Sweet Strawberry Pie

2 pounds fresh strawberries with tops removed, quartered

Juice of half a lemon

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ cup brown rice syrup

Pinch of sea salt

2 cups raw almonds

1¾ cups pitted dates

Combine the strawberries, lemon juice, vanilla extract, brown rice syrup, and sea salt in a bowl and toss to combine. Set aside.

Place the almonds in a blender and pulse on high until they resemble bread crumbs. Empty the almonds onto a plate.

Place the dates in the blender with about a teaspoon of water and pulse on high until they are well chopped — they will be a little clumpy. Combine the almonds and dates until they hold together, then press them evenly onto the bottom and sides of a pie plate to form the crust.

Spoon berries generously into the crust, discarding any remaining liquid. Refrigerate for 2 hours before slicing into wedges and serving.

Serves six to eight.

GMB tips: We found that this worked best when we sliced the strawberries very thin or cut them into small chunks.

Room temperature or slightly warm lemons yield the most juice. Microwave the lemon for about 10 seconds (no more), then roll it on the counter with the palm of your hand a few times before you cut it in half. Use a squeezing tool or juicer if you have one. If you don’t, just place a strainer over a bowl and hold the lemon over it while simultaneously squeezing it and poking the pulp with a fork.

Christina Pirello in the “Green Market Baking Book” (2011 Sterling)