As we move through the transition of seasons, many people are excited to cook their favorite fall recipes. One of the most popular fall foods are APPLES! They are a great source of dietary fiber, antioxidants, and pectin (a prebiotic that may support the healing of intestinal permeability/leaky gut). Also, getting a variety of apples will offer an array of health-boosting polyphenols including flavanols, phenolic acid, and anthocyanins. With all these benefits, I feel especially good indulging in my favorite fall dessert: apple crisp! This recipe is grain-free, refined sugar-free, and is vegan optional. 

Serves: 6-8 people 

Ingredients:

The filling: 

• 6 small to medium organic apples (I suggest a combo of Pink Lady and Granny Smith) 
• 1 tbsp lemon juice 
• ¼ cup pure maple syrup OR monk fruit maple syrup  
• ½ tbsp vanilla extract 
• 1 tbsp arrowroot powder 
• 1 tsp ground Ceylon cinnamon 
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg 
• ¼ tsp ground clove 
• 1/8 tsp pink Himalayan sea salt 

The topping: 

• ¾ cup blanched almond flour 
• 1 tbsp coconut flour 
• 2 tbsp ground Ceylon cinnamon 
• 3 tbsp ghee OR room temperature refined coconut oil (not melted) for vegan 
• ½ tbsp vanilla extract 
• 3 tbsp pure maple syrup OR monk fruit maple syrup 
• 1/8 tsp pinch pink Himalayan sea salt 
• ½ cup chopped walnuts and/or pecans 

Directions: 

Most recipes call for peeling the apples, but I encourage you to try keeping them on. The peel is where so much of the fiber and antioxidants are found!  

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. 
2. Get an 8″x 8″ pan and set aside. Do not grease.
3. The filling: Mix the lemon juice, maple syrup, vanilla extract, arrowroot powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and sea salt together in a large bowl. 
4. Wash apples. If you decide to peel the apples, you can do that here. If not, simply core and cut into 1/3″ pieces. Place the apples in mixture from step #3 and stir until well coated. Place in the ungreased pan. 
5. Topping: In a medium bowl, mix the almond flour, coconut flour, and cinnamon. Then add the coconut oil, vanilla, maple syrup, and sea salt and mix until combined. 
6. Pulse the pecans and/or walnuts in a food processor until they are small pieces. Do not over-process. Stir the nuts into the topping mixture. 
7. Drop walnut-sized pieces of topping over the apples. Gently press down any nuts that are sticking out so they don’t burn. 
8. Bake for 40-50 minutes or until the topping is brown and apples are bubbling. The topping should crisp up towards the end of the baking time. Check halfway through and if it’s already starting to brown, cover with parchment paper and foil. 
9. Let it sit for 10 minutes, serve, and enjoy! If you have leftovers, it’s best to heat them up in the oven to help the topping re-crisp.