Raw Vegan Ginger “Bananavo” Pie with Cacao Pepita Crust

Happy Friday! Today is 3/14, aka Pi Day. So instead of doing my bi-weekly Food Feature Friday, I’ll be posting a pi(e) recipe instead! This pie isn’t your typical pie. It doesn’t contain any flour, butter, or sugar. There’s no milk or cream. Yet it’s one of the creamiest pies I’ve ever eaten. So what is it, you ask? It’s raw. And vegan. And as far as the internet has told me, this pie doesn’t exist. Yet. Execpt for in my stomach. Right now.

I’ve been wanting to make a raw vegan pie for a while now, so this seemed like the perfect opportunity. While I don’t follow a raw or vegan diet, I do tend to incorporate raw/vegan foods into my diet fairly often — and who says your diet has to have labels anyway? Anything that’s healthy, delicious, and REAL is good enough for me. I also wanted the pie to be GREEN for St. Patrick’s Day on Monday! So it’s a Pi-Patrick’s Day Pie. That’s a thing, right?

I’d never used avocado in baked goods before, and the interwebz told me that Avocado Pie is a California “tradition” — but seeing as I’ve lived in California, oh I don’ know, my entire life and have never tried it before, I think they might be wrong. The traditional recipe calls for condensed milk which is obviously a big no-no if you’re dairy-free or vegan. So I decided to add cashews and banana instead. (P.S. Banana + Avocado = Bananavo… get it?)

So what’s it like? The avocado-cashew-banana base is thick and creamy and while it tastes ever so slightly of avocados, the ginger and banana definitely shine through. The subtly sweet cacao pepita (pumpkin seed) crust pairs perfectly with the soft spice of the filling. And all you need is a food processor to make it. What’s not to love?

Raw Vegan Ginger “Bananavo” Pie with Cacao Pepita Crust
grain-free, gluten-free, dairy-free, casein-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, Paleo, vegan

Cacao Pepita Crust:

• 1 1/2 cups raw pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
• 1 1/2 cups (~20) medjool dates, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, then pitted
• 1/2 cup raw cacao nibs
• 3 tablespoons raw cacao powder
• 2 tablespoons cold-pressed virgin coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

1. Combine all ingredients together in a food processor. The mixture will be done when slightly stuck together but not completely obliterated, about 3 minutes.
2. In a 9″ springform pan or pie dish, press the crust into the bottom of the pan and up the sides. If you’re using a springform, you’ll only want to press it about 2″ up the sides.

Ginger Bananavo Filling:

• 1 cup raw cashews, soaked for at least 3 hours
• 1 large banana
• 2 medium avocados
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/4 cup full fat coconut milk
• 3 inches fresh ginger root, peeled and minced

1. In the bowl of your food processor, purée the soaked cashews until they form a ball.
2. Add the remaining ingredients and process until smooth.
3. Pour into the crust and smooth the top with the back of a spoon or offset spatula. Chill in the refrigerator for 3 hours or overnight. Alternately, you can stick it in the freezer. It’s just as delicious frozen.

Note: the pie will lose some of its vibrant color once refrigerated. You can partially remedy this by pressing plastic wrap over the top of the pie to create a seal. I did this and “respread” the top layer with a spoon before I photographed it, which took care of most of the problem.

Have you ever tried avocado pie before? What’d you think of it? How about raw vegan “baking”? I want to know!

This post is part of the following blog linkups: Whole Food Fridays