Enjoy This Surprise Vegan Chocolate Pie

Enjoy This Surprise Vegan Chocolate Pie

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This chocolate pie feels decadent, rich, and indulgent, without any harmful ingredients. You could serve this to any health-food naysayer and they’d never know the difference. The filling is thick and creamy from real coconut milk and topped with a dairy-free whip for the ultimate treat. Also, the addition of a scoop of our Chocolate Daily Shake adds protein and vitamins.

RAW NUTS FOR A CHOCOLATE PIE CRUST

Pie crust is rarely touted as a health food. Normally it is a mixture of processed flour, sugar, and low-quality dairy. While the taste may be fine, the damage to your body is not. This chocolate pie crust is a completely different story, and is cleanse-approved. We’ve combined raw pecans, walnuts, dates, and cacao for a crust that has the perfect amount of crunch and saltiness to balance out the rich filling. It isn’t baked so you receive all of the nutrients in their untouched form. It’s the perfect blend of salty, sweet, and chocolatey.
Pecans contain a substance called oleic acid, which is an omega-3 that is usually found in plants, seeds, and nuts. Olive oil is also rich in oleic acid, which is part of the reason it is so touted as a superfood. Oleic acid lowers bad cholesterol and is a source of good cholesterol (our bodies actually produce and require cholesterol – it’s not all bad)! Oleic acid also has the ability to clean out plaque buildup in arteries, helping to keep circulation strong and prevent heart disease. Because of its antioxidant properties, oleic acid also helps fight premature aging, inflammation, and free radical damage throughout the body.
Like pecans, walnuts are also rich in omega-3s and specifically oleic acid. So, you’ll receive a double dose of these important monounsaturated fats in our crust. Walnuts’ essential fatty acids content has huge benefits for heart health, antioxidant power, and bone health. If you aren’t already, you can consider supplementing with EPA-DHA for a regular dose of those oh-so-important omega-3s.

CRAZY FOR CACAO

Cacao is not only responsible for the chocolate flavor in the creamy filling and crunchy crust, but also adds multiple benefits to this recipe. Cacao is incredibly rich in antioxidants (in fact, it has forty times the antioxidant power of blueberries). It also contains more calcium than cow’s milk plus significant amounts of magnesium, which is a cofactor to our bodies absorbing and using calcium. Cacao is also an excellent source of iron which is particularly important for women and vegans. This chocolate pie is a winner any time.

Ingredients:

Crust:
1 cup raw walnuts
1 cup raw pecans
1 cup dates, pitted and soaked
3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling:
1 can coconut milk
1/4 cup nut milk
1 cup raw cashews, soaked for 2-3 hours
1/4 cup tapioca powder
1/2 cup coconut palm sugar
1/4 cup raw cacao
1 scoop of Chocolate Daily Shake (optional)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
Topping:
2 can coconut milk, full fat, refrigerated for 24 hours
1 teaspoon vanilla
Coconut flakes

Directions:

Place dates into a bowl and cover with hot water. Let dates soak for 10 minutes. Generously grease pie pan with coconut oil.
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Pulse pecans, walnuts, and cacao in a food processor until finely minced and fully combined. Remove nut mixture and add dates to the food processor. Pulse to a mince, then re-add nuts and combine into a sticky and thoroughly combined crust mixture.
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Press mixture evenly into greased pan and set aside.
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Place crust in the freezer while you prepare the filling. Place all filling ingredients into a high power blender. Blend until completely smooth and creamy.
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Add blended mixture into a glass bowl or double boiler. Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a medium saucepan. Once boiling, lower heat to keep at a simmer. Place bowl of the filling mixture over simmering water. Whisk regularly for about 12-15 minutes until mixture is thickened. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
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Pour pudding mixture into crust and spread evenly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. Also, place coconut milk cans into the refrigerator for making whipped topping.
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Make whip topping. After being refrigerated a thick, solid cream will separate to the top of the coconut milk can. Remove the solid cream and store liquid for use later. Add cream to a mixer with vanilla and use an electric mixer to whisk cream until a fluffy whipped topping remains. Store whip in the refrigerator until pie is ready.
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Spread whip over pie and sprinkle with toasted coconut flakes, if using. You can optionally add a small amount of stevia or coconut palm sugar if you prefer a sweet whip.
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Tip: If the filling does not set after being refrigerated, it’s likely it wasn’t cooked quite enough. Fortunately, 60 minutes in the freezer will fix this and the pie will be perfect!

Recipe and photography by Kaitlyn Noble