A raw strawberry tart with a side of perseverance

I don't normally talk politics here, but I was among the 39% who voted against Amendment One in North Carolina. It was a vote cast for progress, hope, and equality. We lost the battle. I am saddened that my home state was close-minded, and that I've witnessed many harsh words being flung from both sides. I wasn't going to post a recipe today, because it seemed trivial compared to other things. But I decided that there is good that comes from bad. The fight for equality is far from over. Just look at this amazing endorsement from the President yesterday.

All of this reminded me of these raw strawberry tarts. Tarts that I made for a dear friend who has been fighting her own battles for months, the strongest and most beautiful person I know. She finished her last round of chemo recently. And that made me smile. Here's to perseverance.

"If you fell down yesterday, stand up today." - H.G. Wells

Raw strawberry tarts
Makes 11-12 individual tarts
Crust
1/4 c raw hazelnuts
3/4 c raw almonds
3/4 c dates
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract
pinch of sea salt

Filling
1 c raw cashews, soaked for 4 hours
1 c local strawberries
juice of half a lemon
1/4 c honey or maple syrup
1 tbsp coconut oil, melted & at room temperature
strawberry slices or raspberries to garnish

Line a 12-muffin tin with plastic wrap.

Put all the ingredients for the crust in a food processor. Pulse until combined and sticky. Add about two tablespoons of crust into each muffin cup, pressing into the bottom and a little up the sides.

Add the filling ingredients to the food processor (or Vita-Mix). Process until smooth, creamy, and very pink. Pour about two tablespoons into each muffin, right on top of the crust. Garnish with slices of strawberry or a single raspberry.

Place in the freezer to set. This will take about 4 hours. Let set at room temperature 10-15 minutes before eating. Perfect for those hot and humid days or for anyone looking for a light dessert.