Cran-Apple-Persimmon Crisp ~*Recipe ReDux*~

This month’s Recipe ReDux theme is “Trimming the Table.” The holiday baking season is upon us. Time to pull out all the stops. Show us the healthy holiday dessert you will be sharing with family and friends this season.

To keep this holiday season colorful and “healthy-ish,” I made a fall fruit crisp with fuyu persimmons, apples and fresh cranberries. I love all of the naturally bright colors in these fruits! The topping is made with spelt flour, oats, brown sugar, spices and coconut oil.

The fruit filling calls for 1 tablespoon of cornstarch. When using cornstarch, it needs to boil in order for its thickening properties to activate. Make sure that your fruit is bubbling in the oven before you take it out. Bubbling fruit and a golden brown topping signify that the crisp is done.

Spelt flour and oats are both good sources of fiber and protein, and by using coconut oil instead of the more traditional butter, the crisp is vegan, which is great for friends and family who do not eat animal protein or dairy, or for those who do not mix meat and dairy in the same meal.

Warm up this fall fruit crisp and serve as is or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream (or vegan ice cream) or a dollop of whipped cream (or coconut whipped cream) or Greek yogurt.

Serve it or bring it along to your next holiday party for a simple ‘healthy’ twist on a fall fruit crisp.

Cran-Apple-Persimmon Crisp

Crisp Topping:

2/3 cups rolled oats

2/3 cups spelt or whole wheat flour

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon salt

6 tablespoons solid coconut oil (can be chilled in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to an hour, but if it a cool fall or winter day it should already be solid)

Filling:

3 apples, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

2 fuyu persimmons, peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch thick slices

1 cup whole fresh cranberries

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Preheat the oven to 350F.

To make the crisp topping: Stir together oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Work dabs of the solid coconut oil into the dry mixture with your fingertips until no more dry spots remain.

To make the filling: Toss the fruit with sugar, lemon juice and cornstarch and place into a pie plate or cast iron skillet.

Sprinkle the topping over the fruit filling and place the pie plate onto a baking sheet (makes it easier to take in and out of the oven and catch any juices that may boil over) in the oven. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until the fruit is bubbling (it needs to bubble for the cornstarch to activate) and the topping is golden brown.

Store leftovers in the refrigerator.