Before we start, the biggest of happy birthdays to my wonderful boyfriend, Nate! I love you and am so thrilled to be celebrating with you!
This gluten-free and refined sugar-free dessert was a big hit the other weekend at a BBQ! Freshly sliced nectarines are placed on top of a simple tart crust made of shredded coconut, rolled oats, and almond flour.
I struggle sometimes with whether I want to bring “healthier” desserts to dinner parties. I worry that people are going to not like the healthy swaps or wish that I had just brought what they consider “the real thing”. Sometimes when I’m putting together one of these DCC creations that I plan to share with people other than Nate, I debate with whether I should just throw in the towel and use white flour and sugar because it’s more foolproof! But I reassure myself that people usually appreciate a dessert that’s not going to totally put them overboard into a food coma after eating whatever the host puts together for dinner. And I feel so passionately about the concept that whole foods are delicious, and instead of just promoting that in my own kitchen, I should always be spreading the word and proving that to the world! So I nervously brought this nectarine tart over to my friend’s house last week, and sneakily placed it out for dessert and then was like “who put dessert out?”
And, it was a HIT. Everyone gobbled up these treats and went back for seconds and thirds! They asked me for the recipe and I told them it would be on the blog eventually and I’d send them the link. That’s when I told them the ingredients,, and everyone was so excited and impressed. Granted - these are certainly a treat and not a health food - but I think people are still getting used to the concept that a healthier dessert doesn’t have to be a fruit cup. In San Francisco alone, there are so many places to go that have amazing healthier desserts and snacks. I love how easy and readily available those options are to us living in the city.
On a similar note, it makes me sad when I travel around the country for work and I don’t see these same healthy options everywhere. I heard a quote once that the question we should be asking is not why healthy food is expensive, but why unhealthy food is so cheap. In most other first world countries, people spend way more of their income on food for their family than the US. It’s really interesting that consumption and spending in general has gone up in the US, but not the percentage of that going to food. So people are spending more money on other things than food, while in places like France and Japan, people are spending a lot more money on groceries to cook for their family. And in those countries, rates of obesity and preventable illness are so much lower. I don’t believe I’m making a huge leap when I see a correlation there!
Regardless, I LOVE how there is this powerful health movement (us healthy food bloggers!!) in the US that is by no means grassroots. It’s very mainstream! It’s just not as accessible or promoted in all areas of the country. But I’m glad we’re doing our part to spread the world, one healthier nectarine tart at the time. I am constantly impressed with my fellow food bloggers and the ways you all promote healthy habits from your family to your communities - it is truly inspiring, and I’m so glad I bit the bullet 10 months ago to start DCC and join the force.
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ½ cup unsweetened shredded coconut
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 stick butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 3 tsp cinnamon
- 1 large nectarine, thinly sliced
- 2 tsp cornstarch
- Juice of half a lemon
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- Line a 9 x 13 baking pan with parchment paper, and lightly grease the parchment paper
- Thoroughly mix and combine the oats, coconut, baking soda, almond flour, coconut flakes, coconut sugar, butter, egg, and cinnamon in a large bowl
- Evenly distribute and press the tart batter onto the parchment paper. It should be about ½ inch thick
- Using the same bowl from the batter, gently toss the nectarines with the cornstarch
- Distribute evenly over the tart
- Sprinkle the lemon juice over the fruit
- Bake in the oven for about 30 minutes, or until the tart has browned on the sides
- Remove and place on a wire rack to cool
- Allow to cool completely before cutting
If you like this, you’ll love: Cornmeal Almond Raspberry Bars (gluten free)
Thanks for stopping by! 
