If you love Strawberry Pretzel Salad, you are going to LOVE this (now) guilt-free pie! I created a fresher-than-ever amazingly lighter version of the beloved dessert-style salad for Eat What You Love Quick and Easy, but after seeing a pie variation from the New York Times, I was immediately inspired to roll up my sleeves again.

And, my, oh, my, I’m glad I did. This is one delicious pie. The sweet and salty slightly chewy pretzel crust pairs beautifully with the creamy (no-bake) cheesecake-style filling and fresh berries. Unlike with the akin salad, no jello is required, but feel free to swap out the fruit topping. Add or swap in blueberries for a festive Fourth of July look, or give fresh peach or nectarine slices a shot with any of summer’s freestone varieties.

Last, but not least, just like with my Upside-Down Strawberry Pretzel Salad, the nutritional “savings” here are as impressive as the crave-worthy taste. One-eight of the NY Times pie packed a hefty 735 calories, 50 grams of fat (including 1 1/2 days’ worth of saturated fat), and 62 grams of carbohydrate (with 38 grams of sugar). Points? How about 34! This pie has less than 1/3 of the carbs and calories, 75% less fat, saturated fat, and sugar. Points? Green, blue, or purple points are now just 8. Enjoy!

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

3 cups mini-twist pretzels (4-ounces mini-twists or other hard pretzels)
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated sweetener*
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 large egg white (~2 tablespoons), lightly beaten
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese (or 1/2 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt)
1 8-ounce tub light cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
2 cups light whipped topping, thawed
1 quart fresh strawberries, trimmed and cut in half
1 tablespoon reduced-sugar strawberry jam

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly coat a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Place about 2 cups (or about 2/3 of the pretzels) into a baggie and crush into small bits. Place crushed pretzels into a bowl. Crush remaining
pretzels very fine (this will fill in the empty spaces of the crust). Add to the bowl and stir in the salt. Add 1/4 cup sweetener, melted butter, and egg white, and mix (a fork works well), until combined.

3. Pour crumb mixture into pie plate, evenly distribute on the bottom and up the sides of the pie plate, and pat down to form crust. Bake crust for 8-10 minutes, or until firm and well-browned. Set on a rack to cool.

4. Place the cottage cheese in a food processor and blend until smooth. Add cream cheese and pulse or blend until combined. Transfer mixture to a medium bowl and stir in remainingsweetener, vanilla, and zest. Fold in one half of whipped topping, and then fold in the other half.

5. Spoon filling into cooled crust, smooth top, and top with berries. Place jam in a small microwavable bowl. Add 2-tablespoons of water and microwave for 30 seconds. Stir and brush mixture onto berries. Place pie in refrigerator until ready to serve.

* If you use stevia-based Truvia for Baking use 1/2 as much (2 tablespoons for the crust and 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons for the filling).

Nutrition Information Per Serving (1/8 of pie): Calories 220 | Carbohydrate 24g (Sugars 9g) | Total Fat 9g (Sat Fat 6g) | Protein 11g | Fiber 2g | Cholesterol 20mg | Sodium 250mg | Food Exchanges: ½ Fruit, 1 Carbohydrate, 1 Fat | Carbohydrate Choices: 1 1/2 | Weight Watcher Comparison: Green 8, Blue 8, Purple 8