Clean Food, Recipe #1- Nuts over Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie

So this is the last recipe I have to write about tonight.  I made this a few days ago for a special treat with the berries and rhubarb that we got from our CSA.  This recipe is fantastic for a few reasons- it's a great way to use up fresh, in season ingredients, it's healthy, but still sweet enough that it will fulfill a craving, and lastly it's gluten-free.  How awesome is that?  Vegan AND gluten-free- a great recipe to make for a party or gathering too since so many people are allergic to gluten these days.  It DOES have lots of nuts though, so not a good pick if you have friends or family with nut allergies.  Anyway, it's a cinch to put together and so tasty.  You start by making the crust.  This is super easy because it's done in the food processor.  You pulse together equal parts almonds, walnuts, and pecans in the food processor until they resemble coarse meal.  Then you pulse in some brown rice flour, maple syrup, canola oil, and sea salt.  This is your crust and also your topping- it serves double duty- so cool!  So, you take 2/3 of this mixture and pat it down into a pie plate and then bake it at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes.  While the crust cools slightly you make the filling.  All you do is combine some apple juice and maple syrup in a saucepan and bring it to a boil.  Once boiling you whisk in some arrowroot and agar powder (the agar powder elluded me- I couldn't find it anywhere, so I just left it out and stuck with the arrowroot powder).  Once the mixture thickens a bit you add in some rhubarb and strawberries and cook it down until the rhubarb begins to break up.  Pour it into the pie shell and then top it with the rest of the crust mixture and bake for 40 more minutes.  One note- be sure to place the pie plate on a baking sheet while baking- it WILL overflow a little bit, so be prepared and don't destroy the bottom of your oven!  I love this pie- it's the perfect balance of sweet and sour and the nuts add a heartiness and richness that truly makes it stand out.  I have some friends that are allergic to gluten and this is now going to be a great recipe in my back pocket for summer get-togethers with them- now no one needs to feel left out at dessert time!  (And those of us who are not gluten sensitive can enjoy it too- it's perfectly delicious!)

My rating- 9