The World’s Healthiest Apple Crumble – Vegan, Gluten Free, Refined Sugar Free, Oil Free!

Is it too soon to talk about Christmas?

It kind of is for me too… I haven’t actually thought about Christmas up until writing this post. When I was editing these photos, it dawned on me how soon it is and how this recipe would make a great Christmas or Thanksgiving dessert!

I was reading through one of my favourite vegan mags, Vegan Food & Living magazine, (a brand new British publication via magazine.co.uk) and was inspired by their pages of Autumnal puddings, to bake up a comforting yet healthy dessert.

I’ve been making a lot of healthy treats lately, using the natural sweetness of fruit in clever ways to maximise flavour yet keep calories low. This is the time of year when my waistband gradually starts to feel tighter!

Cold nights calling for comfort food and of course, Christmas! Not just the day itself, but all the delicious food baked and created in the lead up, be it to find the perfect recipe for the big day or large batches of cookies and truffles for gifts that always end up with a few missing!

So by making a few adjustments to drastically cut calories, fat and increase the good stuff, I can feel great about tucking in to dessert, even for breakfast! And now you can too!

I grind my own buckwheat flour from organic unroasted buckwheat in a high power blender. It’s so much cheaper, so easy and as fresh as it can get! You really do need a proper high speed blender to get a fine flour though, I tried this in my ninja blender and processor but it didn’t go. Twenty seconds in the Froothie and bam, we have flour! I store any extras in the fridge to keep it fresh.

 

I just love the snowy fairy dust from sifting flour…

Now is definitely the time of year when I start bookmarking and pinning Christmas recipes, homemade gifts and decoration ideas. I can’t quite remember what Christmas was like before Pinterest or mobile internet which meant I could fall asleep to reading recipes and looking at beautiful Bolo Rei and Panettone…

Apple crumble, a proper old fashioned comfort pudding which is perfect at this time of year when apples are abundant and the nights chilly and in need of a warming, cosy dessert.

But it doesn’t have to be resigned to a monthly sinful treat. By replacing the fat, sugar and refined flour for healthier, nutritious alternatives, this pudding is balanced enough for breakfast yet deliciously satisfying enough for dessert. This recipe can be ‘baked’ in the microwave to save time and oven space, it won’t be golden but it will be delicious!

A single serving boasts:

• Dietary Fiber 35%
• Protein 5.5g
• Vitamin C 31%
• Iron 14%
• No saturated fat
• No cholesterol
• Low in sodium

 

Ingredients:

Serves 8

For the filling;

• 6 apples, washed and cored
• 1 large orange
• 1/2 dropper vanilla stevia
• 1 tsp vanilla powder or extract
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Pinch sea salt

For the topping;

• 300g buckwheat flour
• 165g medjool dates, stones removed
• Pinch salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla powder
• 1/4-1/2 cup almond milk

Method:

1. Chop the apples into small pieces by hand or in a food processor. Add to a pan with the zest of the orange.
2. Cut the peel away from the orange and add the fruit to a food processor with the remaining filling ingredients and a couple of tablespoons of water. Blend until completely puréed.
3. Add to the apples and place the pan over a medium heat.
4. While the apples are simmering, pulse the topping ingredients, except the milk until it resembles breadcrumbs. Add milk a little at a time whilst pulsing just until the mixture starts to clump together and sticks together when pinched.
5. When the apples are cooked into a chunky apple sauce, taste and adjust sweetness and spice then tip into a deep 9 inch baking dish. Scatter over the crumble.
6. Bake in a preheated oven at 180’C/350’F for 30-40 minutes or microwave on high for 10-15 minutes, checking at 5 minute intervals until the crumble is crisp and fragrant.

I love to hear from you! Why not leave a comment below or connect with me on social media?

Facebook|Twitter|Instagram|Pinterest

Advertisement