A Delicious Tale

CRANBERRY APPLE TART

It's fall, my favorite time of year. I love everything about it. The smell of the corn being harvested, the cool nights, the trees appearing as though someone took a paint brush to them. Not to mention one of my FAVORITE holidays...HALLOWEEN!! Scary movies are my number one choice. It probably began when I was 5 and watching Arachnophobia with my parents. That most likely attributed to my SEVERE fright of spiders. On my 13th birthday, my parents let me rent Halloween. My friends and I gathered around that night and watched the movie as my dad successfully attempted to scare us all. Halloween is still my favorite scary movie. 

This past week I took the long drive to Whole Foods. That place is my haven. Mark and I moved a few months ago from the city to the country. I went from having Whole Foods 5 minutes away to 1 hour. Tear. I had the inspiration to make a tart. I had never made a tart before, so I nervously decided to challenge myself. With such a wide array of apples available, I definitely knew they had to be in the dish. Then I saw some gorgeous organic cranberries and..... my tart was born. 

Apples are amazing beauties. They have been shown to lower blood fat levels. Apples contain polyphenols which act as antioxidants. These antioxidants have the ability to decrease oxidation of cell membrane fats. Oxidation of fat in the blood vessels of our cardiovascular system causes atherosclerosis. So, not only are apples capable of protecting us from fat oxidation in our blood vessels, but also our cell membranes. This helps to prevent chronic heart problems. There are so many more benefits from apples. They protect us from lung cancer, asthma, and help regulate blood sugar.  

Cranberries are just as amazing. They help to support our immune system. The phytonutrients found in cranberries have anti-inflammatory properties which help to protect us from periodontal disease and colon cancer. Cranberries also help to balance the bacteria in our digestive tract. 

Enjoy this tart and know that you are giving your body what it needs to be and feel amazing :)

CRANBERRY APPLE TART / serves 8

For the Crust

1 cup mixed nuts  (I used walnuts, almonds and pecans)
1 cup rolled oats
1 cup medjool dates, pitted
2 Tbsp. brown rice syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
pinch of sea salt

For the Filling

2 1/2 cups fresh cranberries
1 organic apple
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
6 Tbsp. water
1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. cardamom
1/4 tsp. nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350

Pulse the nuts in the food processor until roughly chopped. Add the oats and pulse again. Add the rest of the crust ingredients to the food processor and mix until combined. 

Grease a 9" tart pan with some coconut oil. Press the crust evenly along the pan.

For the filling, combine the chia seeds with the water and set aside. It will form a gel. Slice the apple and toss it in a bowl with 2 Tbsp of the melted coconut oil, 1 tsp. of cinnamon and 1/4 tsp. of nutmeg. Line the bottom of the crust with the apple slices. 

Combine the cranberries with the remaining ingredients including the chia gel. Fold to combine. Pour the filling over the crust/apple layer. Spread the filling evenly over tart. 

Place in the oven and bake for approx. 30-40 min. You will know that the tart is done when you can easily insert a knife through the apples. 

Enjoy this delicious treat!!


Information resource: http://www.whfoods.com