Ah Valentine's Day is right around the corner and whether you have a partner or are single you have no choice but to get sucked into all of the red and pink commercialized heart shaped confectionery thoughts about love. This day has the tendency to pressure lovers to buy teddy bears and to make otherwise happily single individuals eat tubs of ice cream in their pajamas.

I am not a believer in this day of cupid and his arrows, nor of red roses and over processed chocolates, it is too contrived and a bit stale for my tastes, instead I prefer a lover who cherishes and adores me on a regular ole' Tuesday, feeding me spoonfuls of ice cream while we snuggle on the couch. Call me crazy but I think a partner who buys you a present on a random Thursday because it reminded them of you is of higher quality than those who go all out for a day where they are instructed to be 'romantic' and 'thoughtful'.

Don't get me wrong, I believe in the frightening and awe inspiring feeling that we call love and I believe in the magic of a moment when two people are engrossed in one another, otherwise mesmerized by the sparkle of an eye or the mischief behind a grin, so much so that they exist in a bubble designed for two, but I do not think that those moments solely exist on February 14th but instead should be celebrated and coaxed forward with thoughtfulness, kindness, and intention, continuously nurtured and celebrated. As Tom Robbins states in one of my favorite books, Still Life with Woodpecker,

"When two people meet and fall in love, there's a sudden rush of magic. Magic is just naturally present then. We tend to feed on that gratuitous magic without striving to make any more. One day we wake up and find that the magic is gone. We hustle to get is back, but by then it's usually too late, we've used it up. What we have to do is work like hell at making additional magic right from the start. It's hard work, but if we can remember to do it, we greatly improve our chances of making love stay."

So remember that love is precious, fragile and often difficult to obtain therefore, I created this delicious little tart in celebration of the ever fickle and just as wondrous emotion because even though I do not believe in Valentine's Day as a holiday I do believe in this chocolaty goodness of a tart that is not only healthy for the body with its non gluten, non refined sugar, and non dairy simplicity but also healthy for the mind. The ingredients are an accomplice to all aspects of love, from its aphrodisiac qualities, serotonin boosting chemical reactions, heart healthy goodness and of course the increased blood flow caused by the cayenne's capsaicin content.

So take the time on a random Wednesday, to throw together this little tart and re-spark that magic while savoring the luscious decadence with your honey all in the name of making love stay for its best to remember that,

" Love is the ultimate outlaw. It just won't adhere to any rules. The most any of us can do is to sign on as its accomplice. Instead of vowing to honor and obey, maybe we should swear to aid and abet. That would mean that security is out of the question. The words "make" and "stay" become inappropriate. My love for you has no strings attached. I love you for free."

- Tom Robbins

Raw Vegan Chocolate Cayenne & Sea Salt Tart

Makes 2, 4.5" Tarts

Almond Crust

1/2 cup Raw Almonds

1 tbs Coconut Oil

4 PItted Dates

Pinch of Course Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

Chocolate Cayenne Filling

1 cup Pitted Dates

3/4 cup Unsweetened Cacao or Cocoa Powder

1 cup Coconut Milk

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper

Fresh Strawberries

Course Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

In a food processor prepare the crust by processing the almonds, coconut oil, dates, and sea salt until the almonds are broken down into a course meal and the mixture sticks together when pressed between your fingers, add another date if the crust is too dry. Transfer the crust mixture to two 4.5" tart pans or to two ramekins, pressing the crust with the back of a spoon to evenly distribute into the bottom. Any leftovers put aside for garnish.

Wipe out your food processor and blade before making the filling. Add the dates, coconut milk, cacao or cocoa powder, and cayenne, process for 5 minutes or until smooth, scraping down often. Divide the mixture between the 2 tarts or ramekins and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes to set.

Right before serving sprinkle any leftover crust over the top, arrange fresh strawberries and add a pinch of the course sea salt. Enjoy and healthy eating!

I love a little something sweet in my life but I do not like how sugar effects my body. Sugar has always been an enemy for me for as a youth not only was I overweight but I was addicted to sugary substances and craved candy and confections daily. It is often thought that all vegetarians are healthy but that is not the case, you can still be a junk food vegetarian for candy, cakes, cookies, chips, and all of those other processed foods are also meat free!

As I became an adult and began to be more cognizant about what I was eating, I began to recognize these cravings and wondered what to do about them. At this point I was eating loads of veggies, running 5 miles a day and feeling pretty great and then one day I would splurge on a few sour patch kids and could instantly feel that desire to eat every single one and that need to have something sweet after every meal. My sweet tooth was incredibly immense so I began to cut sugar out of my diet.

I am not going to lie to you and tell you that I never eat sugar. If I am at a party I eat cake, if I want a cookie, I go for it and on occasion I do eat a bag of sour patch kids but the thing is that having cut out sugar for so long, items laden with it seem almost too sweet, sickly so. To top it off, unfortunately those sugary treats instantly give me a headache, make my ears itch and can lead to yeast over growth and really, who wants to be bothered with all of that.

That being said, I prefer to fulfill my self proclaimed sweet tooth in a more natural way, sticking to honey or maple syrup and now that I do not eat sugar on a regular basis, those sweeteners seem plenty sweet to me!

With the holiday season in full swing, I always challenge myself to make a healthier dessert so that I am not tempted into overindulgence by any of those sugary baked goods. Instead I choose to finish my meal with a touch of natural sweetness and whole foods that didn't undergo endless processing. I made this beautiful tart as an addition to my Thanksgiving meal and felt that it was a wonderful success. My only complaint is that I wish I had a smaller springform pan for a taller end product but maybe I will get one for the holidays - wishlist anyone!

This raw pear tart is simple in its ingredient list, just sweet enough, easy to make and beautiful to look at. I hope that you enjoy!

P.S. I also eat this for breakfast without any guilt!

Raw Salted Caramel and Pear Tart

Crust

1 cup walnuts

12 Dates

1 tbs Coconut Oil

1 cup Rolled Oats

Salted Caramel

15 Dates

1/2 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1/4 cup water

Cashew Pear Filling

1 cup cashews, soaked for at least 2 hours

9 Dates

2 Pears, peeled and cored

1 tbs Coconut Oil

1 tbs Arrowroot Starch

2 tbs Honey (use maple syrup if vegan)

1 tbs Cinnamon

Pinch of Salt

3 Pears, cored and sliced

Process the walnuts, coconut oil and oats in a food processor into a course crumb. Add one date at a time until the mixture starts to hold together. Press the mixture into a spring form pan. I used a 9in. for a thicker tart, utilize a smaller pan. Place in the freezer to set.

Process the dates and sea salt in a food processor, slowly add water until you reach the desired consistency. You could also use coconut milk for a creamier caramel as well. Spread the caramel over the crust. Halve one pear, coring and slice thinly, arranging on top of the caramel and return to the freezer.

Place the soaked and drained cashews, dates, coconut oil, cinnamon, salt, honey and arrowroot starch into the bowl of the food processor. Process until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes or so. Pour and spread the mixture evenly over the caramel and pears. Core and thinly slice the remaining 2 pears, organizing them on top of the tart. Sprinkling remaining walnuts and drizzling with honey. Freeze for at least 4 hours to set.

Let defrost for 1/2 hour before serving. Enjoy!

Valentine Edition: Raw Vegan Chocolate Cayenne & Sea Salt Tart

Raw Vegan Chocolate Cayenne & Sea Salt Tart

Raw Salted Caramel, Cashew and Pear Tart with a Walnut Oat Crust

Raw Salted Caramel and Pear Tart

Crust

Salted Caramel

Cashew Pear Filling