“Black and Blue” Berry Pie

Last week my hubby was feeling beaten. Beaten down by his demanding and stressful job, beaten down by the new responsibility he took on in our church, beaten down by the pressures of being a new father and husband.

I needed to do something to say I love you without saying “I love you”. I wanted him to come home to one of his favorite home cooked meals (brown sugar and garlic baked chicken, recipe coming soon!) and his favorite type of dessert-fruit pie. I went to the market and got what was on sale: blackberries and some blueberries. Thenceforth I readied the kitchen to bake him a “black and blue” berry pie. The name of this pie is dedicated not only to his love of  berry pies but also because he was feeling beaten black and blue mentally from the pressures and demands of the world and our rat race of a life. I’d venture to say we’ve all been there. I know I have.

Here’s what you do:

1. 3 cups berries ( I used 2 cups blackberries and 1 cup blueberries)
2. 1/2 cup Buckwheat flour (or whatever your flour of choice is)
3. 1/2 cup Coconut Palm sugar (again, whatever sugar works for you)
4. 2 pie crusts (I did not make these from scratch this time. I bought pre-made crusts for time’s sake. Recipe for my paleo buckwheat pie crusts here)
5. Full fat coconut cream (I used Marion’s Kitchen brand. Left in the refrigerator it condenses into a cream).

Preheat oven to 425F. Thoroughly wash berries, drain and coat the berries in the flour and sugar mixture. Spray pie pan with nonstick oil (I like coconut) and lay the first pie crust down. Fill the pie with the berries. Discard any loose flour and sugar mixture. Place the second crust on top and wrap edges around pie pan to seal. Flute the center of the pie and crimp the edges.

Cover pie crust edges with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Check pie often, and if pie crust is browning rapidly cover entire crust with foil. Reduce heat to 350 F and bake until filling is bubbly (about another 30-40 minutes). Let cool completely before cutting and topping with coconut cream. Enjoy!

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Jesus Christ was beaten and suffered immensely for His people as He was persecuted. The Bible is filled with accounts of the first Christians being persecuted. History is full of martyrs for the faith. The apostle Paul recalls:

“Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep, in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; 27In weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness.” 2 Corinthians 11:25-27

Yet he persevered. Jesus Christ persevered as He fulfilled scripture by continuing His journey to crucifixion. My husband continues. We must continue on in the midst of adversity, persecution and hardships. Just as The Lord commanded of Joshua, so He commands of us:

“Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.” Joshua 1:9

Selah my friends.