Blueberry Crisp for Brain Health
It's berry season and September is Healthy Aging Month!
What fun we had picking fresh blueberries right off the bushes while on vacation in August near Michigan City!
Berries are a terrific source of antioxidants, which can help to protect the brain from damage. Blueberries and any other red, purple or black color berries are also a great source of anthocyanins, which are compounds that fight free radicals. There is additional evidence that they offer anti-inflammatory benefits as well. Foods that contain antioxidants and anthocyanins have been shown to improve cognitive function.
In addition to luscious fresh berries, other examples of healthy potent foods to include in your eating lifestyle are butternut squash, sweet potatoes, beets, tomatoes, dark chocolate, and dark green leafy vegetables such as kale, broccoli and spinach.
There are so many delicious ways to incorporate blueberries other than just eating them right out of the container! Here is a favorite, very light, blueberry crisp that is flavorful. It is packed with all the nutrition we spoke about as well as uses oats instead of flour, olive oil butter instead of real butter, and powerful cinnamon and allspice. All of that adds to the health of it!
Try this recipe and let me know what you think.
To Healthy Cooking and Eating!
Melissa
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Blueberry Crisp
Ingredients
- 4 cups Blueberries
- 1/2 cup Monk fruit sweetener, or sweetner of your choice 1.5 Tbsp on the berries; remainder is for the crumb topping, if desired.
- 1 Tbsp Cornstarch optional, used to thicken the juice
- 1/2 cup Rolled oats
- 1/2 cup Almond or spelt flour Low carb and gluten free
- 1 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp All spice
- 6-8 Tbsp Olive oil butter (vegan butter) Or coconut oil or desired butter of choice
- 1 tsp Fresh lemon juice Or apple cider vinegar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Wash blueberries; dry them. If you use frozen, defrost and dry off any access moisture.
- Grease an 8×8 glass pan.
- To the prepared blueberries, combine lemon juice, sweetener of your choice, and cornstarch. Mix together.
- Spread the mixture in the greased pan.
- In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.
- Cut the butter (vegan) into the dry mixture until small crumbles form. (If use coconut oil, just stir in).
- Sprinkle the crumble mixture on top of the blueberries.
- Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes. It will be bubbly and crumbles will become brown and toasty.
- Let cool. Serve warm or cool.
- Refrigerate leftovers, covered.
