Brad surprised me with this delightful dish as my birthday cake last Thursday. I’ll be honest with you: I don’t think I’ve ever had a better birthday cake. It is raw, vegan, gluten-free, packed with nutrients and – most important of all – it tastes incredible.
I’ll admit I was initially a little high on the thoughtful gesture from the Best Husband in the World, but he made enough for leftovers. After two days and some of his quirks later, it still tastes great. 🙂
This will put you right back in touch with how great real food actually tastes.
- 1 cup each raspberries, blackberries, blueberries, and sliced strawberries (not too thin)
- ½ cup raw walnuts
- ½ cup raw almonds
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- ⅓ cup medjool dates, pitted
- ¼ cup raw honey or maple syrup
- 3 Tbs raw hemp seeds (or flax)
- 1 tsp raw vanilla-bean powder or 2 teaspoons vanilla, divided
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, divided
- 2 pinches sea salt, divided
- Make the filling by combining in a large bowl the berries, agave nectar, half of the cinnamon, half of the vanilla-bean powder (or vanilla), and a pinch of sea salt. Stir well to combine and set aside for 20 minutes.
- Make the crisp topping by placing the walnuts, almonds, hemp seeds, and coconut in a food processor or heavy-duty blender and process for 30 seconds to roughly chop. Add dates, another pinch of salt, and the remaining vanilla and cinnamon. Process for about 1 minute or until the mixture sticks together.
- Divide the berry filling mixture evenly among 4 glass bowls. Top each with one-fourth of the crisp topping mixture. Serve immediately or chill as desired. Another serving option is to place all of the berry-filling mixture in a large glass bowl (or 8-inch glass pan) and top with the crisp topping mixture.
Health Benefits:
Berries are packed with critical antioxidants, flavonoids, and phytochemicals (vitamin C and lutein to name just a couple). Berries boost your immune system, boost your vision and eye health, help prevent bacterial infections, act as an anti-inflammatory, and prevent the growth and spread of certain cancers.
Walnuts are called the food of the Gods. They boost the immune system, they’re a good source of omega 3 fatty acids and act as an anti-inflammatory, they help protect from heart disease, they nourish the brain, and they also reduce bad cholesterol levels (LDL) while promoting higher good cholesterol levels (HDL).
Almonds are great source of copper and iron, and help prevent anemia. They are great for your brain, digestive system, and they even promote healthy skin, hair and nails.
Coconut is a good source of protein, calcium, and phosphorous. It also helps destroy intestinal parasites.
Dates are packed with essential nutrients like potassium, calcium, iron, magnesium, copper, phosphorous, and manganese. They also contain a lot of fiber and are great for digestive health and avoiding cancer.
Cinnamon is amazing. It helps reduce bad cholesterol, helps regulate blood sugar levels, helps relieve arthritis pain, helps prevent yeast infections, helps prevent the spread of some cancers, and has antibacterial properties and helps prevent spoilage when combined with other foods.
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