Sometimes a dessert comes along that totally knocks your socks off and this is one of them. Over the years I’ve given you tons of recipes but there are some key ones that people mention again and again: Nutrifit banana bread, Holy Crap cookies, the chicken, apple and butternut squash casserole, Mexican quinoa, coconut caramel energy bites, the green smoothie and the Moroccan salad.

I’ll pop these up on Facebook over the weekend in case you missed them. But we have a new one for the collection now — and you have to make it, it’s so good!

I’ll be honest, this one isn’t entirely mine. The inspiration came from Deliciously Ella and I just fiddled with the recipe — mainly to make it work with what I had in the house, but also because I really love a lime zing, so I amplified that a little. I’ve used a walnut crust too which I really love, but almonds or pecans would be good as well.

Why do we get to call this a detox dessert? Well, mainly because this was the treat we came up with for the end of our two-week, January cleanse and detox.

There’s no reason why you can’t have an occasional sweeter dish within a healthy-eating lifestyle, but it really helps if the ingredients are genuinely nourishing.

This recipe uses avocado, coconut milk and lime for the filling. It’s creamy, just sweet enough and there’s so much zing.

Avocado helps to support both phase one and two of liver detoxification pathways so there’s a legitimate (if tenuous) link to detox for you.

And in addition, using nuts in the base helps to raise the protein content. This helps to steady the sugar release and makes a little, enough. Note that as a rule of thumb, I would suggest that if you are having dessert, you skip the carbs with your main meal. So pick protein and non-starchy veggies instead! (Remember that carrots, corn, squash and pumpkin are all starchy.)

A quick note for you before I go. Next week, I have the first of a three-part Natural Kids series taking place.

This mini-course is designed for parents and caregivers. We’ll be looking at what kids really need to thrive (and what they don’t) as well as studying how nutrition impacts mood, learning and behaviour.

I’ll be showing you quick and easy ways to amp up the nutrient density of what your kids are eating and share tips for dealing with fussy eating and making dinner time go more smoothly too.

All the details are online at Natural.bm. It’s free for members and $30 per session for non-members. Hope to see you!

Key Lime Pie

(adapted from Deliciously Ella)

Makes one large pie (10-12 inch pan) or 14 individual pies in a muffin pan

Base ingredients

2¾ cups walnuts (pecans would work well too)

25 Medjool dates, pitted

2 tbs extra virgin coconut oil

Filling ingredients

4 large, ripe avocados

¾cup full-fat coconut milk (the solid part)

4-5 large juicy limes, juiced (and some zest)

1 cup maple syrup

Optional: you can use tiny Key limes (Miles) for the zest — which is more fragrant.

Method

1, Place your can of coconut milk in the fridge for a few hours before use so that the contents separate and harden. You want to use the part at the top of the can which will be hard and white.

2, Put all the base ingredients in a food processor and blend until they form a ball of dough around the blade. It might take a little while.

3, Press the base into your pan — either in one layer on the large pan, or into the muffin moulds. If using the muffin pan, press the base into the bottom and up the sides too so that it forms a cup for the filling (it’s easier to get them out of the pan this way). Try not to make the cup too thick. Pop these in the freezer to harden.

4, Wash your processor and then blend all the filling ingredients. Remove any brown bits from the avocados to maintain the colour of the filling. Start with four juicy limes and then taste. You might want to add the fifth if you want it extra fresh.

5, Add the filling to the base. Top with grated zest and pop in freezer. Once hardened you can cover with foil. Freeze for an hour before serving. You can also keep this in the freezer for a while (cover to prevent freezer burn) and then defrost a little before serving.

6, If using the muffin pan, run a knife around the edge to help lift them out. ?

• The advice given in this article is not intended to replace medical advice, but to complement it. Always consult your GP if you have any health concerns. Catherine Burns is a fully qualified nutritional therapist trained by the Institute for Optimum Nutrition in the UK. Please note that she is not a registered dietitian. For details: www.natural.bm, 236-7511 or, Facebook, Natural Nutrition Bermuda