Small steps food series

Snacks

DESSERT

I can be quite partial to the old 'dessert moment'. Less and less as my meals satisfy me, but sometimes I just want 'something'. I've created the 'deconstructed apple crumble' for the times I need something satisfying - QUICKLY.

Very few things beat a fruit crumble for me. The fruit you use can be whatever is available each season. I've kept it simple today, with apple.

Dessert can be so easy - a cheese platter and grapes. An orange. A warming and soothing herbal tea.

Done.

Real food.

What I want you to think about from now on with desserts is to try and remove the white stuff. Desserts are often laden with waaaay too much refined sugar. I absolutely guarantee that most recipes you could halve the amount of sugar (and replace with a more 'whole' alternative) and still really enjoy the dessert. Using fruit as a natural sweetener is always a good idea.

Why go on a sugar roller coaster right before bed?

Also -- just ask yourself WHY you want to reach for something. Is food REALLY what you need? Or maybe, you just need comfort and a nice big cuddle or chat with a friend. Or perhaps you are bored and could instead go and take a lovely long bath or get lost in a book. Either way, we're all about becoming more conscious eaters, so just check in with yourself next time it hits 'dessert time'.

Recipes to try
Lisa’s Traditional Apple Crumble

Ingredients

• 5 apples peeled and diced
• 1.5 cups of water (or enough to just cover the apples)
• 1 level tbls rapadura sugar
• 1 level tbls cinnamon
• 100g / 1 cup wholemeal spelt flour
• 100g / 2/3 cup oats
• 50g / 1/2 cup desiccated coconut
• 40g / 1/3 cup rapadura sugar
• pinch of salt
• 100g cold butter, cubed

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180 degrees
  2. In a saucepan place the apples, water, cinnamon and tbls rapadura. Bring to the boil and then simmer until apple has softened
  3. Drain apples almost completely (keep a bit of liquid on the apples) and place in a casserole dish (I use a medium sized square one).
  4. Put all the other ingredients in a bowl and use your fingers to bring it all together. Should be like wet breadcrumbs.
  5. If you have a thermomix just place all ingredients in bowl and mix on speed 5 for 20 seconds.
  6. Sprinkle on top of apples and cook in oven for approximately 40 minutes or until browned.
Lisa's Deconstructed Apple Crumble

Ingredients

• 4 apples, diced (if using thermomix just core them and cut in quarters)
• 1 tbls of cinnamon
• 60g oats
• 60g wholemeal spelt flour
• 60g raw cashews
• 40g rapadura sugar
• 60g dessicated coconut
• 60g cold butter, cubed
• 20g coconut oil (you could use all coconut oil for dairy free or increase butter if you don't have oil)
• 100g fresh or frozen raspberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
  2. Line baking tray with baking paper.
  3. Mix together cinnamon and apple in a large bowl.
  4. Add all the other ingredients (apart from raspberries) to a blender and mix until it starts to come together.
  5. Add apple mixture to crumble mixture along with the raspberries and mix through with your hands.
  6. Spread mixture out on the baking tray and cook for 25-30 minutes (stirring halfway through)

If you've got a thermo-machine:
• Add apples and cinnamon to bowl and mix on speed 3-4 for about five seconds. Remove and place on a baking tray.
• Add all other ingredients (apart from raspberries) to the bowl and mix on speed 3 until it starts to come together.
• Place crumble mixture and raspberries on baking tray and mix together with the apples with your hands.
• Spread it out and bake for 25-30 minutes or until nicely browned.
• Stir halfway through.
• Top with cream or coconut cream.

Two ways with fruit

• Fresh or stewed fruit chopped and sprinkled with slivered almonds, pepitas, cinnamon and a dollop of cream or natural yoghurt.
• Thin slices of apple or pear spread along a piece of puff pastry sprinkled with rapadura sugar and cinnamon and cooked in the oven until puffed and golden.

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