RUSTIC APPLE & PEAR CRISP

This simple rustic apple & pear crisp comes from The Physicians Committee of Responsible Medicine. I subscribe to their emails and receive their recipe of the week and almost daily informative articles. I love what they stand for in the way of health and animals rights. They are against the use of animals in medical and scientific experimentation and have fought hard to eliminate the use of animals in schools, universities and labs across America. They embrace a plant based diet and promote it as the preferred diet to prevent and reverse many health issues. They've made great strides for both humans and animals. By promoting new ways of thinking and changing old outdated systems their work is a most positive breath of fresh air! I thank PCRM for everything they do as their work is extremely important. To find out more about their inspiring work please take a moment to watch this short video (be warned it may bring a few tears): Opening the Doors to Compassion

I'm happy to share one of their recipes here and have a few others in mind from their collection as well. This recipe was actually shared back in September, I bookmarked it and decided to finally give it a try. It was delicious! I've always loved apple crisps, or crumbles as they are referred to in the UK and Australia. They're just one of those simple pleasures that I've never tired of. Something about the soft apples, cinnamon and crispy oatmeal topping that I just love. And with the abundance of apples and pears this time of year it seems the perfect time to enjoy these fall fruits together. This was even a hit with my daughter who said she'd like to have this around the house more often. I changed the recipe slightly, you can find the original here. This would be good with a scoop of vanilla non-dairy ice cream and extra cinnamon on top. I didn't add any here but feel free to add a scoop to your bowl. Alone this crisp is healthy as can be. Not only does it make a great dessert but it can double as a nice breakfast idea as well. I can literally sit and eat this all day long!

Pick your favorite apples and pears. I love Fuji apples for their sweetness and crispness, and I also added a granny smith for tartness and variation. Pears can be a variety or simply a few of the same. 

Wash, core and dice your apples. I prefer to leave the skin on but feel free to peel your apples. Mix your apples and pears with lemon or lime juice, cornstarch, sugar and cinnamon, mix well. I didn't have any fresh lemons on hand and used a bottled lime juice I had available. If you find yourself in this situation, the lime juice will do just fine. You can also mix this right in your baking dish making for one less dish to wash.

Layer your apples, top with granola mixture and bake...

Once done, let cool and share the love! 

RUSTIC APPLE & PEAR CRISP

Ingredients 

• 3 medium apples, cored and chopped (peel if you prefer)
• 3 medium pears, cored and chopped (peel if you prefer)
• 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon coconut or organic pure cane sugar
• 1 heaping teaspoon cinnamon

Topping

• 1 3/4 cup quick or regular oats (I used quick oats)
• 1/4 cup almond meal, optional
• 1 cup finely chopped walnuts, optional
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 3 - 4 tablespoons coconut oil (at room temp)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon mineral salt
• cinnamon, to garnish 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Wash apples well. Slice, core and dice apples and pears. In a large bowl (or right in your baking dish), combine apples, pears, lemon juice, sugar and cinnamon. Mix well and layer into a 9 x 9 baking dish. 

In a medium size bowl, combine oats, almond meal, walnuts, maple syrup, coconut oil, vanilla and salt, mix well. Spread oat mixture evenly over the apples and sprinkle with a little cinnamon. 

Bake for 35 - 40 minutes, or until apples and pears are fork tender. Let cool 5 - 10 minutes before serving. 

Serves 6 generously. 

Notes: 

Make gluten free by using gluten free oats. 

Feel free to use almonds, pecans or other nuts and seeds of choice in place of the walnuts.  

Peel your apples if you prefer. I leave the skin on for the fiber and less work. Plus I love the rustic look and different colors the skin brings to the dish. If serving for everyday I won't bother to peel the apples but if serving for company I may consider peeling them. You may also like to dice your apples a little smaller than shown or cut them into thin to medium slices.

Make this oil free and omit the coconut oil. Your crisp top will be a little bit dryer but still good!

Add fresh cranberries for a splash of color. This is especially nice around the fall & winter holiday's.

Change the recipe to just be an apple crisp if you like, or vice versa. 

From my heart to yours...Enjoy!