Strawberry Granola Tart

It's been sad and frustrating watching the events of the past week to say the least. The actions of a few people has caused untold damage and trauma to the farming world, and the media have enjoyed the drama they have helped create. 

Food tampering is categorically NOT okay

but in the situation of the strawberries that were tampered with this past week, we are talking about some sewing needles. Not a chemical contamination that reaches the whole crop. I am not dismissing the potential harm of finding a needle in a piece of food, don't get me wrong, but to see the sheer amount of food waste that has happened is mind boggling and distressing.

There are charities such as OzHarvest who collect food and distribute to those in need, that could have taken this food rather than tipping it out to waste.

And the fact that as a society we have to be told to cut our fruit up to eat it just leaves me shaking my head in wonder asking when did we become so unable to think for ourselves? I personally don't remember the last time I bit into a whole strawberry anyway, I tend to chop them onto my cereal or yoghurt. But even if I didn't already chop them, isn't it just common sense? Would we rather see tonnes of food be thrown out or take an extra 30 seconds to prepare it? 

It has been lovely seeing such long queues of people at the farms, waiting to pick their own fruit and support the farmers. The farmers called for calm and common sense from the very beginning - it's lovely to see they are now getting the support they deserve. All over the nation, people are buying up big and making strawberry flavoured everything. Although of course the hype has now dropped off and people have moved onto something else, but in our house we are still stuffing our faces full of strawberries. 

It would be remiss of me not to mention strawberries are on the Dirty Dozen list

however we need to weigh up what is the bigger problem here. Support our farmers. Whilst I do try and buy organic where I can and avoid preservatives and pesticides where possible, it also galls me to see so much waste of food! 

Anyway, I'll stop my rant and give you the recipe. I purposely kept this simple, you don't need fancy equipment and I've even given your a deconstructed version if you don't have the time or patience for the tart, I hope you enjoy it!

Strawberry Granola Tart 

Makes 4 mini tarts

INGREDIENTS 

Base: 

2.5 cups Spiced Granola (or any granola or muesli you have)

3/4 -1 cup figs, dates or prunes (I used really juicy figs)

1 tbsp coconut oil

Strawberries:

1 punnet strawberries

Chopped fresh mint

Fresh cracked pepper

Filling:

270ml coconut milk or cream, chilled for a day in the fridge 

1/2 cup yoghurt (I used Pure n Free coconut yoghurt, a thick greek yoghurt would also work)

1 tbsp coconut oil

Dash of maple syrup

Pinch of vanilla powder

METHOD

1. Add the base ingredients to the food processor and blend until combined well and when pressed between your fingers it sticks. The amount of fruit you use will depend on how soft and juicy it is. 

2. Press into your tart tins and place in the freezer to set

3. No need to clean out the food processor, just add your strawberry ingredients and whizz until you have the consistency you want. This can be as fine or as chunky as you like. 

4. Pour the strawberries into a bowl then add the filling ingredients to the food processor and blend well until it's all combined. The coconut oil is to help set it firmer but if you are happy with a soft filling you don't need to add it

5. Add 2  heaped tablespoons of the filling to each tart then spoon in the strawberries. Swirl the strawberries through a little....or a lot! The choice is yours. 

6. Allow to set in the fridge before devouring

7. Also equally delicious if you just pile some granola into a little glass dish and then layer up the strawberries, coconut cream topping and of course, a little more granola.