Vegan Strawberry Glazed Pie - GF

I got a great deal on fresh organic strawberries the other day. I also got a bee in my bonnet to make a strawberry glazed pie. I haven't had a strawberry glazed pie in years, but they used to be one of my favorites!

Since I have started eating healthier, I try to avoid gelatin and starches. Most strawberry glazed pie recipes call for one or both. I recently bought some agar agar flakes which are a sea vegetable, which means it is also vegan. When heated with liquids and then cooled, it acts just like gelatin. I have been mulling over the idea of using this agar to make a strawberry glazed pie. The results? Success! It worked perfectly.

*This recipe is linked to Seasonal Sunday, Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Real Food Wednesday, Allergy Friendly Friday and Fight Back Friday. Go check out the amazing round-up of recipes.

Vegan Gluten Free Strawberry Glazed Pie

Makes 1 - 9" pie

"Graham Cracker" Crust

1 1/2 cup macadamia nuts (any nut will work, but macadamias are delicious)

1 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

3 tablespoons raw agave

3 tablespoons almond flour

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1. Combine all ingredients and process in the food processor with the S blade until it resembles a crumbly, but moist dough. Press into the bottom and on the sides of a 9" pie pan. Set aside.

Filling

6 cups fresh whole strawberries, hulled and halved

1 cup filtered water

2 tablespoons raw agave

1 teaspoon agar powder or ground flakes (can be found in asian markets or the asian section of the health food store)

1. Mash 1 cup of the strawberries. In a small saucepan combine the mashed strawberries, water, agave and agar. Bring to a slow boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove 1/4 cup of the strawberry mixture and pour into the prepared pie pan. Arrange the remaining fresh strawberries in the pie pan. Pour the remaining strawberry mixture over the strawberries. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with fresh whipped cream or whipped coconut cream, recipes follow. Pie is best served the day it's made.

Agave Sweetened Whipped Cream

1 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup raw agave

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Beat the cream at high speed until soft peaks form. Add the agave and vanilla and beat until soft peaks form.

Agave Sweetened Whipped Coconut Cream (Dairy Free)

1 can full fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon raw agave

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Refrigerate the can of coconut milk for 1 hour. Do not shake or jostle the can, you do not want the cream to mix with the milk. Carefully open the can and using a spoon skim off the cream. You should be able to get about 1/2 a can of cream. Be careful not to get any of the coconut milk into the cream. Put the cream in a medium bowl or stand mixer bowl. Reserve the coconut milk to use in your smoothies or shakes.

2. Whip the coconut cream at high speed until soft peaks form. Add the agave and vanilla and whip until just combined. Serve immediately.

Raw Pineapple "Custard" Pie - GF

I have been following the blog carnival April in the Raw hosted by Brittany at Real Sustenance. I wanted to create something new, and bright and fresh for spring. It's tangy and tropical, combining pineapple and coconut. I am also sharing this recipe as part of Allergy Friendly Friday and Real Bites Friday.

Raw Pineapple "Custard" Pie

Makes 4 - 4 1/2" mini pies

Crust

1/2 C raw macadamia nuts (any nut would work, but macadamias are delicious)

1/2 C unsweetened shredded coconut

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 TB raw agave nectar

1 TB almond meal flour (I make my own, so I know it is raw)

1/8 tsp salt

1. Place all ingredients in food processor and process until it resembles a crumbly, but moist dough.

2. Press into mini tart/pie pans. Set aside.

Filling

2 C fresh pineapple (mine was frozen, so I thawed it out before use)

1/2 C cashews, soaked for 1-2 hours

2 TB coconut oil

2 TB cocoa butter (or use all coconut oil)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 C raw agave nectar

pinch of salt

1. Place the cashews and pineapple in a high speed blender. Blend until smooth and creamy.

2. Grate the cocoa butter and place it and the coconut oil in a small bowl. Place that bowl inside a larger bowl with hot water from the tap. Stir until both are melted, changing the water if it cools before they are melted.

3. Place the melted cocoa butter and coconut oil along with the rest of the ingredients in the blender. Blend until smooth.

4. Pour the "custard" into the pans. Freeze until set, 2-3 hours. Remove from freezer and set in a shallow pan with enough hot water to come half way up the pans. This will melt the coconut oil in the crust enough to easily tip it upside down and remove the pie. Store in fridge until ready to serve.

Tip: Remove the pie immediately after freezing. Otherwise, as you can see from my pictures, the crust will be too soft and it will be difficult to remove without messing up the crust.

Banana Cream Pie

I made this for Thanksgiving dinner. It was delicious!

Prepared Pie Crust, prebaked (I used the recipe from the New York Cheesecake so it was gluten free and it was perfect with this pie. Recipe follows at the end of the recipe.)

3 large egg yolks

1/2 C agave

3 TB arrowroot powder

pinch of sea salt

1 1/2 C milk

1 TB butter

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 C heavy cream or coconut cream

3 or 4 ripe but firm bananas, sliced

1. Beat the egg yolks in a heavy saucepan.

2. Add agave, arrowroot powder, and salt. Beat until well combined.

3. Stir in milk.

4. Place the pan over medium heat and add the butter. Stir constantly about 5 minutes, until the mixture is thick and bubbly. (It will go from a thick syrupy consistency to "custard" in an instant.)

5. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract.

6. Pour the custard into a bowl and cover with plastic wrap that rests gently on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin from forming. Chill for 2 or more hours.

7. Whip the cream until stiff.

8. Gently fold into the chilled custard.

9. Spoon approximately 1/3 of the custard mixture into the prebaked pie crust and spread evenly.

10. Layer the sliced bananas over the custard layer and top with the remaining custard. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 6-8 hours.

If desired top with more sliced bananas and Whipped Cream. Enjoy!

Nutty Pie Crust

1 C raw macadamia nuts
1 1/4 C shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 t vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
3 TB agave nectar
3 TB almond flour/meal (I didn't have any almond flour so I blended up some oats and used those)

Place the macadamia nuts, 1 C of the shredded coconut, vanilla, salt, and agave nectar in a food processor or high speed blender; process until ingredients are well combined. Pour mixture into a mixing bowl and mix in the remaining 1/4 C shredded coconut and flour.

Press mixture evenly onto bottom and sides of a greased pie plate, set aside.

Agave Whipped Cream

2 C Heavy Whipping Cream

1/3 C agave
1 TB pure vanilla extract

Whip cream until thickens. Gradually add in agave and vanilla and beat until soft peaks form.