This is my version of a popular dessert in the raw food world. I love the refreshing, not-too- sweet taste and the fact that it is supremely satisfying.

If you’ve never sprouted anything before, buckwheat chips are the perfect introduction to the world of these enzyme-rich and nutrient-dense foods.

Raw buckwheat is available from most health food stores, sprouts easily, and the chips are a slightly nuttier version of rice crispies, which can be sprinkled on oatmeal or mixed into granola recipes. You can soak, sprout,and dry the buckwheat well in advance, and keep it in an airtight jar.

(Yield: 6 Tartlets)

Ingredients

For the Crust

 1/2 cup (80g) sprouted, dried buckwheat (see Note below)

 1 1/2 Tbsp melted coconut oil

 1 cup (125g) shelled, unroasted cashews, soaked for a few hours and drained

 Grated zest of 1 lemon, plus extra to serve

 3/4 cup (55g) dry unsweetened coconut

 Pinch of sea salt

 5 large soft Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

For the Filling

 Scant 1 cup (120g) shelled, unroasted macadamia or pecan nuts, soaked for a few hours then drained

 3/4 cup (180ml) mixture of lemon and lime juice (about 2 large lemons and 3 limes)

 2 large avocados (260 to 280g each), peeled and pitted

 1/4 cup (60ml) honey

 Pinch of sea salt

 1 teaspoon good-quality lemon extract or a few drops of lemon oil

 2 tablespoons liquid coconut oil

Procedure

1. Blitz all the ingredients for the crust in a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse, wet sand. Scrape out and press into 6 mini tart pans, 4in (10cm) diameter.
Refrigerate while you make the filling.

2. In a powerful blender, blend all the ingredients for the filling until very smooth. If using a regular blender, the result will not be quite as smooth, so you may want to strain the mixture through a strainer. Taste, and if it is too tart, add another tablespoon or two of honey, bearing in mind that the crust is sweet and offsets the filling beautifully.

3. Spoon the filling into the tart shells and refrigerate for at least 4 hours. Carefully unmold each tart and serve with fresh blueberries and some fresh lime or lemon zest. They keep well in their pans in the refrigerator for a day or two.

Note:

To sprout raw, unroasted buckwheat (not kasha), soak 2 cups of buckwheat groats in three times their volume of fresh water for 12 to 18 hours, changing the water (it will go slimy) once during this time. Then drain, rinse off any sliminess, and leave for a day or two in a sprouting jar, mesh bag, or strainer, loosely covered with a piece of paper towel or cloth, rinsing well and giving a stir twice a day. Once most of the grains have started sprouting (you will see a tiny little tail forming), spread them all out on a tray or baking sheet and dry in a dehydrator or at a very low temperature (about 149°F / 65°C) in the oven until crisp, usually for 12 to 24 hours. The low temperature is essential to preserve the enzymes in the sprouts, but if you are pressed for time, you could increase the temperature and reduce the baking time.
Recipe excerpted with permission from Eat More Greens by Zita Steyn,

published by Quadrille Publishing March 2017, RRP $24.99 hardcover.