Apple crisp is comfort food at its finest. Its traditional topping of oats and nuts makes for a fairly nutritious starting point as far as desserts go, but we wanted to take it a step further while staying true to its “crisp” name. For the topping, we initially tried incorporating quinoa, which becomes crunchy when baked, but found it bitter; tasters preferred a combination of flaxseed meal, whole and ground oats, and nuts, which provided a boost of fiber, protein, and healthy fats and lots of crunch. No flour was necessary, and instead of butter to keep the topping together, a combination of oil and milk did the trick. To showcase the fruity filling, we combined a mix of tart and sweet apples with vitamin-rich cranberries for beautiful color, tartness, and texture, using both fresh cranberries and dried. We refrained from peeling the apples so they would retain more of their fiber and texture. If you can’t find Braeburn apples, Golden Delicious will work. Do not use quick, instant, or thick-cut oats in this recipe. You do not need to thaw frozen cranberries before using.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (3 ounces) old-fashioned rolled oats
- ½ cup almonds or pecans, chopped coarse
- ¼ cup ground golden flaxseeds
- ¼ cup packed (1¾ ounces) light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup expeller-pressed canola oil
- 2 tablespoons organic 1 percent low-fat milk or water
- 8 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries (2 cups)
- ¼ cup (1¾ ounces) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 pound Granny Smith apples, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
- 1 pound Braeburn apples, cored and cut into ½-inch pieces
- ⅓ cup dried cranberries
- 1 tablespoon instant tapioca
- For the topping Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Process ½ cup oats in food processor to fine meal, about 2 minutes. Add almonds, flaxseeds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt to processor and pulse until nuts are finely chopped, about 12 pulses. Drizzle oil over oat mixture and pulse until mixture resembles crumbly, wet sand, about 5 pulses, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Transfer mixture to bowl and stir in remaining ½ cup oats and milk. Cover and refrigerate while preparing filling.
- For the filling Bring fresh or frozen cranberries, granulated sugar, water, and ginger to simmer in Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Cook until cranberries are completely softened and mixture is thickened, 5 to 6 minutes; transfer to bowl. Add apples and dried cranberries to now-empty pot and cook until apples begin to release their juices, about 5 minutes. (You should have about ¼ cup juices; if not add water as needed to equal about ¼ cup.)
- Off heat, stir cranberry mixture and tapioca into apple mixture in pot until well combined. Transfer to 8-inch square baking dish. Pinch topping into ½-inch clumps and sprinkle evenly over filling.
- Bake until juices are bubbling and topping is deep golden, 22 to 28 minutes, rotating dish halfway through baking. (If topping is browning too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil.) Transfer to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes before serving.
| Nutrition Facts |
Serving Size 1 |
Nutritional Value Per Serving | Calories 320 kcal Calories from Fat: 117 kcal |
|
% Daily Value*
|
| Total Fat 13 g 37% |
Saturated Fat 1 g 5% |
Trans Fat 0.0 g |
Sodium 45 mg 1% |
carbohydrates 49 g 38% |
Dietary Fiber 7 g 18% |
Sugars 31 g 34% |
Protein 5 g 10% |
* Above mentioned %DVs (Percent Daily Values) are based on 2,000 calorie food intake.
DVs (Daily values) may be vary depending upon individuals daily calorie needs. Above nutritional values are estimates and should only be used as a guide for approximation. They are not allfoodchef.com recommendations. Calculations are based on average weight of 194 lbs. and ages of 19 to 50 years. |