Plum & Cranberry Spelt Crumble

Serves 8

I know I’m going out on a limb here, but I think crumble is my favourite dessert of all time.  You can never get bored because as soon as you do, you can just switch out the fruit at the bottom.  Or change up the nuts and seeds at the top.  Or add a herb or spice for extra zing!  This one has some dried rosemary in it because I feel like it’s extra festive, but I also like adding ginger powder to the toppings too. The flavour possibilities are endless, and it is so easy to make, that there really is no excuse!  I also LOVE a dessert that I can make in advance and forget about in my freezer.  I feel like December is such a crazy busy month for us all, especially when we are entertaining big groups, that it is an absolute god send to have already prepped a dinner party dessert a month prior to Christmas Day.  My husband thinks it is super geeky.  I think it is super smart.  

I also use a crumble as a way of getting in fruits that my kids won’t normally eat, because as soon as it’s in crumble form, it’s all forks at the ready!  Sometimes I think they love a crumble so much that I could sneak some brussel sprouts in there too and they wouldn’t even notice!  But if you look at the ingredients list – it is full of things that are actively good for you, not to mention totally delicious.  

Wholegrain, high fibre spelt flakes.
Vitamin and mineral rich nuts and seeds.
Superfood Powders (Baobab and Acai).
Vitamin C loaded fruit. 

….And especially if you use Xylitol instead of sugar, it really doesn’t contain that much sugar at all.  If you are not familiar, Xylitol looks just like regular table sugar, is just as sweet but contains 40% less calories.  It also doesn’t have that after taste like stevia does, which I personally can’t stand.  Unlike regular sugar, it is much more slowly and only partially absorbed in the intestine.  It has a low glycaemic index and doesn’t cause blood sugar levels to spike; which makes it a great choice for diabetics.

One portion provides 235 calories, 5g of plant-based protein, 5g of fibre and 22% of my daily Vitamin C requirements.

INGREDIENTS

For the topping

·     120g Wholegrain Oats (I used Spelt Flakes)
·     50g Coconut Oil - melted
·     30g Xylitol (or sugar of your choice)
·     25g Flour (I used Spelt Flour)
·     50g Seeds and/or Nuts (I used 25g Pumpkin Seeds and 25g Buckwheat Groats)
·     20g Unflavoured Unsweetened Protein or Collagen Powder (I used “That Protein” Pumpkin Seed Powder With Chia Seeds)
·     10g Baobab Powder (Optional)
·     ½ tbsp Dried Rosemary (Optional but recommended) 

For the middle

·     Approximately 800g of fruit (I used 600g Plums and 200g Cranberries)
·     1 tbsp Xylitol (adjust depending on how tart the fruit is you are using)
·     2 tbsp Flour
·     2 tbsp Cranberry Juice
·     Optional – ½ tbsp Acai Powder 

METHOD

·      Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees. 
·      De-stone the plums and chop into small chunks.
·      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 fruit 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. 
·       NOTE: If freezing – par cook in the oven for 20 minutes, allow to cool, cover and put in the freezer.  Defrost fully before popping it in the oven again for another 20-25 minutes when ready to serve.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories – 235
Protein – 5g
Fat – 9g
Carbohydrates – 33g
Fibre – 5g
Vitamin C – 22%