Preparedness, In the Form of Fruit Crisp
Eric and I got our second round of COVID shots today.
On the one hand, I’m feeling very grateful and excited to at least have this small level of protection against getting sick. But more than that, I’m excited to be less likely to pass it on to someone else. What a relief!
That being said, the next day or so probably won’t be awesome. Already, I’m feeling sluggish and foggy-headed. My arm is starting to hurt. The “bleh” feeling is coming on strong. But we knew it would be this way, and in typical “us” fashion, we’ve planned ahead. Dogs got extra exercise today just in case we need to rest tomorrow. The Netflix cue is ready to go. And all our food (aka, the MOST important thing of all)? Cooked and ready to go.
For dinner, we’ve got tacos. For lunch, sweet potato curry and brown rice. And then breakfast…the reason you’re reading here and now. Breakfast is my fruit crumble - aka, my new favorite recipe.
And it’s so simple. SO simple. So I thought it deserved a share before I officially succumb to the vaccination lethargy.
Start by coring and slicing six pieces of fruit (I think three tart apples and three pears is the perfect blend). Toss them in a big bowl with 2 tablespoons of cinnamon, 1 tablespoon of vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix well with your hands until all the slices are evenly coated and then pile them into a 9x9 pan.
The fruit will, initially, want to explode out the top and in all directions. You will be asking yourself, can all of this fruit really fit into a pan this small? It can. I promise. Work the slices down so they compact (especially in the corners!) and then cover tightly with tin foil and bake at 350 degrees for 50 minutes.
While you wait, mix up that crumble! Combine 1 cup of old fashioned rolled oats, 1 cup of almond flour, 1 cup of shredded coconut, 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon of maple syrup, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt - bonus points if you make your mix in the apple bowl so you can incorporate any remaining cinnamon. Work it with your hands for a minute or two until it begins to stick to itself. If the mix insists on feeling dry, add an extra tablespoon of water or syrup (if you’d like it to be extra sweet).
After 50 minutes of baking, pull out the fruit and remove the foil. The slices will have cooked down and look something like this :
Top with half of your crumble, distributing it as evenly as possible across the surface. Bake for another 10 minutes and then add the remaining crumble. Bake 10 final minutes (or until the top gets golden) and pull it out.
Cool completely, then slice into 6 (or 8!) pieces - and make sure to have an extra piece for me!
