Raw vegan treats are basically made from blends of nuts, seeds and fruit, and require no baking. They set then stay fresh in the freezer, making them a perfect cold, sweet snack for summer. These tarts have a date and almond base with a strawberry cashew mousse for the filling. Lime juice adds some fresh, bright flavour, maple syrup sweetens up the strawberries and chia seeds thicken up the mousse. The tarts are very nutrient dense and filling but they feel lighter on the body and won’t leave you feeling heavy like many more traditional treats can.
The raw food movement is all about getting as many nutrients as possible. High heats can destroy some of the enzymes (necessary for optimal digestion) and vitamins in foods so the theory behind the movement is that sticking to raw foods means that none of these nutrients are getting lost on the way to the plate. However, raw foods like nuts, seeds, whole grains and legumes can be really hard for our digestive systems to process. They have a coating that protects them- great for the plant’s chance of growing to its potential, but not great for anyone trying to consume it. When heating is not used to break this down, soaking the foods in plain water for several hours, and possibly going to the next step of sprouting them, makes them as optimal as possible for our bodies, so we can get their maximum benefit. Raw nuts are not available in some places as a food safe precaution (or raw hemp seeds as a legal precaution), in that case the second best option is plain, lightly roasted nuts (they should still be soaked). They should not be salted or look discoloured or shrivelled up at all, if so they are not very fresh and will not turn out as smooth and light of an end product. I like to add in some oats to bulk up the crust but shredded coconut or hemp seeds work well too for a grain-free and completely raw version.
A food processor greatly speeds up the time for making raw crusts but it is not at all necessary, I just use a sharp knife to chop the ingredients down to size. Silicon cup liners, however, make these so much easier to pop out of the muffin trays and the tarts won’t stick to them so none is wasted. This recipe will make either 32 mini tarts or 16 regular sized.
- Crust
- 1 cup raw almonds
- 1 cup tightly packed Medjool dates, pitted (around 14)
- ½ cup rolled oats (or unsweetened coconut flakes or hemp hearts)
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice (1 small lime)
- Filling
- 1½ cup tightly packed strawberries, roughly chopped
- 1 cup tightly packed raw cashews, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon chia seeds
- Time permitting it is best to soak the nuts for 3-8 hours in advance to assembling the tarts. It makes them easier to break down, improving the texture, and it also helps make them easier for our bodies to digest. Rinse them thoroughly in a sieve and shake them a couple times to get rid of excess water (don't worry about drying them).
- Place the crust ingredients in a food processor and pulse until blended and a dough is formed. If you don't have a food processor it will take a bit longer- pinch the skins off the almonds then mince the nuts and dates and mash them together with the oats and lime juice using a potato masher.
- Blend the filling ingredients in a food processor or blender until very smooth.
- Set muffin tins up with silicon or parchment paper liners. Spoon a tablespoon of the crust mixture into each opening for mini muffins or two tablespoons for regular sized muffins. Use your fingers to press down on the crust until it is flat and evenly spaced out. Pour a tablespoon for mini or two tablespoons for regular of the filling in each and freeze for 3 hours.
- Keep in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a few months. Place in the fridge to soften up the day of serving or leave out at room temperature for 10 mins. It is easiest to pop them out of the muffin liners while they are still frozen.
