Guest Post, Rubies and Radishes: Berry Rhubarb Maple Crisp

Wednesdays used to be our Guest Blogger Series day; but, there’s just so many new and wonderful Paleo and real-food bloggers out there that we’ve expanded our series. We hope you enjoy the new view points and unique content; if so, we encourage you to show these guest bloggers your support by visiting their blog and social media links at the end of this post!

This week we’re visited by the wonderful Arsy of Rubies and Radishes. I found Arsy’s blog through all the buzz surrounding her upcoming The Paleo Slow Cooker cookbook. I got a look at the book already and can tell you this is one you don’t want to miss – Arsy focuses on real foods, not canned or bottled products.  She also received input from Chris Kresser and Amy Kubul, so this is not just a recipe book! I was so impressed I reached out to Arsy only to find out that she’s a new mama! What’s not to love? She’ll be back to guest blog again soon about what she’s feeding her adorable paleo baby, but today she’s got a last-minute low-effort recipe idea for a genius weeknight Valentine recipe that will nourish the ones you love!

♥♥♥

This will be the 8th Valentine’s Day that I am celebrating with my husband, Brooke. To be honest, I used to not be a big fan of Valentine’s Day. I was of the thinking that we should be demonstrating love everyday, not just once a year. Then, I became a parent and quickly learned how much busier life can actually get. Now I think of it as a nice opportunity to take a break from the responsibilities of everyday life and celebrate our little family.

In 8 years, I don’t think we have ever been out to dinner on Valentine’s Day. The first few years we were dating I worked as a server. Spending most of my week working and dining in a restaurant, a home cooked meal was much more special.  From there, it became a tradition to stay in. Nowadays, we prefer cooking at home, as restaurants will often offer a pre-fixe menu for holidays, which makes it a little tougher for us to stay gluten-free. Plus, we love cooking and it’s so fun to plan a special menu and spend some time in the kitchen together.

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Since Valentine’s Day is on a weeknight this year, I’ve planned a menu that is doable in an hour to an hour and a half. And for the last couple of years, I have used my slow cooker to prepare dessert. This works out brilliantly because I can start dessert right as we start prepping dinner and by the time we have
finished eating, we have a warm dessert waiting for us. This makes for an impressive finish to a delicious dinner.

This particularly recipe is from my cookbook, The Paleo Slow Cooker. However, the version in my book is a Berry Rhubarb Maple Crisp, and while I couldn’t find rhubarb at the market this week, I simply added more berries. Apples & pears work as great substitutes too.

This is extra good topped with whipped cream made from coconut milk.

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Berry Rhubarb Maple Crisp

Ingredients

Filling:

  • 1 tbsp coconut oil
  • 2 cups diced rhubarb, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
  • 2 cups strawberries
  • 2 cups blackberries
  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp powdered ginger
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup

Topping:

  • 2 tbsp coconut oil
  • 1 cup almond flour
  • 1/2 cup pecans
  • Dash of sea salt
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 2 tbsp maple syrup

Cooking Instructions

  1. Lightly coat the inside of the slow cooker with coconut oil.
  2. Mix all the fillings, including the remaining coconut oil, and place in the slow cooker.
  3. Cook on high for 2 hours or until fruit is tender.
  4. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
  5. Mix all the toppings, stir to incorporate. The mixture should resemble crumbles.
  6. Spread the crumbles over the top of the filling and place stoneware of slow cooker into the oven for 15 to 20 minutes until top is crisp. If your stoneware is not oven-safe, transfer to an over-safe dish.
  7. Let rest for 5 minutes then serve from the slow cooker stoneware.

Servings: 6

*Note: I developed this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill brand almond flour. After preparing this recipe many times, I’ve noticed when I use other brands that are ground finer, I need to increase the topping ingredients by half.

Enjoy!

Paleo Slow Cooker

Arsy Vartanian is the author & chef of the paleo recipe & lifestyle blog, rubiesandradishes.com. In an effort to achieve optimal health & wellness, she discovered Crossfit & the paleo diet in 2008. Arsy started feeling better than ever and was eventually able to recover from health issues that she had struggled with for almost a decade. Equipped with this energy and knowledge, Rubies & Radishes was born.

When Arsy is not busy at work or being a mom to her new baby, you can find her in her kitchen developing healthy recipes for her family and her blog readers. Connect with Arsy on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram.

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