Blackberry Walnut Breakfast Crisp
If you love to start your day with a bowl of berries topped with yogurt and granola, this super simple breakfast crisp is for you. It makes good use of a mid-summer bounty of ripe fruit, and checks off four brain health food groups: berries, nuts, whole grains, and extra-virgin olive oil. Oats and nuts are a satiating, fiber-packed breakfast, made even more substantial if you add a good dose of protein from a dollop of yogurt. And, it comes out of the oven smelling like toasted walnuts and blackberry pie.
Avoid added sugar for better brain health
I am constantly amazed at how much sugar is added to the typical fruit crisp recipe. Avoiding added sugar whenever possible is a key tenet of brain-healthy eating. When you consume a sugar-laden fruit crisp (such as a recipe I spied recently that stirred 1½ cups of white sugar into 2 cups of fruit), that sugar gets quickly broken down into glucose and absorbed into the bloodstream. A surge in glucose stimulates the pancreas to release insulin—a hormone that helps the body use the glucose as fuel or store it for later.
Insulin resistance 101
When this exaggerated sugar and insulin response plays out multiple times a day over years, it can lead to insulin resistance—meaning target organs (like your brain) no longer respond to insulin. The result? Glucose roams freely in the bloodstream, creating inflammatory particles (by attaching to proteins) that seep across the blood brain barrier and damage the tiny blood vessels there. That’s one reason why insulin resistance of any kind (borderline or pre-diabetes, Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes, or obesity) increases the risk of Alzheimer’s two to four-fold.
A not-too-sweet crisp is perfect for breakfast
Here’s the great news: when baking with ripe, in-season berries, there’s no need for sugar at all. In fact, when you omit the sugar, you are able to really taste all the delicious nuances of the fruit, from sweet to slightly bitter to floral. This recipe includes just a few spoonfuls of honey to help bind and flavor the topping. I prefer baking with small amounts of whole food forms of sugar (like honey, maple syrup, and dates) in combination with fiber-rich ingredients (like oats and nuts) to combat any glucose spikes. Besides, these whole foods also provide beneficial nutrients and unique flavors rather than empty calories.
Blackberries + walnuts are a powerful brain health duo
The blackberry-walnut duo provides a powerful dose of nutrients known to protect the brain. Of all the fresh berries found at the grocery store, blackberries clock in at the top (along with cranberries) as the highest in anthocyanins—plant nutrients that combat inflammation in the brain. Walnuts are at the top of the pile of nuts when it comes to brain health benefits, too, since they are rich in polyphenols and omega-3 fats.
For a 100% plant-based version, substitute an equal amount of maple syrup for honey and top with a plant-based yogurt (I like plain, unsweetened cashew yogurt). For a sugar-free version, use monkfruit simple syrup instead of honey. Other berries work well, too, such as blueberries, raspberries, or a mix of these with blackberries.
Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Cook Time | 40 minutes |
Servings |
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- 2 tablespoons + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil divided
- 3 ½ cups blackberries fresh or frozen and defrosted
- 1 cup walnuts coarsely chopped
- ½ cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup almond flour
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons raw honey or pure maple syrup
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Plain unsweetened yogurt (optional)
Ingredients
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- Preheat the oven to 350ºF with a rack set in the center position. Rub the baking dish or ramekins with 1 teaspoon of olive oil.
- Set aside about ½ cup berries to top the crisp and spread the rest of the berries out in an even layer in the baking dish, or divide evenly between ramekins. Set aside about ¼ cup of the larger walnut pieces to top the crisp.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the rest of the walnuts with the oats, almond flour, and salt. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil, the honey, and vanilla. Pour over the oat mixture, stirring until the topping comes together in clumps. Spoon onto the berries in an even layer. Scatter the remaining berries and walnut pieces on top.
- Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, or until the berries and juices are bubbling and the topping is browned and crisp like granola.
- Serve warm with a dollop of yogurt, if using. Store leftovers in the fridge, covered, for up to 3 days.
Make this in a rectangular, round, oval, or square 2-quart baking dish. Or, for single serving crisps, divide between four 6-ounce ramekins.
Freeze tightly-wrapped crisps for up to 3 months. Place in a 350ºF oven right from the freezer to defrost and warm for 20 minutes.
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