You may remember a couple of weeks ago we took a little road trip and went strawberry picking. It the perfect day; the sun was shining, there was a cool breeze and we practically had the strawberry fields to ourselves. We got so caught up in the moment that we didn’t realize how many strawberries we actually picked. We both walked away with a five-pound bucket and wondering what in the world we were going to do with all these strawberries! That night we got home we made a delicious Strawberry, Arugula and Quinoa Salad with Lime Dressing for dinner, but that barely put a dent in our huge haul. So our minds started to churn and we thought who doesn’t love a healthy dessert featuring this season’s favorite fruit?! And that’s when we decided to make this amazing Strawberry Crumble.
As you all know there is a lot more to strawberries than their amazing taste, they also come with a big nutritional punch. If you read our Strawberry, Arugula and Quinoa Salad with Lime Dressing post, you know these ruby-red berries are rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants, anti-aging flavonoids, vitamins, and minerals. Beta-carotene, which is a precursor to Vitamin A, is responsible for the berry’s beautiful color and Vitamin C is present in the form of ascorbic acid. One cupful of strawberries has over 89% of our daily need of Vitamin A and 149% of Vitamin C. And both of these vitamins bring a ton of anti-aging, anti-inflammatory and immune boosting benefits.
To add even more nutritional value to this dish, we mixed in some frozen wild blueberries. Did you know there is actually a difference between wild blueberries and cultivated blueberries (the ones you typically find at your food store)? Wild blueberries grow naturally in fields and rocky hills, whereas cultivated blueberries take careful planning and planting. Wild blueberries tend to be smaller and appear to be a darker blue. Not only do they look slightly different, they are also more nutritious! Wild blueberries have 2x the antioxidants of cultivated blueberries, thanks to a higher concentration in the flavonoid anthocyanin. If you’re wondering, “where the heck do I find these better berries?”, we found them in the frozen fruit aisle at our local Whole Foods.
The mixture of the fresh strawberries and wild blueberries makes the perfect dessert…it tastes amazing, has a great nutritional value and it won’t throw you off your healthy eating plan. We found that it is great for when you have company over because you can mix everything up in advance and then throw it in the oven as your eating dinner. Plus it has totally been a crowd pleaser, especially when we add some vegan vanilla ice cream! We hope you enjoy this dessert as much as our families and we have!
Vegan Strawberry Crumble
- Category: Dessert, Recipes
Ingredients
Strawberry Mixture:
4 Cups fresh strawberries, chopped
1 1/2 Cup wild blueberries (fresh or frozen)
1 T organic cornstarch (or arrowroot)
1/2 T fresh lemon juice
2 T maple syrup
Crumble:
3/4 Cup almond flour
1/3 Cup rolled oats (gluten-free if need be)
1/4 Cup shredded coconut, unsweetened
3/4 Cup coconut sugar
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 Cup chopped walnuts (or your favorite nut)
3 T coconut oil, melted
1 T maple syrup (optional)
Optional: vegan vanilla ice cream
Instructions
1.) Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine all of the Strawberry Mixture ingredients together in an 8″-9″ pie dish. Toss to make sure berries are coated evenly.
2.) In a small bowl, combine the Crumble ingredients except for the coconut oil and maple syrup. Mix until well incorporated and then mix in melted coconut oil and taste. If you feel like you would like it sweeter add the tablespoon of maple syrup.
3.) Place in oven and bake for 35-45 minutes until crumble is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Top with your favorite ice cream and enjoy this healthy, summer dessert!
