Pear Apple Mini Tarts

I still feel like I’m mildly recovering from all my Thanksgiving cooking in Malibu. Prepping a holiday meal for a dozen adults and four kids is no joke. Sure, I had to cook for them all every day, but there’s MUCH more pressure when it comes to the actual Thanksgiving day meal. Especially when I was cooking completely plant-based for people who don’t normally eat vegan.

Everything was a huge hit and everyone admitted what we ate that day was the best Thanksgiving dishes they’d ever had. Some of our items included my Vegan Pact classics like orange cranberry sauce, cauliflower mash with mushroom gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potato casserole, butternut squash apple stuffing and roasted parsnips.

And after all that…we still had room for dessert.

Which I ALWAYS make a sweet potato pie, a pumpkin pie and one other dish. My choice this year, I legit made up as I went along and was just trying to use up ingredinets I already. So, true to form, lately, the measurements porbably aren’t perfect. Basically, just cook down the apples and pears, until soft and cinnamony-y, in either water or apple/orange juice

These were honestly probably my favorite dessert and we topped them with a little vanilla coconut milk ice cream I made.

HEAVEN.

CRUST

1 cup raw pecans

1 cup raw almonds

1 cup pitted dates

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1 tbsp maple syrup (more to bind, if needed)

FILLING

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed

4 Bartlett pears, peeled and cubed

1/2-1 cup water/apple juice

2 tsp cinnamon

1 tsp pure vanilla

• For the crust, pulse all ingredients in a food processor until well crumbled and sticky (you’ll know when it’s good once it starts to fold into the center of the processor and it stays stuck together if you grab a piece)
• In muffin tins, (you can add a strip of parchment paper on the bottom of each one-makes it easier to pop them out once frozen) press down crust to form a small cup in each one
• Set in the freezer to mold for at least two hours
• For the filling, add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and stir
• Bring to a low boil and let simmer for 15-20 minutes until desired consistency-just don’t let it turn to mush!
• When your crusts have set, remove from freezer and muffin tins and immediately scoop apple mixture into each cup
• Top with coconut whip or vanilla ice cream and maybe some granola!