World's Healthiest Strawberry Pop-Tarts

Toaster strudel, pop-tarts, donuts, beignets, danishes.


Breakfast pastries are what dreams are made of.


What better way to start your day than muffins, bagels, cakes, pancakes, waffles which are really just crispy pancakes  and the like?


Actually there are probably a million better ways.


But I will be damned -- those options sure sound delicious.

When I first started working out I discovered protein pancakes, protein oatmeal and a whole whack-tonne of other protein breakfast foods.


I then proceeded to eat protein breakfasts...

FOR EVERY SINGLE MEAL!

I actually could not get enough breakfast foods. To me it was the only meal that deserved to be eaten and so to honour the holy wonder of breakfast I would pay tribute to it every possible chance I got.



I think that's because breakfast foods are often like dessert anyways. Which makes no sense, realistically, but I can't argue because dessert is the best meal of all?



Of course it is.


Don't be ridiculous.


Please tell me you feel me on that one? BREAKFAST IS THE BEST-FAST!

WHY AM I HERE?!?


Oh yeah. POP TARTS! I figured I would give up on that smooth transition and just cut to the chase. These flakey and delicious pastries are 9 bajillion times better for you than the boxed kind. A bit more effort than ripping open that glorious silver package and catching them outside of a toaster, I know....


But 100% worth it.


And the options are endless! You can make strawberry like I did or make my apple pie recipe and cut the filling in half and use that to stuff them.

You could also use nutella, peanut butter or a mix of both!


The sky is the limit!


So if you or someone else you know like a pet turtle or treasured teacher has given up gluten and refined foods but still loves them some pop-tarts --they will go nuts for this. And it will cause them to probably quit their jobs and lives and spend all day making and eating these instead.

And I wish I could say I am sorry but seriously...once you try these you'll totally get it. 

World's Healthiest Strawberry Pop-Tarts

Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Egg Free


Yields 10 - 12 large Pop-Tarts

Ingredients:

• 1 recipe of my World's Healthiest Pie Crust or crust of choice (store-bought works, too!)
• 1/2 cup low sugar strawberry jam (not jelly)
• 1 egg (optional) or 1/4 cup non-dairy milk for egg wash/pastry wash

For Vanilla Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar 
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 2 teaspoons coconut oil
• Optional: Sprinkles to decorate

For Chocolate Glaze (lower sugar) 

• 1/3 cup dark chocolate, melted
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil

Directions:

1. Prepare pie crust according to blog post directions or package directions and let chill in the fridge for 30 - 45 minutes
2. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 
3. Roll out chilled dough onto a floured surface -- if dough is too cold let sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes
4. Roll dough into as much of a rectangular shape as possible until it is 1/4 of an inch thick
5. Using a ruler (or your eyes!) make indents every 3 inches across the top (horizontally) and every 5 inches down the sides (vertically) -- you can use whatever dimensions you want as long as it's a rectangle!
6. Using the indents as a guide use a pizza cutter or pastry cutter to cut the rectangles of dough out
7. Save the scraps and stick them in the fridge -- you can roll these out again later and this prevents them from getting too warm!
8. Making sure each two halves of dough match, place one rectangle on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and drop 1 tablespoon of jam in the centre of the rectangle using the back of a spoon to spread it out leaving about 1/2 an inch around the edges empty 
9. Repeat with half your rectangles
10. One at a time, using a pastry brush line the bare part of the rectangles with jam your egg wash or non-dairy milk to help you seal the two halves together
11. Once each tart is covered with it's other half you can use a pastry brush to egg wash each one, crimp the edges with a fork and poke holes in the centre with a fork
12. If desired repeat process with scraps of dough
13. Bake each batch of pastries for 25 - 35 minutes until the dough turns golden brown 
14. For the glaze simply heat all ingredients in a small saucepan until you have a liquid glaze -- adding or reducing liquid to suit your preferences -- spoon a small amount of the glaze on the centre of the pastry, add sprinkles and allow to set!
15. Serve immediately, store leftovers in an airtight container for 1-2 days

Oh so many fun pop-tarts! Make them mini or make them big. Either way they are HUGELY delicious!

Like can you imagine a breakfast spread featuring these babies?

AND WHEN YOU BITE THEM!?

Yep.


Beauty.


Even the huge mess you will make will look supa cute.

Once the glaze dries these package and travel really well, too.

Put em in some parchment baggies and tote them around.


That's pretty much as convenient as a normal pop-tart.

Except for all of the work and stuff you did before hand BUT NO ONE HAS TO KNOW ABOUT ANY OF THAT, OK?!


Ah I love pie. Pie crust in pies and in galettes and savoury pastries.


SO GOOD!


What is your favourite pop-tart flavour?


I used to be obsessed with the chocolate ones with 's'more' filling. OMG DO THOSE EXIST STILL! I actually don't want to know.

DON'T TELL ME!


OKAY TELL ME!


Happy Pop-Tartin'!

XO