Raspberry & Apple Granola Crumble

Disclaimer:  Lisa and I are consulting dietitians for the National Processed Raspberry Council.

I mentioned on Tuesday that I’ve been spending the week in Delburne, the small town in Alberta that harbors some of my fondest memories.

Aside from having some focused work time, enjoying nourishing family-style meals in the evenings, and finding a new show that’s gotten my attention on Netflix (Bloodline), we’ve laughed a lot. There’s a lot I appreciate my family, but their sense of humor rate among the top. 

Earlier this week, for example, what we thought would be a reflective and meditative walk turned into honing in on my horse wrangling skills. To make 45 minutes into a few short sentences, envision five horses, a donkey, and a llama, named Bugsie, fleeing for their freedom. The adventure started with our adorable host 'rancherette' graciously letting us roam her beautiful property; on our way to the walking trail, a few horses snuck out of the gate. In the initial moments, we were panicked, but as soon as we realized everything was okay and the animals returned to their home, we all shared some good belly laughs.

Before I head back to the city today, I wanted to share a recipe that’s perfect for gatherings with family and friends. Crumbles have always been one of my favorite desserts – they’re not overly complicated and still have room to pack in some nutrition with the goodness of fruit. This crumble is entirely plant-based, and utilizes date paste, which are dried dates, soaked in warm water and pureed; it’s a naturally sweet way to sweeten your desserts.

Have a great weekend!

Raspberry & Apple Granola Crumble

Raspberries and apples make a great pairing in this wholesome dessert, which only calls for a little bit of added sugar and a variety of good-for-you ingredients! Top with a scoop of Greek yogurt or serve plain for a nutritious, sweet treat.

Ingredients:

1 ½ cups oats

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

¼ cup sunflower seeds

¼ slivered or sliced almonds

½ teaspoon cinnamon

dash of salt

4 tablespoons date paste, divided*

2 tablespoons agave nectar

1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 bag frozen raspberries

2 sweet apples, peeled and diced

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ orange juiced

*Make the date paste by soaking dried dates in warm water and pureeing.

Directions:

1.     Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

2.     Mix dry granola ingredients (oats, seeds, nuts, cinnamon, and salt) and set aside.

3.     In a large bowl, toss diced apples and frozen raspberries with vanilla, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, orange juice and 2 Tablespoons date paste.

4.     In another large bowl, whisk 2 tablespoons date paste, agave nectar, coconut oil, ½ teaspoon cinnamon; mix in dry ingredients.

5.     In a medium baking dish, add raspberry apple mixture. Top with granola mixture

6.     Bake for 25-35 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.