Go Dairy Free | Chocolate Cream Verve-a-licious Pie

This recipe was brought to us by the Manitoba Harvest Newsletter. It was created by Chef Kristen Suzanne,an accomplished Raw Vegan chef with a passion for helping people live life to the fullest with the healthiest cuisine in the world. Both self-taught and a graduate of the Living Light Culinary Arts Institute, she brings exquisite talent to all of her recipes and food production. Through her company, Kristen's Raw, Chef Kristen Suzanne offers training in public and private settings, consulting to help individuals live and love the Raw lifestyle, menu development and restaurant consulting, and engages with the media to further promote the Raw food cuisine and lifestyle. For more information about Chef Kristen Suzanne, visit www.KristensRaw.com.

Chocolate Cream Verve-a-licious Pie

Yields one 9-inch tart

Crust:
1/3 cup raw cacao nibs
1 1/4 cup shredded coconut, dried, unsweetened
1 cup Manitoba Harvest Shelled Hemp Seeds
1/4 teaspoon Himalayan crystal salt
dash cayenne pepper
1/4 cup raw agave nectar
5 dates, pitted

Filling:
5 dates, pitted, soaked for 20-minutes, drained
3/4 cup young Thai coconut water
meat from one young Thai coconut (at least a 1/2 cup)
1/2 cup raw agave nectar
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1 tablespoon green powder
1 tablespoon Manitoba Harvest Hemp Protein Powder
3/4 cup raw chocolate powder
1 teaspoon maca powder (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Sweet Strawberry Coulis:
1 (10oz) bag frozen strawberries, thawed (or fresh, stemmed)
1/4 cup raw agave nectar

Crust directions: Grind the cacao nibs in your food processor, fitted with the "S" blade, until they're broken up nicely, somewhat of a coarse powder. Add the coconut, shelled hemp seeds, salt and cayenne and process for a few seconds as you incorporate all of the ingredients together. Add the agave and dates and process until the mixture starts to stick together briefly when pressed together between your fingers. Press the crust in to the tart pan until it's smoothly and firmly inside the pan. This crust is a little sticky, so using some coconut oil on you hands, or a tool (spatula) used to press it in, can help. Place the crust in the freezer while you make the filling.

Filling directions: Blend all of the ingredients until creamy. Pour the filling on top of the crust. Place the pie in the freezer for about 1 1/2 hours to set. At this point you can slice the pie, top with Sweet Strawberry Coulis and enjoy, or transfer the pie to your refrigerator, or keep it in the freezer until you're ready to enjoy.

Coulis directions: Blend the ingredients together.