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Peach Quinoa Crumble – Healthy Dessert Recipes

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**Guest Post from Angela the Baker**

Toasted and ground quinoa combined with almond meal elevates this simple peach crumble to gourmet status.  Almonds and peaches are a winning combination as close cousins on the family tree (pun fully intended.) These blushing ladies I got are so amazingly sweet, it only takes a little boost from some jam and maple syrup to reach that perfectly balanced nature of  home-style  fresh fruit crumble.  Missouri has so many wonderful small production farms and orchards.  When I saw these peaches from Hilltop Farm, I melted with joy!  This is seriously healthy comfort food any way you slice (or scoop) it.  Bonus, it’s vegan!

For the topping I toast and grind the quinoa to create the awesome texture everybody loves.   The sweet nutty flavor that develops compliments the almond meal and oats, enhancing the simple nature of the grain. Bound by some coconut oil and seasoned only with a pinch of salt and some sugar, the stuff is snack crack!

The recipe will yield a bit of extra topping, never fear, try it on top of some fresh fruit (or homemade yogurt) and you will be in heaven.  When I first became aware of quinoa, I didn’t give it much thought, but a fascinating conversation with a friend and a few minutes on wiki got me really excited. As a pseudo-cereal, it is a complete protein, and chalk full of important minerals that some people struggle to include in their diets like magnesium, calcium and iron; with plenty of fiber and essential amino-acids this underutilized grain deserves its super-food title.

I hear a lot of requests for vegan and/or gluten-free desserts, and before recently, I would have just passed it off.  But the more I explore the better I feel about adapting my favorites. I personally have no need or major concern for following any specific diet plan, no big allergies to contend with or any other situation, but I have come to love cooking this way.  You can really wow some people after they’ve tried this crumble by telling them it’s true nature.  The smells that come from it while it’s baking should be bottled and sold.

As Tom would say,
“Let’s cook!”

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Peach Quinoa Crumble – Healthy Dessert Recipe

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Ingredients

Filling

• 4 c sliced peaches (9-10 whole)
• 1/2 c fruit jam( I’m using a low sugar strawberry rhubarb)
• 2 T maple syrup
• 1/4 t salt
• 2 sticks cinnamon
• 1 t fresh grated ginger

Topping

• 3/4 c quinoa
• 1/2 c almond meal
• 1 1/2 c old fashioned oats
• 3/4 c vegan sugar ( I used brown sugar that I had on hand which is not technically vegan)
• 1/4 t salt
• 6 oz coconut oil, melted

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1. To begin you’ll need a large pot to boil water, and a large bowl full of ice and water.  The first step is to blanch the peaches to remove the skin more easily.  Bring water to a boil, and score each peach with an ‘X’ on the bottom. Put in as many peaches as will fit in your pot, and boil for around 3 minutes till the skin starts to peel back on its own.

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2. Remove from the boiling water and immediately put them into the ice bath to shock the peaches and stop the cooking process. Repeat with all the fruit.

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3. Once the peaches are cool to the touch you can remove the skin by peeling gently with either your fingers or the aid of a paring knife.

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4. Cut peaches in slices and reserve in a bowl while you prepare the crumble topping.  They will begin to release a good amount of juice that can be strained off and saved for your morning smoothie,( or Bellini!)

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5. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees and gather a sheet pan lined with parchment to toast the quinoa.  Spread on the pan and toast for 6-8 minutes, stirring mid-way till it is lightly browned.  Here I’m using a combination of red and regular quinoa.  Allow to cool then use a spice/coffee grinder to process into a fine flour.  Save the pan to use in the next step as well.

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6. Combine all the dry topping ingredients in a large bowl, slowly drizzle in the melted coconut oil and stir the mixture till evenly moist.  Spread mixture back on the lined sheet pan and toast for 6-8 minutes till slightly browned and crunchy. Cool completely. You should have more topping than you will need for the dish. Save it for later in an air tight jar in the fridge.

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7. While toasting the topping you can start cooking the filling.  Heat the cast iron skillet over med-high heat, once hot add the drained cut peaches and the remainder of filling ingredients.  As the cast iron is well seasoned, you do not need any additional fats/oils to cook with.  Allow filling to come to a boil, then reduce the heat and allow to simmer for 12-15 minutes.  The juices will thicken slightly and the peaches will soften.  Try to refrain from stirring too much to maintain the integrity of the fruit.

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8. Increase the oven temperature to 375 degrees. Remove the cinnamon sticks from the filling mixture and while still hot, distribute the cooled crumble topping evenly across the pan.  Put the skillet, uncovered into the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes.  Check mid-way through and rotate if the topping is browning unevenly.  If the crumble is browning too fast, you can cover it loosely with foil, but be sure to allow the steam places to vent or you’ll have a soggy crumble!

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9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.  This allows the natural pectin in the peach filling to set more completely and for the crumble to achieve that awesome crunchy texture.

Let’s Eat!