A recipe for a sweet, crunchy breakfast or snack from natural chef and fitness instructor Erin O'Leary Stewart, who's worked for top restaurateurs and now has a baking business online at o-cookies.com:
OATMEAL CRUNCH APPLE CRISP
INGREDIENTS
FILLING
6 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp flour
TOPPING
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
2 - 4 tbsp Earth Balance (or other vegan butter), cut into small pieces
1/4 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
DIRECTIONS
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- To prepare filling: Combine apples, brown sugar, lemon juice and cinnamon in a large bowl. Let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour over the apples and toss again.
- Spray a glass 9x9 pan or pie pan with non-stick spray, fill with the apple mixture and bake for about 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, prepare topping: Combine whole-wheat flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt in a medium bowl. Cut in 2 tablespoons at a time of the Earth Balance with a fork (or your hands) until evenly distributed. Stir in the nuts.
- After the apples have baked for 30 minutes, remove it from the oven and scatter the topping over the apples. Return it to the oven and bake until the topping is golden and the juices are bubbling around the edges, 20 minutes more.
- Once cooled, scoop out portions to fit each individual ramekin (trying to keep the topping on top!). Top with whip cream (rice whip is a great vegan option) or ice cream, and enjoy!
