Easy Apple Berry Crisp

26 Nov Easy Apple Berry Crisp

I love fruit crisp and I also love how easy it is to make this dessert healthy!  How? Skip the processed white sugar and sweeten with pure maple syrup (the real stuff) and coconut sugar instead.  And for the topping, I swap nutritionally-void white flour and rely on high fiber oats and oat flour.  The end result is a really rich, flavorful, fruity dessert that tastes better than a standard crisp.

I have another version of an Apple Crisp that I love here but the topping takes a little more work (it includes using a food processor to mince in dates) so I wanted to create an easier Apple Crisp that anyone can whip up fast.  You can skip the raspberries but if you’ve never had raspberries and apples together in a dessert, you’re missing out!

Serve this dessert on its own or if it’s a special occasion, pair with your favorite all natural ice cream.  Though the topping requires real butter (you could substitute with vegan butter), I like topping Apple Berry Crisp with dairy free Nada Moo Maple Pecan (it’s so good!).  Enjoy.

Easy Apple Berry Crisp

Makes about 8 servings

INGREDIENTS FOR THE APPLE BERRY FILLING:

• All natural non-stick cooking spray
• 10 apples (I prefer sweet red apples like Macintosh over Granny Smith which are more tart), peeled, cored and chopped
• 2 pints fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained well
• 1 and ¼ cups pure maple syrup (the real stuff!)
• Juice from one small lemon
• 3 heaping tablespoons gluten free all purpose flour (I like Namaste brand and Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
• ½ teaspoon cinnamon
• ¼ heaping teaspoon allspice
• Big pinch of nutmeg

INGREDIENTS FOR THE TOPPING:

• 1 lightly packed cup gluten free oat flour (Bob’s Red Mill makes a good one)
• ¾ cup instant oats
• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut sugar (find it in the baking aisle near the sugar – it’s all natural and made from coconuts)
• 1 stick butter, very cold, chopped into small pieces

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a large casserole dish or baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.
2. To make the filling combine pure maple syrup, lemon juice, gluten free flour and spices in a bowl with a whisk.  Pour apples and berries into a large bowl and pour in syrup mixture.  Fold carefully to combine and set aside.
3. Combine gluten free flour, oats and coconut sugar in a bowl.  Add chopped butter and cut in the pieces with a pastry cutter just until the mixture could be pressed together with your fingers, the butter is incorporated and some of it forms into small peas. Don’t over mix it because it will turn into a big clump of dough.
4. Pour apple berry mixture and syrup mixture into the casserole dish or baking pan. Crumble topping evenly on top with your fingers.
5. Bake approximately 50 minutes or until the apples are very soft, the liquid is absorbed and the topping is lightly golden brown.  Cover the top very loosely with foil half way through if it looks like the topping is starting to burn at all.  Enjoy!

SO, WHAT’S THE NUTRITION BALANCE?

This dessert recipe is mostly carbs and fat.  If having it for dessert, try making dinner a lean protein and light (non starchy) carbohydrate like chicken or fish with veggies or salad for example, followed by this dessert to prevent a blood sugar spike.