Blueberry Crisp

Serves 8

If springtime was all about green veggies, then the summer time just has to be all about fruit, fruit and more fruit! I have had my staple crumble mixture that I have defaulted to for years now, but in this heat, I was looking to make something a little bit lighter that I could even eat for breakfast or as a mid-afternoon snack, and not just for dessert.  This healthy blueberry crisp is a multifunctional sweet treat that is full of antioxidants and fibre that is devoured by both kids and adults alike (as you can see - that little hand just couldn't resist trying to pinch some!).  It fills the house with that wholesome freshly baked smell that makes you feel like a real-life Betty Crocker.

On top of a mountain of juicy blueberries, the crunchy topping consists of wholesome nutritionally dense ingredients in the form of wholegrain oats, a variety of nuts and seeds with no refined sugar. I switch up the type of oats, nuts and seeds periodically for a greater nutritional variety, but in this particular dish, I used magnesium-rich pumpkin seeds, Omega-3-full walnuts and fibre-packed buckwheat groats. One serving provides 266 calories, 4g of plant-based protein and a third of my daily fibre requirements. 

Fibre is a funny old thing.  I know it’s not particularly sexy to talk about but it is somewhat of an unsung hero in our bodies. There are many reasons why I love fibre (said no one else, ever!) but one very interesting thing to be aware of is its relationship to sugar.  Now you could be forgiven for being confused as to what one has to do with the other, but the presence of fibre in a food actually slows down the rate at which sugars are absorbed into our bloodstream.  This makes a high-fibre diet particularly important for diabetics.   A banana is a good example of this: a medium banana contains approx 14g of sugar, but that’s not the equivalent of consuming 14g (or 3½ tsp) of white sugar.  The banana is not just empty pile fructose – it is packaged up with a whole host of nutrients, vitamins, antioxidants and fibre. And it is this fibre that slows down the absorption of sugars in the bloodstream, helping to stabilize blood sugar levels, so it doesn’t have the same effect on the body as plain white sugar.   So particularly when I make sweet snacks or desserts, I try to cram in as much fibre as I can to control blood sugar levels, and this deliciously healthy blueberry crisp is a great example of that.

INGREDIENTS

For the topping

·     100g Wholegrain Oats
·     35g Coconut Oil - melted
·     20g Pumpkin Seeds
·     20g Walnuts
·     15g Buckwheat Groats
·     40g Xylitol (or any sugar of your choice)
·     15g Unflavoured Unsweetened Protein or Collagen Powder (I used “That Protein” Pumpkin Seed Powder With Chia Seeds)
·     30g Oat Flour
·     NOTE – if you don’t want to use protein powder, just use 45g Oat Flour instead

For the Middle

·     900g Blueberries
·     2 tbsp Oat Flour
·     1 tbsp Fruit Juice (I used Pomegranate) 
·     1 tbsp Xylitol

METHOD

·      Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees.·      
In a large crumble dish, mix together all of the ingredients for the middle.  I used my hands to make sure everything is well combined.·      
In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the topping.  Again, I find it easier to use my hands!·      
Sprinkle the crumbly topping evenly on top of the blueberries and bake in the oven for 40 minutes or until the crumble is golden brown.·      
Can be served both hot or cold with a dollop of creamy yoghurt.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories – 266
Protein – 6g
Carbohydrates – 45g
Fat – 9g
Fibre – 8g
Vitamin C – 27%
Iron – 8%