HEALTHY APPLE CRISP

A lightened up maple pecan apple crisp with maple syrup and a crunchy pecan oat topping! Delicious and easy to make. Baking it in a loaf pan makes it deep-dish style and also helps with portion control.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 cup whole wheat, almond, or oat flour
• 1/8 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup rolled oats
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 cup chopped pecans
• 1/8 cup cold butter or vegan butter stick, cut into small cubes
• 2-3 medium Macoun, Honeycrisp, Braeburn or Granny Smith apples, cored and thinly sliced
• 1/8 cup pure maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
• 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously grease an 8.5×4.5″ loaf pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2. To make the topping: Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, cinnamon and pecans in a large bowl until well-combined. Cut in the pieces of butter and use your hands to squeeze and combine until the mixture becomes crumbly and resembles wet sand. (You can also place all of the topping ingredients in a food processor/blender and pulse until just blended).

3. Place the topping mixture aside, and make the apple filling.

4. To make the filling: Place apples, maple syrup, cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla in a large bowl and toss to combine.

5. Take a heaping 1/8 cup of the topping mixture and toss with the apple mixture. Place the apple mixture in prepared pan and sprinkle evenly with remaining topping.

6. Bake the crisp for 35-45 minutes, or until topping is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Remove from oven and cool 10 minutes. Serve warm with a Greek yogurt, vanilla ice cream, or whip cream. Makes 3-4 servings.

Slightly adapted from Cooking Light

For other apple ideas, read “10 Ways to Eat Apples”