Healthy Apple Crisp

Who says dessert can’t be good for you? Try this plant-based apple crisp recipe with the apples and oats featured in this week’s Lifeline Groceries box. Go ahead, have it for breakfast… we won’t tell on you.

Recipe

Servings: 9 people

Prep Time: 1 hour and 5 minutes

Ingredients

For the topping

• 1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or regular flour or gluten free oat flour or almond flour)

• 1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats, gluten free if desired

• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar (can also sub coconut sugar but brown sugar is best)

• 1/2 cup raw chopped pecans

• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1/4 cup cold butter or vegan buttery stick, cut into very small cubes (can also use coconut oil)

For the Crisp

• 5-6 medium Ginger Crisp, Honeycrisp or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced

• 1/3 cup pure maple syrup

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• pinch of nutmeg

• 1 tablespoon bourbon (or pure vanilla extract)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease an 8x8 baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.

2. To make the topping: Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt and pecans in a large bowl until well-combined. Add in the pieces of butter and use your hands to squeeze and combine until the mixture becomes crumbly and resembles wet sand. (Alternatively, you can cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or place all of the topping ingredients in a food processor and pulse until just blended. My favorite method is to use my hands, as I believe you get the best crumbly topping that way.)

3. Once finished, place topping in the fridge and begin making the apple filling.

4. To make the filling: Place apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and bourbon (or vanilla) in a large bowl and toss to combine. Allow to sit for 5-10 minutes.

5. Take 1/3 cup of the topping mixture and toss with the apple mixture. Place the apple mixture in prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with topping.

6. Bake the crisp on a baking sheet (just in case the filling bubbles over!) for 45-55 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes on wire rack. Serve warm with your favorite vanilla ice cream. Makes 9 servings.

Recipe Notes

ProStorage Tip:

In the fridge: store any leftover apple crisp in an airtight container in the fridge. Simply warm it up a bit in the microwave or enjoy cold straight from the fridge.

In the freezer: yes, this healthy apple crisp is freezer-friendly! Assemble the apple crisp but do not bake it. Cover the crisp well with aluminum foil and transfer it to the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake the frozen apple crisp at 350 degrees for about an hour or until it’s golden and bubbly.