MoFo 6 Just Dessert Saturday Raw Footage Mixed Berry Pie

When I signed up for my third MoFo this year, I imagined that all the big MoFo guns and blogger big wigs would be posting 7 days a week. I have never been an A-Lister, I kind of thrive as the under dog, but I wanted to be right there with those bloggers who are always featured in round ups, the bloggers who win the MoFo challenges, and the Iron Chefs, the bloggers Isa and Hope are personal friends with. Yep I wanted to be sweating it out making the deadlines and kicking MoFo ass 24-7. I dig being zombified especially when all the cool kids are doing it.

Yeah, well guess who's flailing now? And guess who was mistaken? All those smarty pants  cool kid A-Listers have taken the weekend off to regroup for next week's MoFo. They get to have spanking clean kitchens and most of all get to sleep, take-in food, spend some time with loved ones. I guess I got what I deserved... Welcome to Just Desserts Saturday!

Mixed Berry Cashew Creme Pie

Crust

 

3/4 C almonds
12 dates

Cake

2 C raw cashews, soaked at least an hour
Juice of 2 lemons
1 frozen banana, sliced before freezing
1 peeled, and shredded zucchini
3 packets Stevia

1 T agave
1/3 cup coconut oil, softened
1C frozen and thawed mixed berries or pitted cherries

For the crust, pulse the almonds in a food processor until finely ground, add the dates and sea salt and process until the mix sticks together when you press it. Press the mixture into an 8-inch spring-form pan and place in refrigerator while you make the filling.

Add zucchini and the rest of the cake ingredients except the coconut oil and the strawberries to food processor. Mix the ingredients, and while it's running slowly pour the melted coconut oil in and process until the mixture is creamy.

Take the spring-form pan out of the fridge and pour about 1/2 – 2/3 of the mixture into the pan. Smooth it out and put it back in the fridge. Take the remaining cake mixture and process it with the 1 cup of mixed berries until smooth. Carefully pour this mixture into the crust pan and spread until even, try not to mix the layers, if I had a better pic you would be able to see the nifty layers. Freeze for about 45 minutes. Let cake sit for a few minutes before cutting. I made a compote.

Compote
about 3/4 mixed berries
1/4 C water
1 T cornstarch
2 packets Stevia + 2 T agave


Place 1/2 the berries in a sauce pan. Add 1/8th C water and sweetener. Heat to boil. In a separate cup mix 1/8th of C cold water with cornstarch. Add to hot liquid and simmer about 6-8 minutes. Stir often.

 

I also think it would be quite tasty with frozen vegan yogurt  if you are in the mood for berry-berry ;)

Please commiserate if you too are posting today :)Look forward to cooking with you.  

Elvis P Pie

My friends don't invite us over to watch Project Runway anymore, not since Heidi split from Seal and Tim Gunn left. I don't miss Heidi that much, my sister's name is Heidi and that's enough. My mother named my sister after a dachshund and me after a poodle, I think. I like Tim Gunn. He wouldn't let any fur onto Project Runway and remember when he did an ad for PETA.  I read his book, he's very kind and I like his fashion advice in Marie Claire. His column is called "Gunn Laws" and he answers reader's questions. Questions like, I'm over 50 can I wear tartan jeans? I have a high forehead, would I look okay with a shaved head in a monastery?
Stuff like that. A chunky fashionista recently asked if she could wear white jeans. Tim said she could, if they weren't jeggings and as long as she wore them monochromatically. All white hmmm. I thought this would make her look like Frosty the Snowman. White all white? Really?
Oh Tim, Timmy, Timmo I can see your point with the future high forehead monk, they wear hoodies all the time anyway.
But white, all white? Lest you forget fat Elvis. Elvis' jumpsuit was equivalent to white unitard jeggings.
Elvis was more than a houndog. Sure he was jowly like a houndog and was at a very unhealthy weight. But let's be real here. Suffice it to say, Elvis was a pig! By now you are all well aquainted with the Elvis sandwich right...
Yep that infamous peanut butter and banana sandwich with bacon. Presley was renowned for his food cravings such as the Fool's Gold Loaf, a loaf of Italian bread filled with a pound of bacon, peanut butter, and grape jelly. Apparently Elvis did not stop at one sandwich either. Remember how he would sweat on stage. Don't get me wrong, I love peanut butter, and could probably eat my weight in it if we did not have an alarm on the refrigerator. But bacon. That just makes me sad. I think Elvis should have watched Fork and Knives at least once.

Here's how I would help turn the King vegan. After all I wouldn't mind being Queen for a day.
Oh yeah guess what, we're invited to a major vegan party, because I shared this very recipe at the Virtual Linky Potluck thingy.  A big shout out to Ann from a Refined Vegan and Angela of Canned Time. If I missed anybody I apologize big time :)

 
 

 Vegan Elvis Pie (serves 1 Las Vegas King) Beware of it's exravagant calories.

Chocolate Nut Crust Ingredients:

1/2 C macadamia

1/2 C peanuts or pecans

1 Cup Raw Slivered Almonds

1 C Pitted Dates

1/4 C dark Cocoa Powder

1/4 Cup Water

Peanut Butter Filling Ingredients:

3/4 C canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 C Natural Peanut Butter

1/3 C Pitted Dates

3 Packets Stevia

3 T Pure Maple Syrup

Chocolate Ganache Topping Ingredients:

  

1 C Coconut Oil (not solid)

1/4 C Pure Maple Syrup

1/2 C Cocoa Powder

One sliced banana

Blend each layer separately in food processor. The crust will be dough-like, the peanut butter filling and ganache should be smooth. If you get lazy and don't want to make the filling or ganache, the crust will make great candy!! Just roll into balls or something.

Grease an 8-inch pie plate. Pour the nut crust into the pie pan and press down with your fingers.

Pour in the peanut butter layer and smooth with spatula.

Pour the Chocolate Ganache layer over the pie.

Pick up and set down your pie plate a couple times to smooth out any bubbles.

Chill for 3 hours in the freezer. Top with banana. Serve with your fave vegan ice creme.

 Enjoy! You might want to swap the white pants for a pair of sweats while eating. Just saying.