Peach and Blueberry Crumbles

Peach and Blueberry Crumbles

This past weekend was perfect for strolling through Evergreen Brick Works Farmer’s Market.  An early start meant lots of parking and first pick of the goods.  It was my first successful visit; my original failed attempt was due to the psychotic parking situation which had me vowing to get there before 11 to avoid the near fistfights in the parking lot.  The covered market was full of amazing local/organic produce, awesome eats, a greenhouse, and a few artisan crafts.

It’s the first farmer’s market I’ve been to where there was a variety of gluten-free options from multiple vendors.  My standout GF snacks were: a vegan chocolate cupcake and sweet potato beignets from LPK Culinary Groove , JKKitchen‘s organic fries with cilantro aioli, and Roasted Tomatillo Avocado Salsa and artisan corn tortilla chips by The Mad Mexican. Definitely a recommended Saturday morning excursion – thanks to StylinMommy for posting about Brickworks.

lemon zest tools

Besides the snacks, the trip also yielded a massive haul of produce including a boatload of Ontario peaches, baby eggplants, zucchini, tomatoes, GF focaccia with poppyseed & onion, sweet potatoes, kale, and fancy mushrooms.  The peaches were by far the best score – about 2 dozen peaches for $8 – but what do you do with that many peaches?  I peeled and sliced up a few and froze them for future use and will give some away.

These crumbles were a great way to chip away at three or four of them.  I feel like fruit desserts are as healthy as a dessert can be while still satisfying your sweet tooth, especially if they are homemade, vegan, and gluten-free.  This recipe is an adaptation of Ina Garten’s recipe in Barefoot Contessa at Home cookbook.  I have a signed copy of the book – I met Ina after standing in line for about 2 hours to get her autograph at Chapters.  She is as lovely and likable in person as she is on her cooking show.

boiling peaches
fruit mix lemon

The easiest way to peel a bunch of peaches is to immerse them in boiling water for about 30 seconds and then immediately dunk them in cold water.  After this, the peach skin peels off very quickly and easily.  I remember when my mom would can peaches and skinned bushels of peaches so we would enjoy her canned peaches throughout the winter.

brown + white sugar
eb vegan butter in cubes

The gluten-free crumble is mainly a blend of brown and white sugar, Earth Balance’s Vegan Buttery Sticks, and Bob’s Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour (all staples in my pantry/fridge).  You can make this for your gluten-eating friends and they won’t be able to tell that it’s vegan and gluten-free.  Also, this recipe can easily be multiplied for a crowd.  It’s both a satisfying way to end a meal and say goodbye to summer as we head into fall.

Crumble topping ready to bake
crumbles birds eye view
Peach and Blueberry Crumbles

PEACH AND BLUEBERRY CRUMBLES

The gluten-free crumble is mainly a blend of brown and white sugar, Earth Balance's Vegan Buttery Sticks, and Bob's Red Mill GF All Purpose Flour (all staples in my pantry/fridge). You can make this for your gluten-eating friends and they won't be able to tell that it's vegan and gluten-free. Also, this recipe can easily be multiplied for a crowd. It's both a satisfying way to end a meal and say goodbye to summer as we head into fall.
Course: Dessert
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
Keyword: barefoot contessa, berries, Bob's Red Mill, butter, corn-free, dairy-free, Earth Balance, egg-free, fruits, gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, yeast-free
Servings: 4
Author: ness

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

  • Four 6 ounce ramekins (mine are from Crate and Barrel - for $2.50 a pop they're a steal)

INGREDIENTS

Fruit

  • 1 lb peaches (about 3 or 4)
  • 1 tsp grated lemon zest (preferably pesticide free)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
  • 2/3 cup blueberries (I used wild blueberries frozen)

Topping

  • 1/2 cup Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 2 Tbsp brown sugar
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 Tbsp Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks (diced into cubes)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium pot of boiling water, dunk the peaches in for about 30 seconds. Remove and immediately dunk in a bowl of cold water and remove after 30 seconds. Peel the skin off (it should slide off in large pieces very easily). Cut into 1" wedges.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the lemon zest, lemon juice, sugar, and flour. Add the peaches to the mixture and stir to combine. Add the blueberries and let rest for 5 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl for a stand mixer, combine the ingredients for the topping and using the paddle attachment, blend on low speed until mixture resembles small peas. Using a fork, break up any large pieces. If you don't have a stand mixer, you can use a pastry cutter instead.
  • Place the ramekins on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Spoon the fruit mixture into the ramekins in an even layer. Spoon the crumble mixture on top of the fruit, one table at a time, until the fruit is evenly covered. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes until the topping is golden brown and the fruit is bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature, scoop of vanilla ice cream is optional.
Chocolate Fig Quinoa Granola Bars

Chocolate Fig Quinoa Granola Bars

 With Labour Day around the corner, for many, it’s time to think about back to school snacks.  My homemade granola bars are packed with protein and keep you feeling full for ages.  Plus they’re tasty and kind of addictive and surprisingly easy to make.
  bar ingredients
The beauty of making your own bars is that you get to pick exactly what flavours you want –  my faves are figs (slightly sweet and nicely chewy), chocolate, walnuts and coconut.  The walnuts and quinoa are great for a boost of protein.  The coconut adds a little sweetness too. And to me a granola bar without chocolate is unthinkable.  I like to pre-wrap a few bars in plastic wrap so they are ready to go if I’m on the run.
granola bake
stir granola
coconut granola
The granola mix is made up of the gluten-free oats, walnuts and quinoa.  Bake together for about 10 minutes before stirring and adding the coconut which tends to burn if baked for too long.  Make sure to avoid the quick-cooking oats for this recipe – the bars tend to fall apart.  Hazelnuts are also a yummy option instead of walnuts. If you need a nut-free version, simply omit the nuts and add an extra half cup of oats.
sweetners
melted butter with sweetners
The glue that holds the granola together is a mixture of maple syrup, agave nectar, honey, and vegan butter.  You just put everything together in a small pot until the butter melts and comes to a boil.

figs up close

These are the dried figs up close.  I used dried Calimyrna figs which aren’t as sweet as Mission Figs.  I dig that the seeds kind of look like quinoa.  I found them at Whole Foods. If you don’t dig figs, just swap for your fave dried fruit.

Once you combine the granola with the figs, chocolate, and butter mixture, spread into a greased baking dish press down into an even layer (about 1″ thick).
granola in tray
 granola bar close up

Chocolate Fig Quinoa Granola Bars

My homemade granola bars are packed with protein and keep you feeling full for ages. Plus they're tasty and kind of addictive and surprisingly easy to make.
Course: Breakfast
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Keyword: barefoot contessa, butter, chocolate, cookies & bars, corn-free, Earth Balance, egg-free, gluten-free, nuts, pasta, rice & grains, quinoa, yeast-free
Servings: 18 bars
Author: ness

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

  • Fine mesh sieve 9"x13" baking dish, greased

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 cups Gluten Free Oats (not the quick cooking kind (Bob's Red Mill))
  • 1 cup uncooked quinoa
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 cup shredded coconut
  • 1 cup dried figs (diced into 1/4" cubes (or other dried fruit))
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 3 Tbsp agave nectar
  • 1/4 cup honey
  • 3 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 3 Tbsp vegan butter (I use Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks)
  • 1/3 cup chocolate chips
  • 1/3 cup white chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl of water, rinse the quinoa. Using a fine seive, drain the quinoa. On a large baking sheet, spread oats, quinoa, and nuts in an even layer and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven, add coconut, and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from oven and pour into a large mixing bowl. Add dried figs and chocolate chips. Turn oven temperature down to 300 degrees.
  • In a small sauce pan, add honey, agave nectar, maple syrup and butter. Bring mixture to boil and remove from heat. Pour the butter mixture into the granola and stir until fully incorporated. Pour into greased baking dish and press down firmly with the back of a silicone spatula or fingers into an even layer. Bake for 25 minutes or until slightly golden brown. Remove from heat and let cool for 2 to 3 hours before cutting into bars. Store in an airtight container.
Adapted from Barefoot Contessa and Quinoa Cookbook
Oreo Ice Cream Pie

Oreo Ice Cream Pie

What could be better than a big scoop of cookies’n cream on a hot summer day?  How about a chocolate cookie crusted cookies’n cream ice cream pie?  Surprisingly, this isn’t too sweet and is dairy/nut/gluten-free. Great for guests with food allergies and chocolate cravings and it’s ‘easy as pie’ to make.

oreos ready to blend

A food processor helps make this dessert a speedy one but you can also put the cookies in a large resealable plastic bag and smash the heck out of it with a rolling pin/hammer/frying pan.  Great for relieving stress.  Gluten-free chocolate vanilla cream cookies from Glutino taste just like regular Oreos.  Cousin Lil taste-tested for me and she is a tough GF taste critic.

oreos in food processor

Once you have crumbs, you just add some melted butter and press into the pie dish and bake. To make the gluten-free cookies and cream ice cream, I just stirred together some softened vanilla ice cream (dairy-free) and smashed cookies.   Feel free to play around with flavours too.  Chocolate crust + raspberry sorbet.  Chocolate chip cookie crust + chocolate ice cream.  Vanilla wafers + strawberry ice cream.  Yum.  Garnish with fresh fruits or even do layers of different ice cream flavours.  When I was a teen and before I knew I was lactose-intolerant, I used to wolf down Oreo McFlurries… not healthy.  This pie is so much better.

crumbs in pie dish

 

oreo crust

 

Oreo Ice Cream Pie (Gluten/Nut/Dairy Free)

What could be better than a big scoop of cookies'n cream on a hot summer day? How about a chocolate cookie crusted cookies'n cream ice cream pie? Surprisingly, this isn't too sweet and is dairy/nut/gluten-free. Great for guests with food allergies and chocolate cravings and it's 'easy as pie' to make.
Course: Dessert
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: butter, cake, cookies & bars, dairy-free, Earth Balance, gluten-free, nut-free, pie
Servings: 8
Author: ness

SPECIAL EQUIPMENT

  • 8.5" pie dish

INGREDIENTS

  • 20 to 25 Gluten Free chocolate cream filled cookies (extras for garnish (I used Glutino brand))
  • 2 Tbsp non-dairy butter (melted (I used Earth Balance's Vegan Buttery Sticks))
  • 1 Pint dairy-free vanilla ice cream (I used So Delicious Purely Decadent)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • Let ice cream thaw for 30 to 40 minutes.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a food processor, add 15 cookies and pulse until the cookies become small crumbs. Pour crumbs into a mixing bowl and add melted butter. Mix until combined. Pour into the pie dish and gently press with fingers to create a crust. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
  • Meanwhile, add remaining 5 to 10 cookies to the food processor and blend until cookies are broken into small chunks. Pour in softened icecream and blend. If ice cream is too thick, let thaw a little longer or pour mixture into a bowl and mix by hand.
  • Spoon ice cream onto cookie crust and press into an even layer. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and freeze for about 1 hour or until hardened. Cut into slices and garnish with cookies and additional crumbs.
Baked Apple Pie Tortilla

Baked Apple Pie Tortilla

When I was a teen and my metabolism was at its all-time high (um… I would eat McDonald’s McFlurries and Doritos as meals), I used to order this amazing deep-fried apple pie dessert from a local restaurant – apple pie filling wrapped up in a flour tortilla, deep-fried, covered in cinnamon sugar and served a la mode.  Classic apple pie is already pretty awesome but imagine it deep-fried?!?  You had to eat this monster with a steak knife and fork.  Mind-blowingly delicious.  A recent issue of Intermezzo featured a crispy pear fritter which I adapted into an apple pie filling and paired the filing with a brown rice tortilla.  Sprinkled with cinnamon sugar, baked, and served with a scoop of vanilla coconut milk (dairy-free/vegan) ice cream, this GF version is infinitely more figure-friendly than the fried original – so all the yum without a bigger bum.  Yay!

Apple Pie Ingredients together
peeled organic apples
diced apples in bowl

This recipe is super easy and it’s vegan since I used Earth Balance’s Vegan Buttery Sticks instead of real butter.  These sticks are amazing and should be in every vegan/dairy intolerant person’s fridge.  Unlike butter, this is free of hydrogenated oils, trans-fatty acids, and dietary cholesterol. Find out more at www.earthbalancenatural.com.

melted butter in pan
caramelized apples in pan
diced apples in bowl
melted butter in pan
Tortilla ready to bake on pan
baked apple tortilla on sheet pan

Baked Apple Pie Tortilla with Cinnamon Sugar

This recipe is super easy and it's vegan since I used Earth Balance's Vegan Buttery Sticks instead of real butter. These sticks are amazing and should be in every vegan/dairy intolerant person's fridge. Unlike butter, this is free of hydrogenated oils, trans-fatty acids, and dietary cholesterol.
Course: Dessert
Diet: Gluten Free
Keyword: apples, butter, dairy-free, Earth Balance, egg-free, fruits, gluten-free, nut-free, pie, tortilla, yeast-free
Servings: 6
Author: ness

INGREDIENTS

Filling:

  • 3 organic apples (peeled and diced into 1/4" cubes (I used 2 gala and 1 golden delicious 'cuz that's what was in the fridge))
  • 4 Tbsp butter substitute (Earth Balance's Vegan Buttery Sticks)
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 3/5 tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • 4 oz organic unsweetened apple sauce

Tortilla:

  • 3-4 rice tortillas (I got mine from Trader Joes)
  • 2 Tbsp sugar
  • 3/4 tsp cinnamon
  • Dairy free vanilla ice cream (Purely Decadent Coconut Milk Vanilla Ice Cream is so amazing)

INSTRUCTIONS

  • To make filling, melt butter substitute in large pan on medium-low heat. Add spices and stir. When butter is melted, add vanilla and stir. Add the apples, sugar, and lemon juice and turn temperature up to medium high. Continue stirring until the liquid starts to bubble and caramelize into a sticky brown mixture, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in apple sauce, and cool.
  • Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Lay tortilla on baking sheet and scoop about 1 cup of the apple mixture along the middle. Fold two sides over to cover apple filling and flip over so middle part of tortilla is facing up and gently press down to flatten. Sprink 1/3 of cinnamon sugar on top and bake in oven for 5-6 minutes or until tortilla starts to crisp up and brown and sugar is cooked. Remove from oven and cut in half. Serve with a scoop of ice cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.

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