Sandy CPB Pavlova! GF, SCD, V Opt’n!

Well, I’m hunkered down and cozy as Hurricane Sandy is raging outside. I can literally hear the wind howling through the streets. The trees (yes there are a few trees in NYC) are thrashing around. BUT, I still have power (knock on wood!!) and I’ve actually had a really productive day!

Aaaaand, I even made a stellar recipe!! This recipe does take a lot of time…not active time, but baking time. So…make this on a slow weekend…or when you’re stuck in a hurricane:)

dramatic inside, dramatic outside #sandy

What it is?

Well I’ll give you a hint…it can be dessert OR dinner!!! And it’s made with…vegetables:)

It’s a……..CPB Pavlova!! C for Carrots, P for Pears, and B for Beets!!!

so whimsical!

And if you don’t know what a pavlova is, it is a meringue tart. (Not vegan…sorry!!! But the filling is vegan, and amazing on its own!!) It’s light as air, crispy, chewy, and just heavenly.

the pears finish it off perfectly!

I filled it with a sweet, and tasty filling of CPB! :)

And it’s Gluten Free and Specific Carb Diet Friendly!

what a bite!

Here’s what you need:

2 egg whites, whipped to stiff peaks
3 packets pure stevia powder – about 1 tsp (SCD use 1 tsp honey)
1/2 tsp cinnamon

2 small beets or 1 medium beet, diced and steamed
1 large carrot, chopped and steamed
1 pear, peeled and chopped (reserve 3 slices for garnish)
1/4 cup raw cashews
2 “droppers-ful” pure liquid stevia (SCD use 2 tsp honey)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees. In a bowl, whip your egg whites until they form stiff peaks. (I did this BY HAND with a whisk! phew! But a hand or stand mixer would work just fine:)) Then, whisk in your cinnamon and sweetener. On a parchment-paper-lined baking sheet, create a circular mound of meringue. With the back of a spoon or spatula, form a little crater in the center for you to put your filling in later. Then bake for 2 hours. Then, turn the oven off (without opening the door) and leave them in the oven for 2 more hours!

With about an hour left, steam your beets and carrots. Then, put them into your food processor along with the beets, cashews and sweetener. Process until smooth and creamy. Put in a bowl, set aside, and clean your food processor while you wait for the Pavlova to finish drying/baking.

cloud-like pavlova right out of the oven!

After the 4 hours is complete, dollop about 1/2 of the CPB mixture in the center of your pavlova, and garnish with the slices of pear.

This. Rocked!! Oh my goodness, it was crazy delicious, and super healthy! What’s not to love?! It was a dramatic dish with the deep crimson cream and the “sandy” (from the cinnamon) pavlova. There was a certain aspect of whimsy with the cloud-like appearance of the pavlova and the mountain of red and white.

oh. yum.

And boy was it tasty!! The flavor was so deep and fabulous! The CPB cream had this rich, earthy sweetness that was highlighted perfectly by the sweet and spicy pears.

Finally, the texture of the pavlova was unlike anything I’ve ever had. It was crunchy on the outside, and chewy on the inside. And paired with the thick and decadent cream, it was just marvelous.

look at that texture!

For a gal in a hurricane, I’d say this is pretty swell:) — get it? swell? ;) haha oh man, I’ve been cooped up for too long!

Are you in the path of Sandy? Do you like storms?

Until tomorrow!

This recipe was brought to you by my Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer, as well as my food processor! I absolutely love them. Here's the ones I use and highly recommend: