Apple Crumble

With summer around, it's essential to have an easy, fresh go-to dessert. I realized this would be a challenge when all of my old summer recipes have added sugar, so out with the old and in with the new healthier options! My first creation (other than the hazelnut below which is great on fresh berries) is my Apple Crumble.

The Crumble



1 c. coconut shreds, unsweetended
1/2 c. almond flour
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 Tbsp. coconut oil

Melt coconut oil on stove top. Add remaining ingredients listed above, stirring occasionally until coconut is toasted golden brown.

The Apples
About 5 apples, peeled, cored & chopped into bite size pieces (I like to use green and red for a mixed flavor)
2 Tbsp. honey, more if you prefer it sweeter
About 1 Tbsp. cinnamon, more or less if desired

Mix these 3 ingredients and place in the fridge to marinate for about an hour. pre-heat oven to 400.

Once apples have marinated, spread in baking dish and top with the toasted crumble. Bake until the apples are slightly softened.

*For a quicker option, skip marinating the apples for an hour. Simply let them marinate while you toast the crumble mixture. You can also soften the apples in the microwave as opposed to baking them. I have done them in the microwave for about 3 minutes but our microwave tends to be a bit wacky so be sure to check them every so often.

Happy Eating! :)

"Nutella"

At work on Monday we celebrated World Nutella Day (and yes, there is actually a day to celebrate this heavenly hazelnut spread). Not being able to eat all the sugar and yummy ingredients in Nutella, I set out to make my own version.

One disclaimer- chocolate is not SCD legal. However, I have found that I can handle small amounts of organic unsweetened cocoa powder without reactions. So I treat myself occasionally when I just can't resist my chocolate cravings anymore.

Here's the recipe.
2 c. hazelnut flour (you can grind up hazelnuts in your food processor if you don't have flour)
1 Tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
1 Tbsp melted coconut oil
1 Tbsp honey
1/4 - 1/2 c. coconut milk/water*
*Any type of milk can be used here. I used just over a 1/4 cup coconut milk and about 1/8 cup water. You can vary this however you want, or use only water. The coconut milk just gives a richer taste (but adds more fat). 


Preparation couldn't be simpler. Combine all ingredients except the milk/water. I used my food processor but you can use a mixer, blender or good old mixing by hand.   

                       

Once everything is mixed, add the milk/water to reach your desired consistency. With almost 1/2 cup of liquids, mine was relatively smooth. And it actually tasted like Nutella! A little less sweet but a very good substitute. 

This recipe made about 8 oz, minus a spoon or two I had to taste along the way :) It's pretty tasty to eat off the spoon but even better on fruit. I've put it on apples, bananas and strawberries so far and it's delicious!

I can't wait to figure out a way to incorporate this into some sort of dessert recipe, maybe use it as a frosting on a white 'cake' recipe I'm working on? Come back later to see how that goes!