Apple Crumble
Apple crumble is high on my list of desserts because it is such wonderful food for your gut. Oats are a great source of resistant starch; they resists digestion in the small intestine and are used by colonic gut bacteria to make short chain fatty acids (SCFA’s) like butyrate. SCFA’s are crucial to gut health as they ensure the efficient regeneration of colonic cells, retain electrolytes, reduce inflammation, improve cellular energy production and maintain gut barrier integrity. In addition SCFA’s are essential for brain health having a profound impact on learning and memory and brain plasticity.
When you cook apples they release pectin, a great source of soluble fibre which feeds anti-inflammatory gut bacteria such as F. Prauznitzii, improve gut barrier function and reduce toxicity. They are used in the management of obesity. I often add rhubarb to my apple crumble when it’s in season as it’s one of the best foods for increasing the beneficial bacteria Akkermansia, which promotes intestinal motility, reduces toxin absorption and protects intestinal barrier function and reduces chronic disease development.
You can add a small amount of Manuka honey (at least 20+) when the apples are cooled a little, a wonderful prebiotic (it feeds several Lactobacillus strains of bacteria) and antibiotic simultaneously (effective against H. Pylori, E. Coli, Strep ). I like to top off the crumble with Grass-fed organic butter rich in Butyrate, which makes the oats toast up nicely.
Ingredients
Filling:
6 large Granny Smith apples (around 1 kilo), peeled, cored and chopped into cubes
1 tablespoon Manuka honey
1/4 cup arrowroot powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground ginger (optional)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp water
1 tsp vanilla extract
Topping:
1 cup almond meal
1 cup all-purpose gluten-free flour
1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp water
1 tablespoon grass-fed organic butter
Method
Preheat oven to 180C (350F).
In a large bowl combine all the filling ingredients making sure that all the apples are coated well.
Spread the apples evenly in an approximately 31x21cm (12.2×8.27inch) baking dish and set aside to cool a little, adding the Manuka honey.
For the crumble topping, reusing the bowl from the apples, combine all the topping ingredients well with a spatula. If you feel like it isn’t mixed in well enough evenly, I like to get in with my hands.
Crumb the topping over the apples evenly and put in the oven to bake for around 45-50 minutes.
Add butter on top of the oats to brown them.
Serve warm with some vegan ice cream, cream or coconut yoghurt.
About the Author
Gabi is Founder and Director of The Conscious Pod, a Naturopath and mother of a child with Down Syndrome. She began consulting as a Naturopath in 2000 and has worked at two Natural Medicine Clinics since then and an Integrative Medical Practice in 2007. Gabi specialises in treating people with Down Syndrome and is currently available for consultations by Skype.