Sweet. Salty. Hearty. Nutty. Satisfying.

All fabulous adjectives to describe this recipe if you ask me!

This afternoon, I went for a run outside and my hands didn’t fall off from the cold! Do you know what this means?

Spring is coming.

And it’s coming fast.

I’m starting to think the Groundhog was right when he pointed to Spring coming right away this year. While we had a quick snowfall over the weekend, this morning it had all but melted away, leaving rivers of salty, sand-filled water behind. But I’m not complaining – Spring is one of my favorite seasons, so the faster it gets here the happier I am!

In preparation for Spring (and also as part of the Valentine’s Day pink theme) I’ve created the most delectable raw vegan dessert recipe. Are you starting to notice a trend with my recipes? They’re becoming ever-so-healthier the closer we get to March, because you know what the Easter season brings… Hint: Spring break and being bikini-body ready! 😉 (Not that I ever am, but oh well!)

My favorite way to enjoy an unbelievably healthy dessert is to not believe it’s healthy. Which with these decadent fruit tarts, you definitely won’t!

Let’s start off with the crust. Oh, the crust. The soft, melt-in-your-mouth caramel walnut crust. You really won’t believe this crust only contains three healthy, whole ingredients when you taste it, because between the caramel of the dates and buttery texture of the blended walnuts it would be easy to assume it’s chock full of unhealthy ingredients!

Which it most definitely isn’t! 🙂

Next we have the strawberry-raspberry cream. And oh Lord, this is where the recipe really gets decadent. Have you noticed that if you stick a fruit smoothie in the freezer before finishing it, a few hours later you’ll have a solid block of ice? Well, by including decadent cashews and coconut in this recipe, you allow the strawberry-raspberry cream to remain soft and, well, creamy.

Aka, you take a bite and this tart literally melts in your mouth.

This would be the perfect dessert to pack for a nice spring picnic, or even enjoy on the porch as the weather warms up. But even until then, what’s stopping you from enjoying a little decadent strawberry cream tart every once in a while?

Raw Vegan Strawberry Cream Fruit Tarts

• 3-4 pitted medjool dates
• 1/2 c walnuts
• 1/8 tsp sea salt
• 1 1/3 c fresh or frozen (thawed) strawberries
• 1/2 c raspberries
• 1/4 c raw cashews
• 1/4 c unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Add dates, walnuts, and sea salt to a food processor and blend until a soft dough forms. Line a mini cupcake tin with cupcake liners and add about a tsp of the mixture to each. Press down mixture in the bottom of each liner until smooth. Then, add cashews, coconut, and vanilla to a high speed blender (or food processor) and blend until the consistency of oat flour has been reached. Add strawberries and blend until smooth and glossy (about 5 minutes). Pour batter into each cupcake liner, over date crust. Smooth over with a spoon or knife. Top with sliced strawberries and extra coconut, if desired. Freeze for 1 hour, or until solid. Enjoy!

Nutrition Information (from myfitnesspal.com)

Calories: 60

Fat: 4g

Carbs: 7g

Protein: 1g

(Yields 14 servings)