thought to me slaving away in the kitchen with my strained back muscle...all so YOU can have a new recipe!

I wonder if its too early for another coctail? 

Vegan Fudgy Espresso Brownies

I know...I know...I'm on a roll right? TWO desserts in two days! However, I did give my solemn vow that I would publish the Espresso Brownie recipe that is the most recent addition to my youtube video series. I actually had to make an emergency run to the supermarket last night to buy dark chocolate chips so I could make a batch today. My hubs claims he suffers withdrawal if he doesn't get brownies once every couple of weeks.

So I know you are wrinkling your noses right now saying "oh great...another recipe for tofu brownies" but there isn't a smidgen of tofu within the dense, gooey, insanely chocolaty (is that a word?) depths of these babies! You have my word on that and I was a Girl Scout back in the day. Don't worry if you aren't a vegan either. When I serve these nobody asks because they are too busy stuffing their faces.

I hope you have some industrial strength willpower because that is what it will take to keep you from eating half (or more) the pan. So, ladies and gentlemen and chocolate lovers of all ages I FINALLY present The Homegrown Gourmet's top secret Fudgy Espresso Brownie recipe.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BwIpmVhSqEI

Vegan Fudgy Espresso Brownies

3/4 cup organic spelt flour*

1/2 cup unsweetened dark cocoa powder

2 tablespoons instant espresso powder

1/4 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 cup organic tropical source** chocolate chips

1/4 cup melted organic extra virgin coconut oil

1 small organic banana, mashed

1/2 cup organic unbleached cane sugar (I use Florida Crystals)

1/2 cup coconut, almond or rice milk

2 tablespoons organic golden flaxseed meal (ground flax)

2 teaspoon pur vanilla extract

1 cup toasted, chopped nuts of choice (I LOVE hazelnuts in mine)

1-Preheat oven to 350.

2-Lightly grease an 8 or 9 inch square baking pan, line with parchment paper and then grease paper as well.

3-In a medium bowl; combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

4-Place chocolate chips and coconut oil in a double boiler to melt chocolate. Make sure the bottom of the bowl does not touch the water. Stir to blend, remove from heat.

5-Add mashed banana and sugar and espresso powder to melted chocolate mixture.

6-Combine flax meal with almond milk and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in vanilla extract.

7-Combine the milk mixture with the chocolate mixture. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add the wet to the dry. Mix until no dry spots remain. Do not over mix.

8-Fold in nuts and turn batter out into prepared pan.

9-Bake 20-25 minutes or until a pick inserted 2 inches from the side of the pan comes out clean. If inserted in the center it should come out slightly sticky because the middle will still be soft.

10-Cool on wire rack. Turn out onto flat surface; remove parchment paper and cut into 12-16 squares.

I haven't done a nutritional analysis on these yet and calorie wise...we probably are better off NOT knowing! But, at least they are made with clean, healthy ingredients. I cannot be held responsible for their effect on your waistline!!

*I chose spelt flour because I actually like the texture it gives Vegan baked goods. Strictly speaking, if you are trying to avoid Gluten...you are out of luck. Contrary to popular myth, spelt IS a glutenous flour. However, it does have more fiber and protein the UABW (unbleached all purpose white). Plus if you have a specific allergy to wheat, spelt makes a great substitution. You can find spelt flour at most any health food store and some grocery stores now carry quite a few "specialty flours." If you need more info on spelt flour...just ask and I'll try to help you find it.

**Tropical source chocolate chips may be a new one on you. Pick up a bag of any commercial or store brand chocolate chips and check out the ingredient list. It is likely that you will see butter and milk listed there. Tsk...tsk....tsk! REAL quality chocolate should be made with cocoa butter. In tropical source chips, any oils added for emulsifiers/stabelizers will be palm and or coconut and NOT some hydrogenated nightmare. Hense the name...tropical source. Tropical oils (particularly coconut) can withstand extremely high temperatures without becoming rancid which make them ideal for cooking/baking. I really NEED to get to that coconut oil article very soon! Some supermarkets are now carrying tropical source chocolate chips and most health food stores have them. Again, if you need assistance you can write to me for a brand name and help finding it.

I suppose I shouldn't even mention how decadently delicious these are served WARM with a scoop of homemade Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream. Nah... I won't say it. That would be torture!

(c) copyright Jill Anderson, The Homegrown Gourmet

Living Green with The Homegrown Gourmet: Skinny Panna Cotta

Living Green with The Homegrown Gourmet: Skinny Panna Cotta