Fabulous Fruit Tart
This fruit tart is a perfect light summer dessert, and nutritious enough for breakfast or a post-workout snack. It features Greek yogurt, which is exceptionally rich in protein, topped with seasonal berries, which are rich in vitamin C, fiber, folate, and potassium.
This walnut crust is easy to make, more flavourful than traditional pie crusts, and the ingredients provide important nutrients: walnuts have healthy fats and lend a terrific flavor and the oats providing cholesterol-lowering fiber and other nutrients and give the crust a nice texture.
INGREDIENTS
Walnut Crust
- 1 1/3 cup oats
- 1 cup walnuts
- 2 tbsp. sugar
- 1/8 tsp. salt
- 1 egg
Yogurt Filling
- 1 carton (500 g/about 2 cups) Greek Yogurt1
- 3 tbsp. cold water
- 1 package unflavored gelatin (2.5 tsp.)2
- I use nonfat vanilla yogurt or plain yogurt sweetened with maple syrup, but suit your preference: if you want a richer filling, use a yogurt with a higher fat content.
- Gelatin works miracles here! There’s even preliminary evidence that combined with exercise gelatin can stimulate collagen synthesis that might promote healing of tendon and ligament injuries.
Fresh Fruit Topping
- A variety (about 4 cups) of bite-sized colourful fresh fruit – anything goes! I typically include some sort of berry. Cut larger fruit into small pieces as necessary.
PREPARATION
Walnut Crust
- Preheat oven to 350 deg F. Place the oats, walnuts, sugar, and salt, in food processor and process. Add the egg and process until well mixed.
- Press mixture into a 9- or 10-inch tart dish lightly greased with butter (consider lining bottom with circle of parchment paper – sometimes the crust sticks without it). Use your fingers to spread the dough and press it evenly all over the inside of the tart pan (it helps if you wet your fingers with water). Poke the crust in a few places with a fork.
- Bake for 10-15 minutes (until lightly browned) and cool on a wire rack.
Yogurt Filling and Fruit Topping
- Pour the yogurt into a large bowl and whisk if vigorously until it’s smooth. Set aside.
- Put cold water in a 2-cup microwavable measuring cup or medium-sized glass bowl. Sprinkle with gelatin; stir and let stand for 2 minutes (gelatin will expand and solidify).
- Microwave on High for 30 seconds (gelatin will become liquid).
- Add gelatin mixture to yogurt, stir or whisk well, pour into cooled baked crust.
- This the fun part: top with fresh fruit – use patterns of colours, or just throw it all on – you can’t go wrong!
Nutrition Per Serving
1 serving = 1/8 tart
- 255 calories
- 11 g protein
- 49 g carbohydrate
- 12 g fat
- 23 mg cholesterol
- 5 g fiber
- 72 mg sodium
- 1715 mg potassium
Sheila Kealey is a health promotion consultant, writer, athlete, and coach passionate about encouraging lifestyle habits that promote good health. She has a Masters’ degree in Public Health and has collaborated on many research studies related to diet and health. Sheila coaches the uOttawa Gee-Gees Nordic ski team and also competes in skiing, triathlons and running races (5k’s are her favourite, but she has run a 2:57 marathon). Sheila loves developing healthy recipes, and sharing advice on nutrition, physical activity, sports science, and tasty nourishing foods. You can follow her on Twitter, Instagram, or visit her website.