Recipe: Yogurt Cheese Berry Pie

Ingredients

• 1 baked 9-inch graham cracker crust, made with butter or the low-fat way with yogurt
• 2-3 cups yogurt cheese (instructions below) (You can substitute non-dairy yogurt if needed)
• Berry mixture, 2-3 cups cooked berries mixed with thickener and sweetener according to your taste (instructions below)
• Fresh berries for the top
• Chopped walnuts (optional)

Instructions

Yogurt Cheese

Line a quart mason jar with a double layer of cheesecloth. Put about 2 to 3 cups of your choice of plain or lemon- or vanilla-flavored yogurt in the cheesecloth and allow to drain for 6 to 12 hours, or longer. Overnight is best. Set aside.

Berry Mixture

Put 2 to 3 cups of your choice of fresh or frozen berries in a saucepan. Add ¼ cup tapioca granules and ¼ to 1/3 cup honey or 1/3 cup sugar. Heat until simmering and mixture is well combined. Remove from heat. Arrowroot can be substituted for tapioca, about 1 to 2 Tbsp. To add this: mix a couple tablespoons of dry arrowroot with a little water until it forms a smooth paste, then slowly add to berry mixture while it is cooking, stirring until it thickens, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool.

Assembling the Pie

Spread the yogurt cheese over the graham crust. Then spread the cooled berry mixture over the yogurt cheese. If available, put some fresh berries of your choice on top for garnish and for the fresh taste. Chill and serve!! A delicious treat in the winter or a great way to use berries or other fresh fruit at the height of the summer season.

YIELD: 6 to 10 servings