On Thursday, I arrived at the Farmers Market late which meant a lot of leafy greens and vegetables had sold. I was rewarded nonetheless because at the end of the day some produce is reduced and occasionally, when they have extras or produce that is just past its peak, I am given it for free. On Thursday, I walked away with a kilo and a half of beautiful cherries!
I immediately sat down on a bench before heading home and started googling what to do with cherries. I decided a cherry and peach crumble would also use up some peaches I had that would be better baked than fresh. This recipe also used oats which I needed to use up.
When I got home and dumped the cherries in to a sink full of cold water and washed them thoroughly three times, I discovered about a kilo of the cherries were just fine and I could dry them and put them in the refrigerator to nibble on during the upcoming week.
I pitted a half kilo of cherries and cut them in to quarters for a crumble. Next time, I might blast the oats and sugar in the blender for a few seconds to break up the oats a bit. I also would add a couple of sliced apples in it and mix the juices with a tsp of tapioca starch. However, as is, it makes a rich dessert or breakfast treat.
For a celebratory feel, heat up what you will be serving. Blend some frozen, slices of banana in a twister jar to make banana icecream. Serve the warm crumble topped with frozen banana icecream! Decadent with no refined sugar, dairy and limited fats! Good for you in every way!
Baked Cherries And Peaches With Oatmeal Crumble
Ingredients
Approximately 500 grams of ripe, dark cherries, washed well, stems removed and pitted
3 large peaches, washed, pits removed and cut in small pieces
2 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced (optional)
1 tbs fresh lime juice
1 tbs maple syrup
1 tsp organic tapioca starch (optional)
Oatmeal Crumble
1 cup Gluten free oats
1/3 - 1/2 cup organic coconut sugar
1/4 -1/2 tsp pure vanilla powder
pinch of Himalayan pink salt
4 tbs organic coconut oil
Method
Preheat the oven to 190 c.
Wash the cherries well in cold water. Remove the stems and pits. Make sure all the pits are removed as you (or your family/guests) don’t want to bite in to a hard cherry and break a tooth! Cut the cherries in to quarters and add to a baking dish preferably one with a lid. Wash the peaches, Cut in half, remove the pits and any stems that remain. Cut in to bite sized pieces and add to the cherries. Spoon out as much of the juice from the dish as you can. Add the tapioca flour to the juice and mix it thoroughly. Add the juice back to the baking dish. Drizzle a tbs of maple syrup and fresh lime juice over the fruit and mix it all well.
Add one cup of gluten free oats to a blender jar along with the coconut sugar. Pulse until the oats have broken down slightly. Empty in to a bowl. Add the vanilla and coconut oil. Mix the oil through all the oats. Spoon the crumble on top of the fruit in an even layer covering all the fruit.
Place the lid on the crumble if you have one and bake for 30 minutes covered. Take the lid off and bake for another 15 minutes to allow the crumble to turn golden brown.
Enjoy warm, cold or room temperature!