But oooohhhh, that delightful smell (and taste!) of a fresh apple pie is so very tempting.
The holidays are going to be quite different for many of us this year with smaller gatherings and family dinners on the agenda. And some of us may opt out all-together and forgo the traditional celebrations due to health and safety reasons. Either way, there is one thing that never changes during the holidays; we overeat and overindulge. No matter how hard we try we just can’t seem to pass up those delicious desserts and temptations! My favorite growing up was my Gramma’s fresh apple pie. By the time I was 8 years old I was picking apples off the tree in the back yard and baking my own. On holidays I couldn’t wait for dinner to be over so I could grab a hot slice and scoop on the ice cream. I can taste the sweetness even now.
As tasty as they are, pies are plum full of sugar and calories and don’t help our health goals one single bit. Even the fresh fruit ones! And the other problem is—it’s an entire pie you need to eat! Can you hear those calories multiplying exponentially throughout the week?
A typical slice of an apple pie contains between 300 and 400 calories, 20 grams of fat and up to 20 grams of sugar. Your sugar intake per day should be 24 grams so if that slice is any bigger than 1/8th the pie — you’re over budget Girl Camper.
But I’ve got good news friends, you can have your pie and eat it too. (Well, sort of;)
I use make this often when I’m craving something sweet and yearning for Gramma’s apple pie. It’s easy to whip together, takes just a few minutes to cook and you probably have all the ingredients in your pantry. A perfect alternative for the holiday dinner if you’re keeping it simple and small. Now if your feeding a group, than my-oh-my bake that pie.
I’ve modified the traditional apple pie into a healthy apple crumble that can be used as a topping for ice cream or eaten right outta the bowl—which is how I like it. Keep your ice cream to one small scoop and make sure to let this cool for a few minutes before taking a bite because just like a pie from the oven…it’s hot! Also, you don’t need to stick to just apples here. Substitute with pears, blueberries, peaches or any fresh fruit that retains its shape when cooked.
Healthy Apple Crisp Crumble
Ingredients:
1/2 green apple, peeled and chopped into bite-sized pieces.
1/4 cup broken walnut or pecan halves (or a combination of both)
1/4 cup rolled oats
1 Tbsp brown sugar (or try coconut sugar)
Pinch of cinnamon
1 Tbsp ghee or real butter
1 Tbsp coconut oil
Directions:
Heat oil and butter in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat.
Add the walnuts or pecans and stir to coat. Add the chopped apples and stir.
Allow the mixture to cook for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
When apples are crisp tender, add the oats and stir well allowing the oats to absorb the butter and oil.
When everything is combined well, sprinkle the sugar on top and give a quick stir again.
Carefully remove from pan and let cool for several minutes. It will be very hot!
Serve over 1 scoop of vanilla ice-cream or eat right out of the bowl!
Serves one person.