raspberries Archives | figgy and sprout

Birthday Celebration Tarts

June 3, 2013

Today is my birthday! I turn 26.

The day brought much reprieve and rest, along with ample sunshine. My fiancé and I packed a picnic lunch and spent the afternoon enjoying some lovely eats and the warm weather along the harbor. We even have some new freckles to prove it.

I don’t usually aim for anything too fancy on the big day. I like keeping things simple. I’m totally content with enjoying a nice meal with friends and sharing some dessert. There’s always some dancing involved too. Over the weekend I did just that. I set off gallivanting the streets of Cork with my dear friend Emma. You can be sure there was plenty of banter and laughter shared, the best kind of celebrating.

Upon arriving at Emma’s house on Saturday, she remarked, “You look like a tart.” This was funny for multiple reasons. First off, Irish insults are interesting terms of endearment which are abundant in the friendship between Emma and me. Secondly, as coincidence would have it, I just so happened to be experimenting with these raw tarts for my birthday. I went on to explain the intricacies of making raw tarts with nothing but nuts and dates. It turns out we both have bold minds. We collapsed in a huge fit of giggles. Who knew Veganism could be so risqué?

These tarts are pretty amazing. Let’s forget for a moment that they are vegan, gluten-free and raw, and just focus on the delectable elements that combine to create perfection. Raw desserts really are my fave (especially during the summer months.) I can enjoy an incredibly delicious, nutrient-dense dessert without post-dessert remorse. I can feel really good about what I am putting into my body, and what I am feeding the people I love. That is truly something to celebrate.

Raw Berry Tarts

Serves 6

Ingredients:

Crust:

1 cup of almonds
1/4 teaspoon allspice
1 cup of medjool dates

Filling:

1/4 cup raw cashews (soaked for 3 hours)
1 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp lemon zest
3 Tbsp filtered water
1 Tbsp maple syrup

Toppings:

fresh blackberries, strawberries, raspberries or blueberries
mint leaves for garnish (optional)

Directions:

Crust:

In a high powered blender or food processor, blend the almonds and allspice until it becomes a fine consistency. Then add in the dates one by one until they have all been added and you have a sticky dough.
Divide the mixture into 6 muffin or tart tins. Then press the mixture into the tin forming the crust.
Place them in the fridge until you are ready to fill them.

Filling:

Drain the cashews after they have been soaking for at least three hours and place them in a blender or food processor along with the lemon juice, zest, water and maple syrup. Blend until smooth and creamy, adding additional water as needed.

Assembly:

Place the filling in each tart, heaping it up in the center, using up all the filling. Top each tart with berries and a garnish of mint leaves. Enjoy!

Tarts are best eaten same day but will keep in the fridge for up to two days.

Now it’s time to pop some bubbly and toast to another amazing year.

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Whole Wheat Berry Muffins

January 7, 2013

It’s Monday morning and I’m packing my suitcase. I’m heading off to America tomorrow to spend time with my family in Iowa. You can be sure I have my warmest sweaters, scarves and mittens thrown in the mix somewhere. The entire mid-west is under a blanket of snow – a concept I’m come to forget living in Ireland. I’m eager to spend some time outdoors going sledding and chasing our dogs around in the backyard.

If you remember my post from last summer, you know I am always well prepared for long hours of traveling. I never leave home without copious amounts of food and snacks. I think these muffins will make a nice addition to the other homemade in-flight munchies I have packed.

Ever since I started making homemade almond milk, I’ve found myself with an overload of almond pulp. With a bunch of almond pulp and frozen berries in hand, it seemed like the perfect excuse to make muffins. The brilliant thing about this recipe is it works well even without the almond pulp – just replace it with one cup of any flour of your choosing.

These muffins are not monster big or heavy like the American version. They are quite small, very light and filled with a wonderful berry flavor. They totally melt in your mouth! I like that they are not overly sweet, so you could have them for breakfast as well as a snack.

Whole Wheat Berry Muffins

Vegan

Makes 12 muffins

Ingredients:

1 cup wheat flour
1 cup almond pulp*
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
3 Tbsp. flax seed + ¼ cup water
½ cup almond milk
¼ cup olive oil
zest of 1/2 an orange
1 cup frozen berries

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350°F (176°c). Grease a muffin tin thoroughly or if you prefer, line with muffin cups.
In a large bowl mix the flour, almond pulp, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
Whisk together the maple syrup, flax mixture, almond milk, olive oil and zest until they are combined well. Add them to the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold the ingredients until the batter is almost fully combined. Add the frozen berries, careful to not break up the berries too much.
Fill the muffin tins 3/4 full and bake until the muffins are browned and a knife goes through cleanly, about 25 to 35 minutes.

*if not using almond pulp, replace with 1 cup of chosen flour

I will continue to post on the blog while I’m away. In the meantime, connect with me through twitter, facebook, pinterest, instagram and my newsletter! Hope you all have a lovely week!

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Açaí Smoothie

October 25, 2012

Personally I need routine and especially a morning one. It helps me to feel grounded and stable – two things that are vital to my overall wellness. There is something quite special about creating space in the morning for you to experience just for yourself. Lacing up my sneakers and hitting the pavement first thing in the morning is (nearly) the daily norm for me. After completing my morning training session I feel alert and ready for the day. With the Dublin Marathon only four days away, I’m tapering on the training while loading up on tons of nutrients.

Want to know my secret weapon? Meet my latest obsession, the Açaí Smoothie! Açaí (pronounced “Ah-Sigh-EE”) is a Brazilian superfruit berry that grows on palm trees in Central and South America. It tastes like a mix between bitter chocolate and blueberries and it has the highest content of antioxidants in any fruit.

Often touted as a “superfood” by marketers, these berries have high levels of antioxidants that protect cells, reduce the effects of aging and may decrease the risk of some diseases (including heart disease and cancer). But beyond their antioxidant benefits, I enjoy açaí berries because of their rich and almost chocolatey flavor. The berries have a unique but delicious taste – and, they make for a great breakfast, dessert or post-workout snack.

Açaí Smoothie

Vegan, Raw & Gluten-free
Makes 1 large smoothie

Ingredients:

2 tsp. Açaí powder
1 cup non-dairy milk, water or juice (I used water)
1 banana
1 apple, cored and sliced
1 cup frozen berries (I used raspberries)
sprinkle of hemp seeds (optional)

Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Enjoy!

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