MINCE PIE (raw) - Chef RUSSELL JAMES

[Guest guest]

Wow, this may be a gift to share with my gym buds (trainer and

staff) by Chef that Knowler shared in her weekly

newsletter today. Enjoy and yes raw.

Raw Mince Pie -

Makes 15 pies

Ingredients:

For the pastry

* 1 cup almonds

* 1 cup walnuts

* 1 cup pecans

* 1 cup raw jumbo rolled oats

* 20 dried soft apricots

For the filling

* 7 soft dates

* juice of 1 orange

* 1 teaspoon orange zest

* 1 apple

* ½ teaspoon mixed spice

* 1 cup raisins

For the cream

* 1 cup courgette (zucchini), peeled and chopped

* ¼ cup agave nectar

* 1 cup cashews, soaked 2 hours

* 1 teaspoon psyllium husk powder

* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1) Soak nuts overnight and fully dry them in a dehydrator.

2) To make the pastry, first process the nuts and oats in a Vita-Mix

dry jug or coffee mill so that you end up with a fine 'flour'.

3) Transfer the mixture to a food processor with an 'S' blade. Add

apricots one at a time until the whole mixture becomes sticky. If

you are using apricots that have been soaked, you may find that you

already have a dough-like consistency. If the mixture isn't forming

a ball in the processor at this point then add some water (soak

water if you soaked the apricots) a few tablespoons at a time until

it does.

4) Roll out the mixture on a flat surface so that it is about twice

the thickness of a pound coin. If mixture sticks to the rolling pin,

mill some more oats to dust the rolling pin with. Alternatively you

can wet the rolling pin; either works well.

5) Using a pastry cutter that will cut a base to the required size

for your baking tray, cut the 'bases' from the rolled out dough.

Place these in a muffin baking tray that has been lined with cling

film. You will need to re-form and re-roll the dough to get the most

from it. Use any left over dough to build extra pies!!!

6) Remove stones and flowers from dates and place in food processor.

Add the orange juice, zest and mixed spice. Process and add water as

needed to produce a creamy consistency. Mixture will need to

occasionally be scraped from the sides of the processor using a

spatula.

7) Chop apple into small pieces and add to mixture. Process for a

further 15 seconds. Add raisins to mixture and stir in with a wooden

spoon/spatula.

8) Remove bases after the 3 hours and fill with raisin mixture.

9) To warm the pies, return them to the dehydrator on mesh sheets

for as long as you can keep your hands off 'em!!! They should be

ready after an hour.

10) Whilst they are warming, process the courgette (zucchini), agave

and vanilla in a blender until smooth. Add the cashews and process

again until mixture becomes smooth again. Add the psyllium and blend

a final time. When fully blended leave the mixture to firm up for 5

minutes. Transfer this mixture to a piping bag and pipe onto the

warmed pies. You are now ready to enjoy raw mince pies with whipped

cream!

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Enjoy......carolg