Vegetarian Cuisine

BANANA NUT TART
A wholesome oven baked pie crust with a delicious fruit and nut filling cooked on stove top.  The pie is chilled until set in refrigerator. Serves 8.

Ingredients for PIECRUST:
2 ½ cups rolled oats
1 ½ cups whole wheat flour
1 tablespoon honey or date syrup
2/3 cup oil
2 1/3 cups sunflower seeds
Water for mixing

Ingredients for FILLING
1 ¼ cups cashew nuts
5 ounces pitted dates
4 ½ cups water
2 tablespoons arrowroot
1 teaspoon grated orange zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 bananas, plus slices for decoration
1 ¾ cups chopped walnuts

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch loose-bottomed round tart pan or spring form pan.

To make the piecrust:

1. Mix all the ingredients together, adding a little water to bind them.
2. Spread the mixture in the greased pan, using your hand to spread the mix and press evenly around the bottom and side of the pan.
3. Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until golden.
4. Leave the pie shell to cool completely before removing from the pan.

To make the filling:

1. Put all the ingredients, except for the bananas and chopped walnuts, in a food processor or blender and puree until smooth.
2. Transfer the mixture to a pan and cook over low heat until thick.
3. Remove from the heat and leave to cool.
4. Slice the bananas into the pie shell.
5. Pour the cooled filling on top and decorate with banana slices and the chopped nuts.
6. Chill until set.

Source: The Yoga Cookbook. Vegetarian Food for Body and Mind. Recipes from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres. 1999.

Abstemious eating is the most important means of attaining longevity. – Sri Swami Sivananda