Today I was craving raw strawberries for mental clarity. These babies caught my eye, gorgeous and full of flavor! Then I saw the fresh rhubarb…. My idea was to cook the rhubarb and leave most of the strawberries raw, since they were so beautiful and cooking destroys vitamin C. This super-easy grain-free tart dough is made with surprising ingredients: coconut butter, egg, and chia seeds! I baked the rhubarb in the shell, then topped the tart with dairy-free Coconut Whipped Cream and fresh strawberries. The result is a light, refreshing strawberry tart with a rhubarb filling underneath, made with unprocessed Paleo ingredients. Strawberries are high in anthocyanins and quercetin, anti-oxidants which boost immunity, assist heart function, and have anti-inflammatory properties. Note that strawberries’ porous surface tends to absorb pesticides, so they’re one of the “Dirty Dozen” foods to always buy organic. I’m surprised that many so-called healthy groceries still sell strawberries raised with pesticides. Yield: 1 8 or 9-inch tart. Serves 6 – 8.
Ingredients
Rhubarb Filling:
- 3 cups chopped rhubarb
- 1/2 cup strawberries in 1/2-inch pieces
- Sweeten to taste with about 1/2 cup Just Like Sugar Table Top natural chicory root sweetener, 4 teaspoons PureLo Lo Han Sweetener by Swanson, or 1/3 cup raw honey, or your favorite sweetener.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger root, diced
- 1 tablespoon arrowroot powder, stirred into1/3 cup filtered water
- Coconut butter, 150 grams if cold, 2/3 cup if softened (if mixing by hand, soften first it by placing the container in a bowl of warm water)
- 1 tablespoon white chia seeds, ground in a hand-held grinder
- 1/8 heaping teaspoon unprocessed salt
- 1 large egg (55 grams out of the shell)
- 1 tablespoon sweetener of choice
- A tablespoon or two of coconut flour, if needed to thicken
- 1 pint strawberries
Instructions
- Prepare 1 recipe Instant Coconut Whipped Cream, and chill.
- For the filling: chop the rhubarb. Place it with all the filling ingredients into a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir to mix. Bring to a boil and turn the heat down to simmer for 4-5 minutes to soften the rhubarb. Then remove from heat and set aside.
- For the Tart Shell: Preheat oven to 300°F. Use a shallow tart pan, 8 or 9-inches in diameter. In a food processor or mixing bowl, add coconut butter, chia seeds, salt, egg, and sweetener. Mix well until the dough is smooth. Wrap the dough in parchment paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 15 minutes to allow it to firm up.
- Check the dough consistency. It should be very thick and pliable. If it’s too wet to roll, you can knead it with a tablespoon or two of coconut flour. If it is too thick to roll, beat a fresh egg and add it in increments until the dough is thick enough to press into a pie pan.
- Shape the dough into a ball. You can press it into the tart shell with your fingers. Or you can use a rolling pin: Roll it between two pieces of parchment paper into a very thin disk about 1/8 inch thick, and 1 inch larger than your tart pan all around. Dust with coconut flour to prevent sticking to the parchment paper. Remove the top sheet of paper. Flip the bottom paper and rolled dough over onto the tart pan and gently peel away the paper. Repair any rips and smooth the edges. If you’re pressing the dough into the pan with your fingers, start with a ball of dough in the center of the pie pan. Spread it with your fingers toward the edges and up the sides. Roll or spread the crust quite thin. Pre-bake for 10 minutes.
- To Bake & Assemble: Pour the filling into the crust and smooth flat. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
- Spread it with Instant Coconut Whipped Cream. Cut strawberries in half lengthwise, and arrange on top. Serve.
