One of America's Favorites - Tarts

A tart is a baked dish consisting of a filling over a pastry base with an open top not covered with

Blueberry tart

pastry. The pastry is usually shortcrust pastry; the filling may be sweet or savoury, though modern tarts are usually fruit-based, sometimes with custard. Tartlet refers to a miniature tart; an example would be egg tarts. The categories of 'tart', 'flan', 'quiche', and 'pie' overlap, with no sharp distinctions.








The French word tarte can be translated to mean either pie or tart, as both are mainly the same with the exception of a pie usually covering the filling in pastry, while flans and tarts leave it open.

Tarts are thought to have either come from a tradition of layering food, or to be a product of Medieval pie making. Enriched dough (i.e. short crust) is thought to have been first commonly used in 1550, approximately 200 years after pies. In this period, they were viewed as high-cuisine, popular with nobility, in contrast to the view of a commoners pie. While originally savory, with meat fillings, culinary tastes led to sweet tarts to prevail, filling tarts instead with fruit and custard.Early medieval tarts generally had meat fillings, but later ones were often based on fruit and custard.

An early tart was the Italian crostata, dating to at least the mid-15th century. It has been described as a "rustic free-form version of an open fruit tart".


Tarts are typically free-standing with firm pastry base consisting of dough, itself made of flour, thick filling, and perpendicular sides while pies may have softer pastry, looser filling, and sloped sides, necessitating service from the pie plate.


There are many types of tarts, with popular varieties including Treacle tart, meringue tart, tarte tatin

Apple Tart

and Bakewell tart. Another popular tart flavor is jam tarts, which may be different colors depending on the flavor of the jam used to fill them.

Tarte Tatin is an upside-down tart, of apples, other fruit, or onions.

Savoury tarts include quiche, a family of savory tarts with a mostly custard filling; German Zwiebelkuchen 'onion tart', and Swiss cheese tart made from Gruyere.

Copper River Salmon w/ Green Beans and Three Cheese Tortellini

Dinner Tonight: Baked Copper River Salmon w/ Green Beans and Three Cheese Torteillini


Had a fillet of the Copper River Salmon. Not much seasoning neede with this Salmon, I seasoned with Sea Salt, Grinder Black Pepper, and Parsley. Then Baked at 375 degrees for 11 minutes. As sides had Green Beans and Barilla Three Cheese Tortellini. Wish the Tortellini was lower in in calories and carbs but every now and then I think it's okay. It was a very low carb and low calorie day for breakfast and lunch so the Tortellini will fit in the plans. I added Kraft Shredded Parm Cheese and chopped up some fresh Chives to top the Tortellini with. For dessert later a bowl of Breyer's Carb Smart Vanilla Ice Cream and some fresh Blueberries to top it off.

Top 20 Power Foods for Diabetes

I had been showing  articles from Diabetic Living On Line on 15 Foods that were bad for Diabetes and now I'll be showing articles on the Top 20 Power Foods for Diabetes and some healthy recipes along with it. All from: http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/

By Lori Brookhart-Schervish; Contributing writer Marsha McCulloch, RD; Reviewed by Connie Crawley, RD, LD, 2009

Including these extra-healthy power foods in your diet will help you meet your nutritional needs as well as lower your risk of diabetes complications such as heart disease. Of course, the foods on this list shouldn't be the only foods you eat, but incorporating some or all into your diabetes meal plan will help improve your overall health.

Are These Power Foods in Your Diet?

If you already follow a healthful meal plan filled with whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and lean protein, congratulations! You're on your way to a long, healthy life and are taking a major step in controlling your weight and blood glucose levels. Plus, you're probably already eating a bunch of the foods on this list.

For those who are taking the baby-steps approach to eating better, this list is even more helpful. Not only are these power foods high in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals, they're also familiar and easy to find. That means you don't have to hunt down any exotic ingredients or shop at specialty grocery stores to find foods that will help you get on track with a healthful meal plan.

#2 Blueberries

Enjoy the benefits of blueberries on their own or in a variety of foods, including smoothies and pancakes. Blueberries provide dietary fiber, vitamin C, and flavonoids, a type of phytonutrient that offers antioxidant protection, such as boosting your immune system and fighting inflammation. Flavonoids may also help decrease the LDL (bad cholesterol)-oxidation process that can lead to arterial plaque, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Blueberries get their dark blue color from anthocyanins, another disease-fighting antioxidant that may benefit heart health. Blueberries have also been studied for their potential to protect and improve vision.

One serving is 3/4 cup and has 15 grams of carbs. You can enjoy fresh, in-season blueberries May through October or buy the frozen varieties year-round.

Blueberry Buckwheat Pancakes
Buckwheat contains a phytochemical that might have a beneficial effect on blood glucose levels.
SERVINGS: 6 (2-pancake) servings
CARB GRAMS PER SERVING: 22

1/2     cup buckwheat flour
1/2     cup whole wheat flour
1     tablespoon sugar
1/2     teaspoon baking powder
1/4     teaspoon baking soda
1/4     teaspoon salt
1/4     cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 1 egg, slightly beaten
1-1/4     cups buttermilk or sour milk
1     tablespoon cooking oil
1/4     teaspoon vanilla
3/4     cup fresh or frozen blueberries, thawed

1. In a medium bowl, stir together buckwheat flour, whole wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make a well in center of flour mixture; set aside.

2. In a small bowl, beat egg slightly; stir in buttermilk, oil, and vanilla. Add buttermilk mixture all at once to flour mixture. Stir just until combined but still slightly lumpy. Stir in blueberries.

3. Heat a lightly greased griddle or heavy skillet over medium heat until a few drops of water sprinkled onto griddle dance across the surface. For each pancake, pour a scant 1/4 cup batter onto hot griddle. Spread the batter into a circle that's about 4 inches in diameter.

4. Cook over medium heat until pancakes are brown, turning to cook second sides when pancake surfaces are bubbly and edges are slightly dry (1 to 2 minutes per side). Serve immediately or keep warm. Makes 6 (2-pancake) servings.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

    * Servings: 6 (2-pancake) servings
    * Calories132
    * Total Fat (g)3
    * Saturated Fat (g)1
    * Cholesterol (mg)2
    * Sodium (mg)244
    * Carbohydrate (g)22
    * Fiber (g)3
    * Protein (g)6
      Diabetic Exchanges
    * Starch (d.e.)1
    * Other Carbohydrates (d.e.).5
    * Fat (d.e.).5

http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/