Are you ready for warmer weather?
I am so psyched that Spring is here and the weather is slowly starting to cooperate. We are excited to open up our Maine cottage on May 1st and get ready for summertime fun! 🙂 Right now I am taking two epidemiology courses, working at my private practice, and speaking a ton on digestive health topics…so I am very ready for the beach and some downtime!
With Easter and the warm weather around the corner, I thought a nice lemon tart recipe was in order for this time of year. Are you feeling that too?
This recipe was easy to prepare. I made the almond crust the day ahead to streamline the process a bit. I made the crust with almond meal, butter, sugar, vanilla extract and a little shredded coconut (which is completely optional, if you are not a big coconut fan). The homemade lemon curd recipe was inspired from one of my favorites, Ina Garten’s recipes, found here. I reduced the sugar in my recipe as I don’t like my lemon curd over the top sweet.
Some commercial brands of lemon curd are can be used instead….just read ingredients. Some contain food dye–which drives me nuts. Not sure why food dye is needed in lemon curd when it can be a beautiful natural yellow all on its own. 
I made this recipe into one tart….but you can also create smaller tarts for an individual size treat. Almond meal should be limited to a 1/4 cup serving for the low FODMAP elimination diet follower. As you move through the re-introduction phase you may learn you can tolerate more.
I hope you have been following along with the #IBelieveinyourStory campaign on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. The stories shared have been compelling, inspirational and are definitely getting attention!
It does take a village to get the word out there! And, I really do hope you join in. Too many people are suffering with GI symptoms…so please don’t be shy. Simply use the hashtag in a post (on Instagram, Facebook, and/or Instagram) to show your support of others suffering with IBS and SIBO. We have 47 posts on Instagram….and counting. Ask you spouse, friends, cousins, and work friends to join in too. Let’s get loud, Friends!
My hope is that we get at least 150 pictures, using the hashtag #IBelieveinyourStory on Instagram by the end of the month.
If you want to share your IBS or SIBO story privately, (it can be healing to do so), you can email it to me at inquires@katescarlata.com (or send via snail mail, details below.) You can also share your story via a public post on Facebook and tag me, @Kate Scarlata, RD.
More tips on how to be involved in this important storytelling and awareness campaign, found here.
And for general info on the #IBelieveinyourStory campaign, click here.
Ingredients
- Serves 8
- Crust:
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup almond meal
- 4 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 tablespoons shredded coconut (optional)
- Lemon Curd:
- 3 lemons (for juice and zest): juice & reserve 1/2 cup fresh lemon juice and 2 tablespoons lemon zest
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 pound butter, at room temperature.
- 4 extra large eggs
- Confectioner's sugar to sprinkle over crust.
- Can "fancy up" the tart with fresh mint lemon slices, and or a dollop of whipped cream, for garnish, if desired.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Prepare 9 inch tart pan by lightly oiling it.
- In medium bowl, add sugar, vanilla, almond meal, butter and coconut and mix until blended and crumbly.
- Add crust mixture to tart pan, and using hands push dough into the bottom of tart pan, firmly.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes to set crust. Edge of tart will start to lightly brown. Remove and let sit at room temperature. (Can cook day ahead).
- To prepare curd, add sugar and lemon zest into food processor or blender to finely mince lemon zest into sugar. Pulse processor or blender for 10-15 seconds.
- In medium bowl, add butter and sugar mixture; mix until creamy.
- Add one egg at a time to butter mixture, stir to incorporate the eggs into the mixture.
- Next, add lemon juice, stirring to blend.
- Pour mixture into medium saucepan over LOW heat, stirring constantly for 10 minutes. The mixture will thicken at 170 degrees F. Remove from heat when thickened.
- Place curd in refrigerator to cool.
- To assemble tart, simply layer curd on top of crust.
- Garnish with a sprinkle of confectioner's sugar, mint, lemon slices or even a dollop of whipped cream.
calle
Yum yum, I am HI so can’t have this delicious looking delight.
Will have to come up with an alternative for the lemon.
Have you ever tried any dishes with Stevia?
Thanks
katescarlata
I have not used Stevia at all in my cooking. We’ll have to come up with some low histamine recipes for you!! Thanks for stopping by.
s
This looks delicious! I’m wondering if using sprouted, roasted, or chopped almonds would change the fodmap content of the almonds… thinking of testing gos with sprouted almonds and using the rest for shortbread crust :).
Natasha Mercer
Hi, I’ve got a question about Almonds. I’ve read that you need to avoid them on a FODMAP-friendly diet but then I’ve also seen a lot of recipes that have included almond meal. I’d love to know more!
katescarlata
Almonds are low FODMAP in a certain portion size. This is true of many foods. FODMAPs are portion driven. 10 almonds, for instance, is a low FODMAP portion. For almond meal, 1/4 cup portion is low FODMAP. Hope that helps!