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Our lives,
so seemingly small, ripple out to the whole universe as tiny whispers like the sounds of butterfly wings, and the clear voice of the living truth. -J.L.D. |
I never had a flair for making traditional pies—the crust lacked that melt-in-your-mouth flakiness. The pecan, coconut, and almond nut crust for this pie is nearly foolproof, perfect for non-bakers like me. The slightly chunky texture brings the most satisfying crunch and flavor that complements the smooth and silky filling from the blueberries. And one of the pie's best features is that it sets up without any baking!
 When the blueberries come into season, which will be any day now, we stock up and Rex often comes home laden with whole flats. We amaze ourselves with how many blueberries we can consume in a single day! We eat them with strawberries and cherries for the most amazing fruit salad, throw them into smoothies, or turn them into pudding that's made by blending the blueberries with some cinnamon, nothing else. But pie is our absolute favorite. Just saying the word pie brings a smile to our hearts! Recipe for One 9" Blueberry Pie:
Ingredients for Crust:
Make the crust first. The reason being that once the blueberries have been blended to make the filling, they sometimes start to set up in less than 60 seconds!1 1/2 cup raw pecans 1/4 cup shredded coconut 1/4 cup raw almonds 2 Medjool dates 4 teaspoons agave nectar 1/4 teaspoon Himalayan or Celtic salt Directions for Crust:
Grind coconut and almonds in blender until as powdery as possible.Transfer to food processor. Add pecans, salt, and dates. Mix until texture is like very coarse corn meal. Add agave and mix. Pour into pie dish, spreading as evenly as possible. Press into place. That's it! Set aside. Ingredients for Filling:
For the best pie, use fresh blueberries. This pie can be made with frozen berries, but the texture and flavor will not be as good. In a pinch we've used frozen, and it's a decent substitute.4 cups fresh blueberries 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder Directions for Filling
Wash blueberries. Drain completely (Excess water can affect the setting up.)Discard any moldy or squishy one, and remove any stems. Take 1 cup whole berries and place in pie shell. Place remaining 3 cups berries in blender with cinnamon. Blend on highest speed for about 30 seconds. Pour over whole berries and into pie shell, spreading evenly. If you have extra berries, these can be sprinkled on the top. Allow to set, usually from 10 minutes to 1 hour. Serve, and enjoy! (The crust is crunchiest if eaten within an hour after pie sets.) Refrigerate leftovers, if any, covered, up to several days. A Little Story: For most of us, baking in the middle of summer is the last thing we'd want to do. We have memories of melting heat waves when we lived in Connecticut. Even breathing was almost too much to do on some of those days. This is one reason that for us, the most quintessential pie of summer, with blue skies, blue waters, and blue fruit, is blueberry! We've eaten blueberry pie at our evening concerts in the park, relishing every bite. Rex and I often bring this pie (or fresh peaches) to the beach for a yearly ceremony of our anniversary, when we renew our vows, sealing our new year together with a kiss. We've had blueberry pie for breakfast, or even for dinner as a main meal! We've eaten pie while sitting on the bluffs overlooking the Haro Strait, watching for our local ocras. People come from all over the world just hoping to catch glimpses of these highly evolved beings (unique from other species of killer whales) who interact all summer and fall with humans on an almost daily basis. 
We know that blueberries pack a powerful health punch. They are rich in phytonutrients, antioxidants, anti-inflamatories, and help protect against aging.A friend of ours, Darby, sent us this dramatic, and true life account of her Uncle Flip who became ill from radiation poisoning in the 1940's. He was given only months to live and took his family to Europe. Darby writes: "By the time they got to Italy he was deathly sick and because his immune system was so challenged, he got Typhoid Fever. On his deathbed he asked for blueberries. My mother took a train to Paris and brought back a case of berries. My uncle ate them, recovered from the Typhoid Fever, and, significantly, had no further effects from the radiation overdose." This story reminds us that we can create recipes for happiness every day, filled with ingredients that heal. Memorable moments, like eating blueberry pie for a humble and simple anniversary celebration, help to build a lifetime permeated with loving energy and delicious memories. Positive choices, made every day, will greatly impact our lives with a quality that brings peace, joy, and gratitude to both ourselves and the world. 
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