OK, so it's April. I only wanted to do "Sweetener-free Sunday" for the month of March, but I just couldn't resist one more post :)
My husband's favorite dish is apple crisp. A fairly easy to prepare crowd pleaser. However, we do not eat refined sugar at all anymore. period. And lately our
other kinds of sugar intake has decreased while our desire for raw fruits has increased. So I set out to make a raw apple crisp! I was inspired after I made my Grain-free Granola the other day, and thought, "This would make a perfect topping to a fruit dessert". The banana/ almond butter/ lemon juice/ salt/ cinnamon mixture gives the illusion for the taste buds of that just-baked gooey sauce the baked apples would have made if this was cooked....not exactly the same but close enough for a much shorter wait ;)
If you don't count chopping the apples, this dessert is pretty fast to make (I hate chopping so to me just cutting up 3 apples seems like an eternity!). Also, don't be surprised if you + a friend/ significant other/a child/ a random passer-by finish the whole 8"x8" pan in one sitting. We've had this twice and we did both times :)
Raw Apple Crisp
Serves 2-3…or more if you have self-control :)
Ingredients
- 1 large banana
- 2 Tbsp raw, unsweetened almond butter (if you don’t have any raw or homemade AB (much cheaper!), you can use the roasted butter you buy at the store- but if you AB has sugar added, obviously this wouldn’t be sweetener-free :)
- ½ tsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of sea salt
- 2-3 granny smith apples (I usually do 3 medium sized, but 2 if they are large…you can also substitute any other apple- I just prefer this with granny smiths for tartness and low water-content)
- 2 cups my grain free granola or any other raw granola of your choice (also, if you want to make this only part-raw- go ahead and use whatever granola you have in your pantry!)
Method
- Slice the apples and place in an 8”x8” dish (or something of comparable size)….
- Mash the banana with the almond butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, and salt and pour over the apples…..
- Stir together until you get a gooey apple mixture like so…..
- Dump the granola on top……
- And there you have it! So. Easy. I also add a dollop of coconut butter that I have whipped with a little almond extract and cinnamon to go on top for the whipped “cream”
This post has been linked to
Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays @ SS & GF. Also, this post has been added to
Sugar Free Sunday. Check out this site on Sunday's for some refined-sugar-free yumminess!
OK, so it's April. I only wanted to do "Sweetener-free Sunday" for the month of March, but I just couldn't resist one more post :)
This looks so amazing - like I want to make it right now. Unfortunately (or fortunately - depends on which way you look at it) I have a sizable amount of raw carrot & cheesecake left, so I can't really justify making more desserts. Unless I make it for breakfast tomorrow... ;)
ReplyDeleteOh yum! I love that you don't actually bake it! I always have a bunch of apples at home -- perfect recipe for that. Thanks for sharing at sugar free sunday!
ReplyDeleteThis looks so yummy. Can you just adopt me so I can eat all your yummy but healthy creations? I have also been experimenting recently with "desserts" without wheat or dairy or refined sweeteners. I did make some amazing brownies with hazelnut meal, honey, applesauce and coconut oil. My problem is I don't do moderation well, so I tend not to make desserts. I wish I could be as strong as you about my sugar cravings! That is def my weakness. I typically eat wheat and dairy free, but, man, do I crave sugar. Any suggestions on how you tamed your sweet tooth? I wish I didn't have the tolerance for sweet foods, like you say it is in your house now. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!
ReplyDeleteHeather what a great question! For me, I had to gradually step down from sugar in stages. After my days of professional baking, I started experimenting with honey and xylitol. It took me two years to be able to go it on stevia alone. I hope that is not discouraging, but I found out recently that there was a lot going on internally that was adding to the sugar cravings. So went to see a nutritionist, got tested, and paid him to "make" me not eat anything but raw vegetables (not even starchy veggies like squash and sweet potatoes), nuts, seeds, and 1-3 small fruits a day! That was probably the hardest thing I have done; and I know this makes me a whimp, but I had to pay somebody so I would stick to it! After 2-3 weeks of that I finally felt like I could pass a doughnut and not go insane :) And after 2 months, I feel like my sugar tolerance is actually low. Hope this helps! Keep the faith, it sounds you have done a lot- cutting out wheat and dairy can be hard to do!
ReplyDelete