Feel-Good Berry Crisp
by Missy Chase Lapine
Traditionally, the only redeeming feature of a classic crisp was the fruit hiding underneath a blanket of butter, brown sugar, and white flour. Here we’ve cut more than half the sugar and fat, substituted a little good fat in the form of nut oil, and added a generous sprinkling of fiber, grains, and walnuts. Save the leftovers for breakfast—topped with a dollop of yogurt, it’s better than your average breakfast cereal!
- 2⁄3 cup rolled oats
- 2⁄3 cup Flour Blend (see Make-Ahead Recipe, below)
- 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (half the sugar of traditional crisp)
- 1⁄3 cup Ground Walnuts
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1⁄4 teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into bits
- 1 tablespoon walnut or almond oil
In a medium-size bowl, whisk together the oats, Flour Blend, brown sugar, ground walnuts, cinnamon, and salt. Using your fingertips, work the butter and oil into the dry mixture evenly, forming little pea-sized clumps. Refrigerate for use within a day, or proceed to make one of the fruit crisps on the following pages.
Flour Blend
Makes 3 cups of flour blend
- 1 cup all-purpose, unbleached white flour
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- 1 cup wheat germ, unsweetened
Combine the flours and wheat germ in a large bowl. This blend can be stored in a sealed, labeled plastic bag or container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
- 2 cups frozen blueberries or mixed berries, no sugar or syrup added
- 2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1⁄2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 cups Feel-Good Fruit Crisp Topping
- Low-fat vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt, for serving (optional)
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Spray 4 individual ramekins with oil, or for one large crisp, spray the bottom and sides of a 9-inch square baking dish.
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