This week we are stoked to have our friend and incredibly talented trail runner extraordinaire, Charity Dubberly, offer her raw peach tart recipe to all you rabbit fans. You can follow her healthy lifestyle and find other yummy recipes on her blog Garden Eats.

We would like to wish Charity all the best as she is about to have her 2nd baby in the next few weeks. Thank you Charity for offering you epic recipe to all of us!

This tart is one dessert that looks like a million bucks but is really quite easy to put together. You can use it all year long, varying the fruits based on what is in season. I like it best in the summer with peaches, when I don't feel like turning on the oven.

Dates might be the perfect athlete food. (One of my favorite fast early morning pre-run snacks is a date with a spoonful of almond butter and some chia seeds.) They are an excellent source of dietary fiber, magnesium, and potassium. The fiber is important to help regular the pace at which your body absorbs the sugars, so they are a great choice either before or after you exercise.

The protein and fat in the nuts round out the nutritional profile of this dessert, not to mention the sweet deliciousness of whatever fruit you choose as a natural plant-based treat.

And, in our current culture of varying dietary preferences, this one can satisfy most since its free of gluten or animal products.

There are many reasons to avoid refined, processed sugar as much as possible, but for our family, the two that stand out the most are:
1. Refined sugar wreaks havoc on your immune system. Since cutting out most sugar (and dairy), I've found that we get sick less often, and if we do it is fairly mild. (That is saying a lot when you have a 3-year-old in your house!)
2. Refined sugars cause inflammation. Some inflammation is good, but when you are working your body hard, its important to maximize your recovery efforts. 

Raw peach tart
Recipe adapted from The Rawtarian

Crust
1 1/2 cups nuts (I like to combine macadamia nuts and pecans, but walnuts or hazelnuts work great too)
1/2 cup dates, pitted
1 pinch sea salt
1/4 cup dried, unsweetened coconut

Cashew Cream filling
1 1/2 cups cashews
1/3 cup lemon juice
1/4 cup honey (or agave, or maple syrup)
1/8 cup coconut oil
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup water, if necessary to help blend into cream

Fruit
2-4 peaches, sliced very thinly
or 1 pint berries, sliced

Combine nuts, dates and salt in food processor. Run until well processed but still airy. Sprinkle coconut onto the bottom of an 8" or 9" pie plate, Springform pan, or square baking pan. Press the nut/date mixture down on top of the coconut to form the crust. Store in the refrigerator while you make the cashew cream.

Combine cashew cream filling ingredients (except water) into a high-speed blender. Add as little water as possible to get it to a creamy but thick texture. Spread mixture on top of the crust. Arrange sliced fruit on top, and store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To make a cheesecake version:
Double the filling. Pour on top of the crust, and pop into the freezer for about 1 hour. Blend 2 cups of frozen fruit (strawberries, blueberries, etc) with 1/2 cup dates, and pour on top of the filling. Freeze for at least 4-5 hours, then defrost for 30 minutes before eating for a softer texture.

To make an energy bite version (similar to a Larabar):
Combine the crust ingredients with 1/2-3/4 cup dried fruit of your choice (coconut, cherries, apricots, etc). Roll into balls or cut into squares. Store in the fridge for 1-2 weeks.