Ooey, gooey goodness.

It doesn’t matter what time of year it is. You have got to make this blueberry crumble. The blueberry-lemon tang is perfect for summer, and the toasty crumble can warm up any fall day. It’s sweet, nutty, juicy, and an absolute crowd pleaser. I made up this recipe for my family’s Memorial Day brunch. Turns out, they loved it. Everyone was surprised that it was actually healthy. I didn’t measure the ingredients, so I had to make it again this weekend before posting on the blog. But I’m not complaining! Made with whole and natural ingredients, this crumble delivers on both taste and health!

Prep Time: 20-25 minutes
Cook Time: 20-25 minutes
Serves: 6-8 squares

Ingredients:

Base

• ¾ cups rolled oats
• ¼ cup roasted almonds
• 1 ½ tbs. almond butter
• 1 ½ tbs. melted coconut oil
• 2 tbs. maple syrup
• ½ tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. baking soda
• 1/8 tsp. salt

Filling

• 1 ¼ cups frozen blueberries
• ½ tsp. lemon zest
• 2 tbs. cup lemon juice
• 1 2/3 tbs. coconut sugar
• 1 tsp. arrowroot starch

Crumble

• 1/3 cup of the reserved base
• ¼ cup rolled oats
• 1 tbs. roasted almonds
• 2 tsp. maple syrup
• ¼ tsp. vanilla extract

Recipe

Base Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit, and line a 1.5 quart baking pan with parchment paper (or lightly grease with coconut oil).
2. In a food processor, blend rolled oats until they form a fine flour. Add almonds, baking powder, soda, and salt, and pulse again until a fine flour forms.
3. Add almond butter, coconut oil, and maple syrup until a crumbly dough forms. When pressed between your fingers, it should not fall apart.
4. Reserve 1/3 cup of the dough (not packed) for making the crumble later.
5. Press the remaining dough into the bottom of the pan, about 1-2 cm thick.
6. Bake for 5-6 minutes until the base is set up.

Filling Preparation:

1. Add frozen blueberries to a small pot over low heat. Let defrost and soften for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add lemon zest, lemon juice, coconut sugar, and arrowroot starch to the pot. Stir occasionally for about 5 minutes.
3. Turn down the heat to a medium-high simmer and let the filling reduce and thicken, about 5 minutes. Optionally, you can use a spoon to crush some of the blueberries.
4. Let cool and start on the crumble!

Crumble Preparation:

1. Add the reserved base dough, rolled oats, almonds, maple syrup, and vanilla extract to the food processor. Pulse until the mixture forms a coarse sand.
2. Use your fingers to press 1/2 to 3/4 of the mixture into small chunks, about 1 cm across. This will add some texture to the crumble.

Baking:

1. Spread the blueberry filling evenly over the base.
2. Distribute the crumble chunks and remaining “coarse sand” mixture over the blueberry filling. I like to let some of the blueberry still peek through.
3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the crumble is lightly toasted or browned on top.
4. Let cool completely before enjoying!

Not your average quarantine banana bread…

In case you didn’t make banana bread fifty times during quarantine, I have a new recipe for you. Meet classic banana bread’s younger, hotter sister: vegan, gluten-free FLUFFY banana bread. I was originally inspired by a recipe that my manager shared with me three years ago. I’ve tinkered around with the ingredients and measurements for years, but it never turned out just right until last year. I accidentally forgot to add the flax egg to my batter and boom. Game. Changer. No flax eggs = more fluffiness + more deliciousness.

The whole process is quick, easy, and so worth it.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40-50 minutes
Serves: 8 slices

Ingredients:

Dry:

• 2 cups oat flour (I blend rolled oats in my food processor until it becomes a fine flour)
• ½ cup rolled oats
• 2 tsp baking power
• 1 tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

Wet:

• 3 small-medium bananas (ripe, brown, and smushy!)
• ¼ cup almond butter
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup coconut sugar (I don’t have a sweet tooth, so if you do, I would definitely double this!)

Recipe

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.
3. In a separate bowl, mash bananas with a fork until a mushy, somewhat runny, mixture forms—small clumps are okay! Mix in the rest of the wet ingredients.
4. Add dry ingredients to wet mixture in increments. I add the dry mixture in three to four batches. Make sure to not overmix—try to keep it as airy and fluffy as possible.

Baking:

1. Line an 8-inch bread pan with parchment paper or grease the sides lightly with coconut oil.
2. Spoon batter into pan (lick the leftovers from your spoon!) and bake for 40-50 minutes or until golden brown.
3. Let the banana bread cool before enjoying. The sweetness of the bananas really comes out once the bread has fully cooled.