sugar fix: winter blues apple crisp

Warm summer days seem so long ago: I miss the days of summer dresses, skirts and sandals. Although autumn is beautiful to look at, the shivering and frantic rubbing of hands isn’t exactly my idea of having a good ol’ time. For those days where I come home frozen through because I refuse to give up my favourite jacket that just isn’t warm enough anymore, I turn to this recipe to warm me up. This is my favourite recipe for delicious and simple apple crisp, and it is so versatile, too! You can use pears and bananas, or strawberry and rhubarb, or a medley of berries instead of the apples. You can add nutmeg, pecans or almonds to the topping, and interchange the chocolate chips with toffee or marshmallows.

This apple crisp is sure to make you happy! The apples provide that extra boost of vitamin C that you need during the dreary winter days. Vitamin C deficiency has been linked to stress and irritability. And if you feel like your mood swings are getting out of hand, then the oatmeal will lend you a helping hand. Mood swings are often because your blood sugar levels dip, since the oatmeal is high in soluble fiber, it’ll even out your blood sugar levels – and it’ll be smooth sailing from there. The chocolate not only tastes great, but chocolate has also been proven to contain a host of chemicals that send signals to your brain cell receptors to create a happy high. And of course, the smell of cinnamon has been proven to be so comforting to people that it’ll relax you instantly the moment the apple crisp starts baking in the oven.

I also baked my favourite vanilla cupcakes with cream cheese icing for a food segment I shot for school. Here’s the link to the how-to baking segment we shot! Check it out and let me know what you think =)

Enough of my rambling. Here’s what you came for!

vanilla cupcakes with cream cheese frosting

these are the cast members for The Sugar Fix - a short food segment I filmed for school

cinnamon apple crisp with chocolate chip oatmeal crumble topping

the apples are nice and soft, and just soak in the brown sugar and cinnamon

Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 apples (or one per person)
• 1/4 cup brown sugar for apple mix
• 2 tbsp flour
• 1 cup old fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1/2 cup brown sugar for topping
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup cold butter, cut into cubes
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips

How-to:

1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Peel and cube the apples and put into a bowl. Add to the mixture the brown sugar and cinnamon, as well as the 2 tbsp of flour. The flour will bind the juices of the apples once they start baking, and will create a nice syrup.
3. Transfer mixture into baking pan or ramekins.
4. Now, combine the oat, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, walnuts and shredded coconut. Incorporate the butter into the mix. It’s best to use your hands to create a crumbly mixture.
5. Top the apples with the crumble mix. Sprinkle generously with the chocolate chips.
6. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the topping is golden brown and the apples are tender to the touch.
7. Remove and let cool for 5 to 10 minutes.
8. Top off with your favourite ice cream, sit back, and relax.

xo dessertchick