Last week, I sat down to find a gluten free, vegan dessert. As much as I love our Healthier Texas Sheet Cake, I know that a gluten free and vegan version isn’t as simple as a few swaps. And while I used to rave about Black Bean Brownies, you can probably guess why I didn’t go with that swap. 

In my mind a warm apple crumble was the perfect solution, but I was naive to believe it would be simple to find a recipe. If it was gluten free, it wasn’t vegan. If it was vegan, it wasn’t gluten free. And if it was both, it called for complicated ingredients!

After browsing a few recipes and a strike of curious inspiration from leftover pumpkin puree in my fridge, I present to you a delightful creation that can be enjoyed for dessert or breakfast. 

Ingredients

Spiced Apple and Pear Filling

• 5 apples, diced 
• 5 pears, diced
• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• ½ cup golden raisins or dried cranberries
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• Pinch of salt

Oat Topping

• 1.5 cup rolled oats
• ½ cup pumpkin puree or applesauce
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ½ cup coconut oil, melted 
• ½ cup chopped nuts
• Pinch of salt

Prepare

• In a large sautee pan over medium heat, melt 1 tablespoon of coconut oil. 
• Add diced apples and pears, stirring to coat with the oil.
• Stir in ½ cup golden raisins, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 teaspoon nutmeg, and a pinch of salt. Reduce heat to medium-low.
• Continue cooking fruit mixture on low-medium-low for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
• While your fruit is cooking, preheat oven to 350°F and begin preparing oat topping.
• In a medium bowl, combine 1.5 cups rolled oats, ½ cup pumpkin puree or applesauce, ¼ cup maple syrup, ½ cup melted coconut oil, ½ cup chopped nuts, and a pinch of salt. After a couple of stirs, use your hands to bring the crumbles together. The texture should be wet but crumbly.
• In a 8x8 glass baking dish, spread an even layer of the cooked fruit.
• Using your hands, drop crumbles of oat topping evenly onto the cooked fruit mixture. Don't spread or pack the topping using a spatula.
• Bake for 20-30 minutes until the top is golden brown.
• Let sit 10 minutes before serving. 

Tips to Reduce Food Waste

Since all of our menu items are designed to eliminate food waste, I started this recipe by preparing an item from Saturday breakfast. 

I know I can get tired of eating the same thing every morning, so next time you make our Stewed Apples & Pears with Warming Spices use the extras for this recipe, or make yourself a personal crumble!