Antioxidant Cherry Berry Cobbler

INGREDIENTS

1. 7-8 cups fruit, fresh or frozen (example: 3 cups pitted cherries, 2 cups blueberries, 2 cups chopped strawberries)
2. 2 tablespoons Maple Syrup
3. 2 teaspoons Vanilla extract
4. 1 tbs ground flax seed

1. 3 scant cups oats
2. 1 cup almond meal
3. 1 cup walnuts, crumbled
4. 2 tsp baking powder
5. 1/2 tsp sea salt
6. 1/4 cup maple syrup
7. 1/4 cup +1 tbs coconut oil, soft but not melted

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Grease well a large cast iron pan with a smear of coconut oil
3. Combine berry layer ingredients in a bowl and spread out into cast iron pan
4. In the same bowl, combine all oat crumble ingredients except the coconut oil. After fully combined, mix in the soft coconut oil
5. Using hands lightly squeeze oat mixture, on handful at a time, and cover over berries in pan, forming crumbly chunks
6. Bake for 30-35 minutes until golden brown on top and the berry juice is bubbling from below

Tips & Tricks

• ENJOY as is or with a light scoop of nondairy vanilla ice cream for the ultimate summer treat
• Feel free to utilize fresh or frozen berries for this Cobbler. The fresher, the better of course, but freezing is a great storage method, especially for heaps of fresh pickings
• Cherries, blueberries, and strawberries make up this Cobbler, but cherries are indeed the star of the show here. Pitting cherries takes some patience, but it is so worth the effort. Do some single leg balancing exercises while pitting!
• Pitting cherries may also turn your hands red from their potent, red juice. Admire this beautiful, red color because it is the color pigments themselves in fruits (and vegetables) that are the wonderful nutrients, called PHYTONUTRIENTS

Notes 

RED phytonutrients are especially great for heart health and in cherries and berries they are particularly loaded with antioxidants, removing free radicals from our system that come from toxins and training stress. So runners, you NEED this summer treat in your life! Consider it part of your recovery routine.

Perhaps the best thing about this recipe: make it at night for desert and have a bowl in the morning for breakfast! This Cobbler utilizes all the fresh cherries and berries of summer, with a subtly sweet OAT and WALNUT crumble on top. This recipe is vegan, gluten-free, refined-sugar free, and made of just a few whole food ingredients. For a nutrient BONUS, make this Cobbler in a cast iron skillet for extra iron.