Snack Match: Apple Tart

A snack match is an allergy-friendly snack that nutritionally and/or visually resembles a popular children's snack.

This week's snack is: Apple Tart

Snack Match substitute: Crust-less Pear Tart

Apple Tarts contain, at the very minimum, eggs and wheat as potential allergens. Throw in an apple filling and you get corn, possibly soy, and cinnamon. Then, to top that off, my little one is allergic to apples!

Here is a crust-less tart made from pears:

Crust-less Pear Tart

4 safe muffin tins or silicone muffin liners
1 can Dole diced pears containing only pears, sugar and ascorbic acid
1/8 C brown sugar
4 pinches salt
1 C Rice Chex cereal
Honey
Small plastic bag

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place muffin tin or silicone liners on a cookie sheet to catch any spills during cooking.

Drain canned pears. Fill four muffin liners with diced pears to about 2/3 full. Sprinkle pears with brown sugar and a pinch of salt. In a small plastic bag, crush cereal. Sprinkle each tart with crushed cereal then drizzle with honey.

Bake in oven until bubbly brown. It only takes a few minutes. This recipe works well in a toaster oven or under a broiler.

Make it extra-special:

Since I have to send this activity to school for my daughter to make while the other children are making their Apple Tarts, I decided to pre-package and clearly number each step. By doing this, the teacher knows exactly how to make the recipe plus my daughter can practice her numbers by following each step.

Supplies: box for recipe ingredients, small cards and labels, small zip bags, silicone muffin liners, 1 individual container Dole diced pears, 2 tsp brwon sugar, 4 tsp salt, 1 tsp measure, 1 C Rice Chex, honey

Write the following italicized instructions on a sticker or card and attach to each item associated with that step. The packaging and ingredients are noted by parenthesis.

Pear Tart - Follow the directions. Step 1: Open the box. (Attach "Step 1" label to a box which will hold all ingredients and supplies.)

Step 2: Place liners on a cookie sheet. (Place liners in small zip bag and attach "Step 2" label.)

Step 3: Drain and put in each liner. (Stickers work well here. Attach "Step 3" label to a container diced pears.)

Step 4: Sprinkle 1 tsp on each tart. (Place brown sugar and salt in a small zip bag then mix. Place tsp measure in bag and seal. Label "Step 4" by tying a card to the bag or placing a sticker on the bag.)

Step 5: Crush and sprinkle on top of tarts. (Place Rice Chex in a plastic bag and lable the bag "Step 5".)

Step 6: Drizzle with honey. (Put some honey in a small container with a spoon. Label "Step 6".)

Step 7: Bake at ~350 degrees until bubbly.

Step 8: Enjoy! (Write "Step 7" and "Step 8" instructions on a card together or on the card with "Step 6".)