The humble crumble. So easy, comforting and delicious. You can make them out of just about any fruit combination and go hog-wild or plain jane with the toppings (which is the best part, am I right?).
I refer to this recipe as a crumble because calling it a Honeycrisp, um…crisp felt a little awkward and redundant. Which made me wonder what the difference is between the two. Are they one in the same, interchangeable if you will? Turns out they are very similar, but different none the less (so are cobblers, buckles, brown bettys, and slumps as it turns out).
A crisp and a crumble are the same with one distinction: Crumbles have an oat-based topping and crisps do not. By that definition my recipe is really a crisp and not a crumble, but I wanted a grain-free version, a sort of mock-crumble. Call it what you will. I’ll call it delicious.
Easy-Peasy Deliciousness
Now that we have that important distinction out of the way, let’s talk about how simple it is to put together a dessert like this (chop fruit, toss topping, bake, done). Thanksgiving is just around the corner and you likely have an event to host or a dish to bring. Substitutions are easy, so you can work with the fruits, nuts and seeds you have on hand for that last-minute invite. (But do try this combination at least once.)
Blood Sugar Buddy
Spicy-sweet cinnamon pairs well with sweet desserts and is classically paired with apples. The great thing about cinnamon is that it naturally works to keep your blood sugar stable – super awesome when your eating a sweet treat. Cinnamon has also been shown to decrease cholesterol and triglycerides. Better still, researchers noted that the effects were still measurable after 20 days. [1]
Not only does cinnamon help with cholesterol levels, after meal and long-term blood sugar stabilization, it also helps to lower the risks associated with pre-diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Cinnamon is inexpensive, widely available and tasty. It is versatile in that it also pairs well with savory dishes such as soups, dips and curries.
An Attitude of Gratitude
After Halloween, Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and it’s not because of the food (well, maybe a little). But seriously, it’s really about being thankful for the bounty of the harvest and having family and friends to share it with.
The holiday season brings with it the hustle, bustle and stress of parties and gift giving. It’s important to keep everything in perspective – we are truly blessed to be stressed. If the holidays start to feel overwhelming, stop and take a deep breath – parties, overindulgence, and materialism lose sight of what’s really important: Being loved and giving love. Love and gratitude really are the greatest gift we can give – to others and to ourselves.
Keeping this in mind, if you want to show your love and gratitude by giving something tangible to your loved-ones this season, I’ve got you covered: in the coming weeks I will be sharing recipes for my favorite edible gifts.
But for now, enjoy this sweet nourishing treat and have a happy, stress-free Thanksgiving filled will all sorts of love and gratitude!
[1] Aggarwal, Bharat B. and Yost, Deborah. Healing Spices: How to use 50 everyday and exotic spices to boost health and beat disease. New York: Sterling Publishing Co., Inc., 2011. 80-81. Print.
Ingredients
- 4 honeycrisp apples, cored and thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp each ground clove and ginger
- 1/4c coconut sugar
- 1/4c each chopped walnuts, flaked coconut, sunflower and pumpkin seeds (or your fave combo)
- 2/3c almond flour (or other gluten free flour)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4c coconut oil
- 2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce
- 2c raw cashews, soaked for 2-6 hours
- 2c water
- 1/4c coconut oil
- 1/2c maple syrup (or honey)
- 1-1/2 tsp vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean, seeds scraped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 4 cardamom pods, seeds removed
Instructions
- Following the recipe below, prepare the ice cream base and begin the churning process.
- Preheat oven to 350.
- In a large bowl toss apple slices, lemon juice, 1 tsp cinnamon, 2 tbsp coconut sugar, ground ginger and clove (if using) until the apples are well coated. Transfer to an 8x8 baking dish and bake for 30 minutes, until the apples have softened slightly.
- Meanwhile combine all the crumble ingredients except for the coconut oil and applesauce (you can use the same bowl, if desired). Toss with a fork.
- Soften the coconut oil in a small pan by heating it until it is just beginning to melt - soft but still mostly opaque. Transfer to the bowl with the applesauce and mash with the fork or use your hand to work the topping until just incorporated - don't over mix.
- Remove the apples from the oven and evenly distribute the topping. Return to the oven and cook for another 20min or until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden.
- Allow to cool before serving.
- Combine all ingredients in a high speed blender and process until very smooth.
- Transfer to an ice cream maker following the manufactures instructions (churning for about 30min).
- You may wish to transfer to the freezer to firm up the ice cream further. If you won't be serving within a few hours you will need to take the ice cream out 20-30 minutes prior to serving to soften some.
- If you don't have an ice cream maker, transfer to a shallow pan and place in the freezer. Stir every 20-30 minutes until firm.
- When the crumble is mostly cooled and the ice cream is firm serve topped with a scoop of ice cream.
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