So Long Sweet Summer

Yes, summer is coming to an end, but I’m not letting go just yet! I don’t know about you guys but I’m over here in Seattle clinging on to the last signs of summer. Usually September offers us a nice gentle transition into the fall season with sunny days to accompany the cooling temperatures. This year however, the cloudy skies and bouts of rain are taking over realll quick. Sunshine, I miss ya already.

Regardless, there are still technically 4 days left of summer and I am not letting them slip away all willy nilly. I am also not quite ready to jump into the chaos of PUMPKIN EVERYTHING. Don’t get me wrong, I love all the pumpkin spirit and will be spreading it myself very soon, but come on, let’s show summer some respect while it’s still here, shall we?

So, in honor of the beautiful summer season and these final days of summer, I made a delicious healthy mixed summer berry crisp featuring some of the summer berry MVPs — blueberries, strawberries, and blackberries.

I knew this crisp was going to taste amazing as soon as the smell of maple sweetness filled my kitchen. It satisfies a sweet tooth while still being healthy, just how I like my desserts!

The Recipe

Berry crisp recipes are traditionally made with lots of flour, sugar, and butter. This mixed berry crisp is vegan, gluten-free, flourless, and free of refined sugar! I used half coconut nectar and half keto monkfruit maple syrup for sweetening, making it very low in added sugar. The berries provide enough healthy sweetness all on their own! It’s also made with gluten-free oats and shredded coconut for the topping rather than all-purpose flour, and coconut oil in place of butter.

The best part about this recipe (in my opinion) is that you can use frozen berries - so really you can make this crisp all year long! While using frozen fruit may seem like a cop out to some, the truth is that frozen fruit and vegetables can often be as or more nutritious than their fresh counterparts. This is the case because fresh fruits and veggies are typically frozen at their peak of ripeness right after they are picked, which maintains the peak levels of vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients as well! Plus, you can save some money by buying frozen for an added bonus.

With a minimal ingredient list and healthy main ingredients, this crisp can be eaten on its own as a sweet breakfast, snack, or dessert. To jazz it up a little more for dessert, serve with a scoop of non-dairy vanilla ice-cream on top, or make your own nice-cream with frozen bananas, coconut cream, and vanilla extract. Either way it’s absolutely heavenly!

Vegan Flourless Mixed Berry Crisp

Adapted from Vegan Ninja’s Berry Crumble Pie

Ingredients

*Note: I recommend using organic ingredients whenever possible

For the crisp:

• 1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats

• 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

• 1/4 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp sea salt

• 4 tbsp coconut oil

• 1 1/2 tbsp coconut nectar

• 1 1/2 tbsp keto monkfruit maple syrup

• 1/2 cup frozen mixed berries, chopped

For the berry filing;

• 2 1/2 cups frozen mixed berries, strawberries chopped

• 1 tsp lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 355°F with rack on the middle level (center of the oven).

2. Add the oats and shredded coconut to a food processor or blender and blend until finely ground. Blend in cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt.

3. In a mixing bowl, mix together the coconut oil and sweeteners. Add in the oat blend and chopped berries*. Mix with a rubber spatula until evenly combined. Set aside.

   *You can quickly chop berries in the same food processor used for the oats and coconut

4. Pour remaining frozen berries into an 8x8 (or similar size) baking dish and add the lemon. Mix and form into an even layer. Distribute topping evenly along the top.

5. Bake for 20 minutes on middle rack. Optional: Turn oven up to broil and broil for roughly 1-2 minutes. Keep an eye on the crisp during this time to avoid over broiling. Crisp should come out golden brown.

6. Enjoy!