Apple, Cranberry & Rhubarb Crisp

I don’t particularly care for pie crusts but I enjoy the fillings so over the years I’ve realized that what I do really enjoy are crisps and they’re super simple and very forgiving to make.  Back in July I posted a recipe for a Rhubarb Crisp and because I love that crisp so much I decided that for Thanksgiving this year I would change it up a little adding apples and cranberries for a more seasonal taste and serve it for dessert.  In addition to the more seasonal fruit I changed the crisp topping ingredients to make it “safe” for Maisie and her food allergies.  The recipe worked out well, the dessert was delicious and a perfect finish to our Thanksgiving dinner.

In a large oven-safe casserole dish mix together the fruit and syrup.

Top the fruit mixture with the oatmeal and nut crumble mixture.

Bake until the fruit is bubbly and the topping has browned a bit.

Apple, Cranberry & Rhubarb Crisp

4 Granny Smith apples, peeled & large dice
1 pound ruby rhubarb, fresh or frozen, sliced
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Syrup
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBS warm water

Crumb Topping
1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts
1/2 cup very roughly chopped walnuts
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup old fashioned oats 
1/4 cup Earth Balance buttery spread

Preheat oven to 350F.

In a large oven-safe casserole dish combine the lemon juice, sugar and water and stir to dissolve.  Add the apples, rhubarb & cranberries and stir to coat the fruit with the syrup.  In a separate microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter and then add the walnuts, brown sugar and oats and using your fingers, mix to combine into a crumbly mix.  Sprinkle over the fruit.

Bake 40-50 minutes until the fruit is bubbly around the edges and the crisp has started to brown.  Serve warm or room temperature.

Enjoy!!

Rhubarb Crisp

From the time I was a little girl I have always loved rhubarb yet I never make it because I’m the only one in the house who will eat adores it.  The other reason I never make dishes with rhubarb is because anything with rhubarb requires the use of a LOT of sugar and I’ve been trying to really cut sugar from my diet.  About a year ago I found some sugar substitutes that I’ve been using in my baking and they are fabulous as I can’t tell that I’m using something other than sugar.  So recently when I saw an interesting and easy recipe for rhubarb crisp on Keeping Up With the Times I realized that it would be a great opportunity for me to make the sugar substitutions and indulge.  What I love most about this recipe is that it is rhubarb, no strawberries, no apples, no fancy spices, just rhubarb and a simple crisp topping. 
I have to say that I absolutely adored this recipe and there was only one thing wrong with it and that was how delicious it was and how much of it I wanted to eat!   Overall it’s not that unhealthy and since I can make it with no added sugar, I’ll be making this whenever I can get my hands on nice fresh rhubarb. 

Rhubarb Crisp (adapted from here)

5 cups fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
Syrup
1 TBS fresh lemon juice
1/2 cup Whey Low granules or sugar
2 TBS warm water
Crumb
1/2 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/3 cup Whey Low Gold or brown sugar
1/2 cup rolled oats
1/4 cup melted butter, cooled

Preheat oven to 350F.

Place the rhubarb in a 6-8 cup casserole dish.  Combine the lemon juice, Whey Low granules (sugar) and water and stir to dissolve.  (If using real sugar you can heat the water and sugar together in the microwave to help melt the sugar then add the lemon juice.)  Pour the syrup over the cut rhubarb and stir to combine and coat evenly.
In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, Whey Low Gold (brown sugar) and rolled oats.  Add the melted butter and using your fingers, mix to combine into a crumbly mix.  Sprinkle over the rhubarb.

Bake 40 minutes until the rhubarb is bubbly around the edges and the crisp has started to brown.  Serve warm or room temperature.

Enjoy!!