Hiya Gorgeous!
When I think of summer, I think of berries. And when I think of Fourth of July barbecues, I think of red, white and BLUEBERRIES!
See what I did there? 😉
But seriously, there is just nothing better than fresh berries. They’re good for you, delicious and super versatile. Think about it—you can eat berries for breakfast, lunch, dinner and even dessert!
Speaking of dessert…
I’ve got one that’s gonna knock your flip flops off! Whether you need something to keep in your fridge for a tasty (yet healthy!) indulgence at the end of of the day, or a crowd-pleasing dessert for an upcoming holiday gathering, my Summer Mixed Berry Crisp is about to be your new favorite.
This dish pairs tart, juicy berries with a sweet crisp topping for a festive, flavorful and perfectly seasonal treat. It’s loaded with great-for-you antioxidants, vitamins C and K, cancer and heart disease-fighting nutrients and lots of other fantastic health-giving goodies. Plus, raspberries and blueberries have unique anti-inflammatory phytonutrients that don’t appear anywhere else in the plant kingdom. How cool is that?!
Now, here’s where it gets unbelievably mouthwatering. I love serving the Summer Mixed Berry Crisp warm with a scoop of dairy-free ice cream. You can grab your favorite pint at the store or make some super easy homemade banana ice cream! Toss one frozen banana (cut into chunks) and 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract into a food processor or high-speed blender, then blend on low until smooth and serve. It’s melty, it’s ooey-gooey, it’s gonna make all of your wildest dessert dreams come true.
I’ll be whipping up a double batch of this goodness for the Fourth of July festivities next week. Wanna get in on the fun? Press play below for the recipe!
Summer Mixed Berry Crisp
Makes: 6 servings
Ingredients
Mixed Berry Filling:
1-1/2 cups (6 oz) fresh raspberries
3-1/2 cups (18 oz) fresh blueberries
1 teaspoon pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon arrowroot powder (or organic cornstarch)
1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Crisp Topping:
3/4 cup almond flour
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup solid coconut oil
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. In a large bowl, gently toss together the raspberries, blueberries, maple syrup, arrowroot powder, lemon zest and vanilla extract. Pour berry mixture into a pie plate.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk to combine the almond flour, rolled oats, salt, cinnamon and shredded coconut. Using a fork, work in the solid coconut oil and maple syrup until the topping resembles a coarse meal. Sprinkle evenly on top of the berry mixture.
4. Place the filled pie dish in preheated oven and bake until the fruit is bubbling and the topping is golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10-15 minutes before serving. Serve warm, room temperature, or cold—alone or with vegan ice cream!
And finally, a very special thanks to our talented Chef Lauren and the rest of the Test Kitchen Tuesday crew for helping to create this spectacular dish!
Your turn: What’s your favorite guilt-free dessert or healthy dish to bring to a summer get-together? Will you try the Summer Mixed Berry Crisp?
Peace and bodacious berries,
Is it ok to use honey as a sweetener instead of maple syrup?
It most certainly is. Honey isn’t vegan, but you are more than welcome to use the sweetener of your choosing 🙂
This is so delicious and has become our standard desert, no excuses (like holidays) needed. ????I just made it with the first apples from the farmers market and combined it with elderberries. Just as delicious accordIng to the hubby. ????
Looks so yummy! I’m not a big coconut fan. Any suggestions what I can use instead of the shredded coconut?
Thanks 🙂
Hey Silvia! You could use slivered almonds for that nutty flavor or try crystallized ginger for something a little different. Let me know what you end up using and how it turns out! xo, kc
Coconut oil is so very unhealthy. It’s just solid saturated fat. What could be substituted? Almond butter?
Hi E! I’m the nutrition director here so I’ll chime in. When it comes to coconut oil and its saturated fat content, it’s important to remember that not all saturated fats are created equal. Even the saturated fat in butter from grass-fed cows is different from the saturated fat in butter from grain-fed cows. Coconut oil is unique because the saturated fats don’t tend to raise LDL (bad) cholesterol the same way animal fats do, and coconut oil works to raise HDL (good) cholesterol, which is important in the heart disease risk equation. Coconut oil is also a great source of medium chain triglycerides (MCT), which can help our immune system. Having said that, however, coconut oil is still high in calories and shouldn’t be overdone. But yes, you can certainly replace the coconut oil with a less saturated plant oil such as almond oil or avocado oil. Hope that helps! xo
Thank you, looks delicious!
Will this work with frozen berries?
Hey Gaby! You could definitely use frozen berries. Just allow some extra time for them to thaw before you start cooking so the crisp doesn’t get soupy. Let me know how it turns out 🙂 xo, kc
Awesome, thank you! Super excited to try this! xo
Although I would love to make the mixed berry crisp my two children are Coeliacs and most Coeliacs dont use oats as they contain something that is similar to gluten. Oats are used in a lot of healthy recipes and I wondered what I could use instead?
My daughter has celiac and is very sensitive. We use Bob’s Red Mill brand gluten free oats and she’s never had a problem with them. Alternatively, you can try quinoa flakes.
Hi Sue! I’m the nutrition director here so I’ll chime in too. Gluten-free rolled oats are guaranteed that they haven’t been cross-contaminated and manufactured with wheat (which used to be the norm). Oats do have their own gluten-like protein called avenin, but it’s not generally something that causes digestive upset in people with celiac disease, and it doesn’t tend to cause inflammation the way wheat gluten does. Gluten-free rolled oats are more and more common and are available online if you can’t find them at your local grocery or health food store. Hope that helps! xo
Many thanks for your suggestions. I think I will try the quinoa flakes first and see how that works.