Plum & Greengage Crisp

Serves 8

Is it a warming autumnal breakfast? Is it a wholesome dessert? Or is it a nourishing after school snack? I vote for all of the above! This healthy fruit crisp is a multifunctional sweet treat that can be enjoyed any time of the day, and is equally devoured by both kids and adults alike.  I made a summery version of this and just knew I had to update the recipe for autumn, substituting the juicy blueberries for seasonal stoned fruit like plums and greengages. 

Packing in a ton of nutrients from wholegrain oats, pumpkin seeds, almonds and of course the fruit themselves, this dish is just perfect on a chilly morning like today. It is vegan, gluten free, refined sugar free, high in fibre and all with the added bonus of a nice dose of plant based protein as well.  I like to switch up the type of oats, flour, nuts and seeds each time I make it for a greater nutritional variety.  So in this particular dish, I used quinoa flour, magnesium-rich pumpkin seeds and some Baobab powder, which if you are not familiar with, I recommend you rectify that asap!  I started to learn more about baobab when I was doing some research for a diabetic client.  It comes from the fruit from the African Baobab Tree and has a delicious sweet and citrussy flavour and is packed full of nutrients.

Very interestingly, a study conducted by Oxford Brookes University tested humans’ glycemic response to bread – this is the rate at which sugar is absorbed in the body. The study found that adding baobab to the bread mixture significantly reduced the rate at which sugar was released into the blood supply post digestion. I found this so fascinating! So, based on this research, I like to include some baobab powder in my sweet recipes where I can, so that (along with a high fibre content), it can help to stabilised blood sugar levels as much as possible.

One serving provides 223 calories, 7g of plant-based protein, a quarter of my daily fibre and 17% of my Vitamin C requirements. 

INGREDIENTS

For the topping

·     100g Wholegrain Oats
·     40g Coconut Oil - melted
·     30g Xylitol
·     20g Flour of your choice (I used Quinoa Flour)
·     25g Pumpkin Seeds
·     10g Baobab Powder
·     30g Unflavoured Unsweetened Protein or Collagen Powder (I used “That Protein” Pumpkin Seed Powder With Chia Seeds)
·     20g Flaked Almonds 

For the middle

·     Approximately 800g of fruit (I used 300g Greengages, 150g Blackberries and 350g Plums)
·     1 tbsp Xylitol (adjust depending on how tart the fruit is you are using)
·     2 tbsp Flour
·     1 tbsp Fruit Juice (I used Pomegranate) 

METHOD

·      Pre heat the oven to 180 degrees. 
·      De-stone the plums and greengages 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. 

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION

Calories – 223
Protein – 7g
Fat – 11g
Carbohydrates – 27g
Fibre – 6g
Vitamin C – 17%