Cranberry-Pear Icebox Pie with Nut Crust

Makes 6 servings
Brazil nuts are one of the best sources of cancer-preventive selenium you’ll find; one slice of this tart has more than the daily recommended amount. Antioxidant-rich cranberries round out the mixture, in a rich, grain-free nut crust.

½ cup cashews
½ cup almonds
½ cup Brazil nuts
14 Medjool dates (soak in water if very firm or dry)
4 small pears, quartered and sliced crosswise
2 cups fresh or frozen and thawed cranberries
¼ cup currants
½ cup apple juice
1 tsp. agar powder (not flakes)
1 ½ cups fat-free Greek yogurt
2 Tbs. honey
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Cranberries and pear slices for garnish

1. Soak cashews, almonds and Brazil nuts overnight in filtered water. Drain, rinse and thoroughly pat dry; spread nuts on a towel and let dry for 20 minutes. Place nuts in food processor and process into a meal. Add dates, and process to form a sticky “dough,” scraping the sides of food processor with a rubber spatula. Lightly coat a glass pie dish with coconut oil; press the mixture into pie dish to form a “crust.” Freeze until firm.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine pears, cranberries, currants, and apple juice. Stir in agar until well-blended. Bring to a high simmer and cook for 15 minutes, until thickened and fruit is soft. Let cool briefly, then spoon into crust.
3. Refrigerate pie for 2 hours or overnight.
Ten minutes before serving, whisk together yogurt, honey, and vanilla, whisking until light and creamy. Remove pie from refrigerator and spread yogurt over the top, but not all the way to the edges; filling should still be visible. Top with cranberries and pear slices, and serve immediately.

PER SERVING: 518 CAL; 13 G PROT; 19 G FAT (3 G SAT FAT); 84 G CARB; 0 MG CHOL; 27 MG SOD; 11 G FIBER; 63 G SUGARS