Raw Blueberry Pie (aka Blueberry Un-Gel-O)

Perfect for summer! All raw, gluten-free, delicious, and (obviously) vegan.

This recipe is perfect for the hot summertime, when fresh blueberries are at their peak, and the idea of turning on the oven is discouraging. This recipe will only work with FRESH, not frozen or canned, blueberries. It’s easy to make, quick to gel, and is a big hit at potlucks.

 

Blueberry Un-Gel-O Pie

Recipe By: adapted from 30 Days @ Delights of the Garden, by Imar Hutchins
Serves 8
Preparation Time: 0:30

crust
1 cup pecans
2 cups raisins

filling
1 1/2 pints blueberries
1/4 cup raisins
1/4 cup dates chopped
fresh fruit

Grind pecans and raisins together in a food processor until they form a dough. Press dough into bottom of an 8 or 9 inch pie plate. Put crust in freezer for 10 or 15 minutes, until firm.

Don’t bother washing the workbowl of the food processor. Rinse the blueberries and remove any stems. Process blueberries, raisins, and chopped dates together in the food processor until they form a fairly smooth gelatinous filling. While the food processor is running:

Remove crust from freezer, and cover bottom with chopped fruit of your choice (banana slices and chopped peaches are especially nice). Pour in filling (Don’t dawdle! The blueberry mixture in the food processor will set up in minutes after you turn it off), then garnish pie with fruit of choice. Kiwi slices, peach slices, and strawberries are very pretty.

Chill the pie for at least one-half hour (one to two hours makes a firmer pie) then slice and serve.

Cook’s notes:

You can use pretty much any nuts and dried fruit that you like or have on hand for the crust. I like raisins with the blueberry filling, and they’re generally the cheapest, but feel free to experiment.

Banana slices under the gelled mixture will hold up quite well, but don’t garnish the top of the pie with any fruit that oxidizes rapidly unless you are serving the pie right away. You can wait to garnish pie until just before serving, but you will have to press fruit into the gelled mixture.

Additional bonus: the dough recipe can be used to make raw “cookies.” Make the dough as described, then pat the dough into flat patties the size of silver dollars. Put them in the freezer to firm. After they firm up, store them in a freezer bag or box.