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
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
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees
- In a saucepan place the apples, water, cinnamon and tbls rapadura. Bring to the boil and then simmer until apple has softened
- 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).
- Put all the other ingredients in a bowl and use your fingers to bring it all together. Should be like wet breadcrumbs.
- If you have a thermomix just place all ingredients in bowl and mix on speed 5 for 20 seconds.
- Sprinkle on top of apples and cook in oven for approximately 40 minutes or until browned.
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
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees.
- Line baking tray with baking paper.
- Mix together cinnamon and apple in a large bowl.
- Add all the other ingredients (apart from raspberries) to a blender and mix until it starts to come together.
- Add apple mixture to crumble mixture along with the raspberries and mix through with your hands.
- 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.
• 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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