BLUEBERRY CRISP AND GREEN JUICE

I love crisp, it is one of my favourite desserts, especially during blueberry/apple season.

One of my mandatory nutritional habits is insuring that delicious foods is also healthier, but is still just as satisfying. Don’t get me wrong I eat the real deal as well, I don’t try to make everything vegan, gluten-free, low-fat, non-fat etc. Although there is merit to all of these claims it does not necessarily make a particular food healthier!

As a nutritionist even I can get caught up in the language of “non” “low”, “free” etc, so I can understand how confusing it can be struggling through all of the health claims on labels. Instead of focusing on what the food lacks let’s focus on what the food does have. What nutrients does it contain? Does it have healthy fats? Complex carbohydrates? High protein?  It is rich in B-vitamins? Energy boosting nutrients? And so on….

What does this crisp HAVE (vs. what it does NOT have):

• Wild (local) Blueberries: High in antioxidants, vitamin C and they are natures candy!
• Oats: I’m sure you have heard the endless benefits of whole grain oats but one of the big ones is that they are a source of complex carbohydrate which will help to sustain energy for a longer period of time without ups and downs in blood sugar. Oats are high in fibre and protein promoting healthy digestion and will help to keep you fuller, longer.
• Coconut palm sugar: Because we all need a little sweet in our life 😉 coconut palm sugar (although still sugar) it is less processed than your regular white table sugar. CPS still maintains a nutrient profile including calcium, potassium and zinc as well as a fibre which helps to decrease the glycemic index (GI) (the higher the GI the faster the rise in blood sugar).
• Arrowroot powder:  A better starch option than cornstarch. I used arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch as a thickening agent because it is less refined, plus I don’t run the risk of it being genetically modified cornstarch (which the majority are!).
• Cinnamon: The key ingredient to any crisp! I can’t say enough great things about cinnamon, one of the key nutrients in cinnamon is chromium which is a very important nutrient for blood sugar stabilization and to reduce sugar cravings. Tip*** You can sprinkle a little cinnamon into your morning cup of joe.

This crisp is gluten free, lower sugar and a healthier dessert option in addition to containing all of these healthy ingredients.

BLUEBERRY CRISP RECIPE:

Filling:

4- cups wild fresh (or frozen) blueberries

1 tsp. cinnamon

3 tsp. arrowroot powder

1 tsp. lemon zest

1 tbsp. coconut palm sugar

Crumble:

2 cups Rolled Oats

1 cup coconut or almond flour

1/3 cup coconut palm sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

½ cup melted coconut oil (melted)

1.  Preheat oven to 375 F.

2.  In a medium sized bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. Then drizzle melted coconut oil. Mix with hands in order to create a crumble. Set aside

3.  In another bowl add the blueberries, cinnamon, arrowroot powder, coconut palm sugar and lemon zest. Toss until the blueberries are coated.

4.  Line a 9×9 pan with parchment paper and then lightly grease with coconut oil

5.  Add filling to the bottom of the pan and crumble oat topping over filling.

6.  Bake for 40 minutes and allow to cool before serving.

7.  I like to top the crisp with Sheep’s yogurt or Coconut Ice cream.

Disclaimer: Obviously there are exceptions if you have an allergy or intolerance that should be the first thing you look for but the second should be what nutrients does this food contain?

– Sylvie (OG Lifestyles)