Spring is upon us, woohoo! Finally! It couldn’t have come any sooner! And although June marks the official beginning of National Fruits and Vegetables Month– we believe there is nothing like the present–and no time is too soon to get your fruits and veggies and all the amazing benefits they offer. Although the official season for the produce below is June-August, we wanted to share some great nutrition information about fruits and veggies as well as this scrumptious Fruit Tart recipe. Here’s to spring and summer munchin’!
Pssst… if you like this Fruit Tart that’s so easy and perfect for the 4th of July, you may also like our Skinny Banana Ice Cream Sandwiches, and our Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream and our Strawberry Raspberry Lime Sorbet) 🙂
Some of our favorites include:
Bell Peppers – fat and saturated fat free, low in sodium and calories, and an abundant source of Vitamin C. We snack on them plain (especially the red ones!), add them to salads, stir-fries and dip them in hummus.
Cantaloupe – high in Vitamins A,C and folate. One entire cup of cubed cantaloupe has 50 calories. Tammy’s daughters have it about 3 times a week before their dessert.
Cherries – excellent source of vitamin C and potassium – look out bananas! To us cherries are a true sign of summer because we grew up eating them as a snack on hot days. We still love them as snacks, in fruit salad, in trail mixes and we still are fans of our Mom’s good-ole’ Cherry Chicken.
Corn – no one loves corn on the cob or on the grill like we do! Skip the bread, go for this veggie! It’s a great source of vitamin C, fiber and energy-revving, wholesome carbs!
Edamame – also known as green soybeans, these pack a serious nutrient punch and are a good source of protein and fiber so they’re a super satiating snack! They are a good source of vitamin A, calcium and iron! They make a great appetizer or snack.
Peaches – Keep your skin looking young with these which are a a great source of vitamin C, to help build collagen. These go great in any fruit salad! One of our favorite ways to eat them is in yogurt.
Watermelon – great for hydrating the skin nothing says summer like this cool treat! Watermelon is high in vitamins A and C and is so refreshing on a hot summer day! We love to eat it straight off the rind in the shape of a “piece of pizza,” as Tammy’s daughter Riley describes it.
Enjoy this great month of fruits and veggies with these Fruit Tarts!
Fruit Tarts
Serves: 12
Ingredients
- 6 graham cracker sheets
- 1 package (8 oz) non-fat cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup coconut palm sugar or sugar (learn more about coconut palm sugar here: Appley Bran Muffins)
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 cup raspberries, halved or quartered
- 1 cup halved or quartered fresh strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries (frozen is fine!)
- 1/4 cup apple jelly
Directions
- Lay graham crackers on plate or baking sheet that you will be able to place in the refrigerator.
- In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, coconut palm sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed. When the mixture becomes fluffy, spread a thin layer on each graham cracker.
- Arrange fruit however you would like over cream cheese.
- Stir jelly until smooth; brush over fruit. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
Don’t forget there are a ton of different combinations to try! Mix it up!
What types of fruits have you meshed together for a new great taste? What about veggies too?!
Nutrition Facts: Serving Size: 1 small square: 115 calories, 1 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 24 g carbohydrate, 4 g protein, 17 g sugar, 1 g fiber, 170 mg sodium
For nutrition guidance, more than 100 recipes, and a ‘get healthy’ plan, please check out the “The Nutrition Twins Veggie Cure“
- 6 graham cracker sheets
- 1 package (8 oz) non-fat cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup coconut palm sugar or sugar (learn more about coconut palm sugar here:
- Appley Bran Muffins
- )
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 cup raspberries, halved or quartered
- 1 cup halved or quartered fresh strawberries
- 1 cup blueberries (frozen is fine!)
- ¼ cup apple jelly
- Lay graham crackers on plate or baking sheet that you will be able to place in the refrigerator.
- In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, coconut palm sugar and vanilla with electric mixer on medium speed. When the mixture becomes fluffy, spread a thin layer on each graham cracker.
- Arrange fruit however you would like over cream cheese.
- Stir jelly until smooth; brush over fruit. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour.
- Don’t forget there are a ton of different combinations to try! Mix it up!
- What types of fruits have you meshed together for a new great taste? What about veggies too?!