Like so many people out there, stress causes me to revert to my sugar laden days of sour patch kids and gummy bears. I’ll admit it, I have a problem, it is a raging sweet tooth that just will not quit! Over the years, as my diet has changed so has that sweet tooth but when stress hits, those sugar cravings happen hard. I know that sugar is my enemy. It wreaks havoc on my system, it is the biggest culprit of all of my heath issues and I know without it I feel better and healthier. it instantly gives me a headache, makes my ears itch and causes bacteria imbalances up the wazoo, literally. I have fought this battle for a long time, I don’t even enjoy those sweet treats anymore but old habits are hard to break and stress is a powerful caller of the all mighty confection.

Sugar is one of those things that hooks us at the first bite - think about kids, one taste and off they go, bouncing off the walls and craving more and more. It causes our insulin levels to spike, our taste buds to go nuts and it forces us to go back again and again just like any other addiction. Who ever can have just one jelly bean is a saint.

Even naturally occurring sugars can get us if we aren’t careful. I am a big believer in the power of fruits and vegetables and eating a wide variety of them for health but even I have fallen into the trap of only eating fruit which is delicious because it is SWEET!! Ensuring that vegetables are the majority of your diet can be difficult at times but also rewarding for your overall health.

That being said, sometimes you just have to give in, you have to indulge in a little bit of sweetness and when that need happens its best to be prepared so that you do not reach for those preservative filled, non-nutritious cookies, cakes, and candies from your grocery store. The following recipe is gluten and grain free, and utilizes an amazing product, monk fruit sugar. Monk fruit is an Asian fruit that has been used in medicine for centuries. It is extremely sweet so is often cut with erythritol. It is great for baking as it does not cause a spike in blood sugar, it has no calories, no carbs, and is great for all of use who are watching our sugar intake (even honey or maple syrup , although natural and healthy can cause a blood sugar spike).

The recipe is not vegan as I did use 2 eggs but I am sure you could use an egg replacer in order to veganize it.

Gluten Free Carrot Cake with Rum Raisins, Coconut, Orange and Tahini

1 cup Almond Flour

1/4 cup Coconut Flour

1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp each of Nutmeg, Ginger, Cardamom

2 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp Pink Himalayan Sea Salt

1/4 Monk Sugar

2 Eggs

1/4 cup Coconut Oil, melted and cooled

1/2 cup Almond Milk

1/4 cup Tahini

2 cups Shredded Carrots

1/2 cup raisins soaked in rum for 1 hour and drained (optional)

Zest of 1 Orange

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil an 8” cake pan and line with parchment paper, greasing the paper as well.

In a medium bowl combine the almond flour, coconut flour, coconut, baking soda and spices. Set aside.

In a large bowl cream the sugar and eggs (use a mixer or by hand) add the coconut oil, almond milk and tahini, stir until well combined. Stir in the carrots, raisins and orange zest before slowly adding your flour into the mixture.

Divide into the 2 pans and bake for 30 minutes or until the cake is set and a toothpick comes out clean. Cool and enjoy.

*I took the cake and cut it into small circles for serving and topped with coconut cardamom whipped cream and a splash of the raising rum but feel free to experiment.

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!