Strawberries are universally loved for their sweet taste and red heart-shape. Throughout the ages they have symbolized, purity, righteousness, perfection, love, passion, and healing.
Different parts of the plant were also used medicinally in the treatment of inflammation, fever, throat infections, kidney stones, gout, and blood, liver, and spleen disorders.
The focus today is on the nutritional value of strawberries and health. Strawberries are a good source for potassium, fibre, vitamin C, and manganese.
Start the strawberry season off with an almost sinless strawberry pie made with a nut-based crust, cream cheese layer, fresh strawberries, and strawberry gelatin. The nuts and cream cheese make for a delightful taste and act as a protein source while strawberries and stevia are used as natural sweeteners. No one has to know but the cook that this is a gluten- and sugar- free pie.
Almost Sinless Strawberry Pie
Crust
15 ml (1 tbsp) walnuts, ground
15 ml (1 tbsp) flax seeds
15 ml (1 tbsp) unsalted sunflower seeds
30 ml (2 tbsp) unsweetened shredded coconut
30 ml (2 tbsp) thick rolled oats
250 ml (1 cup) almond flour
40 ml (3 tbsp) butter, melted
6 drops of vanilla flavoured stevia (liquid extract)
1 egg white
Pre-heat oven to 180° C (350° F). Place nuts, seeds, coconut, and rolled oats in a small high-powered blender or a clean coffee grinder and blend. Add nut mixture to the almond flour and put in a 20 cm (8-inch) glass or metal pie pan. Mix ingredients together with fingers. Melt butter, add stevia and pour into the pie pan. When cool enough to handle, mix with fingers until completely moist. Press mixture into the sides and bottom of the pan. Carefully brush the entire crust with egg white. Bake for 10-15 minutes until crust is golden brown. Set aside to cool.
Cream cheese layer
1 pkg 250 ml (8 oz) cream cheese, (do not use reduced fat), room temperature
20 ml (4 tsp) stevia powder
20 ml (11/2 tbsp) water
2 ml (1/2 tsp) vanilla
4 strawberries, cleaned and chopped
Beat the cream cheese until smooth and mix in chopped strawberries, water, vanilla, and stevia. Carefully spread cream cheese over the cooled pie crust.
Glaze
1 85 g (3 oz) box of sugar-free strawberry gelatin (follow quick-set instructions)
Approximately 500 ml (2 cups or 1 pint) fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
Prepare gelatin, and then set aside. Place strawberries on top of the cream cheese layer and then add gelatin, just enough to slightly cover the strawberries. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or more until gelatin sets.
