Appetite For Instruction: Raw Pineapple Cobbler

Recipe Demonstrated by Miranda Martinez

On Monday we introduced you to Miranda Martinez, self-proclaimed "regular person raw foodist". The Dallas-based actress went all raw back in 2007, after running through just about every diet known to humankind. She dropped 60-plus pounds and now she's busy spreading the word about her new way of life--often through samples of her unique raw treats.

Miranda's Raw Pineapple Cobbler was born of something of an emergency at Bliss Raw Café. Dessert-less, with no time to babysit a complicated recipe, the crew turned to amateur chef Miranda to whip up something sinfully healthy on the fly. Her recipe, unlike many raw concoctions, doesn't require specialized equipment or hours of prep, which makes it great for us regular eaters, too.

Light and fresh, with a vanilla-scented fruit and nut crumble topping, this cobbler is perfect on a hot summer day when nobody--raw foodist or otherwise--wants to turn on the oven.

Step 1: Combine ¾ cup pecans, ¾ Medjool dates, a pinch of sea salt and one minced vanilla bean (see Step 2) in the bowl of a food processor. Process to the consistency of coarse crumbs. Set topping aside and reserve food processor for Step 4.

Step 2: Instead of splitting and scraping, Miranda makes use of the entire vanilla bean by mincing it whole to use in this recipe. Her patience is rewarded with intense vanilla flavor, and nothing goes to waste.

Step 3: Peel and dice 1 ½ pineapples, reserving one core.

Step 4: Combine ¾ cup coconut butter (available at Whole Foods), ¾ Medjool dates, 2 tbsp. of agave nectar, ½ minced vanilla bean, 1 cup of the diced pineapple and the reserved core in the bowl of the food processor. Process until smooth.

Step 5: Fold together filling mixture and remaining pineapple chunks. Spread half of crust mixture in the bottom of a large casserole dish and top with filling. Sprinkle remaining crust mixture on top of the cobbler.

Step 6: Serve immediately or chill for a firmer consistency. Oh, and if you're worried about picky eaters, just call it "No-Bake Piña Colada Crumble". They'll eat it up.