Mixed Berry Polenta Crisp
The topping for this Mixed Berry Polenta Crisp is inspired by my favorite Italian cookie, a not-too-sweet polenta butter cookie cut into golden coins. We’ll use a combination of olive oil and butter in the crisp topping for a healthier fat profile and a crumblier texture. Almond flour and instant polenta add flavor and fiber, along with a nice, crunchy cornmeal biscuit-like texture.
Eat your berries
This super easy crisp works well with any berries you happen to have on hand, fresh or frozen. The berries need just a squeeze of orange juice and a good dose of zest. I love using all blueberries, or a mix of blueberries, blackberries, and white raspberries. This crisp makes it easy to eat your berries. The MIND diet recommends eating at least two half-cup servings of berries each week. Eating berries has been linked to improved memory in seniors and less Alzheimer’s in the MIND diet study. Learn more here: How Eating Berries Can Add Years to Your Brain’s Longevity.
Extra virgin olive oil vs. butter
Extra virgin olive oil is used much more frequently than butter in the Mediterranean diet. The brain healthy MIND diet recommends no more than one tablespoon of butter each day. That’s because the brain healthy diet emphasized monounsaturated fats, like those in olive oil, over the saturated fats found in butter. Small amounts of high quality butter are fine, though, and sometimes work well in combination with olive oil like in this crisp topping.
Choosing the best butter
Look for grass-fed butter at the grocery store for a healthier fat profile. Butter from cows fed only grass have a higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids, and less of the inflammatory omega-6s. European brands, such as Plugra and Kerrygold, are grass-fed.
Crisp for one or a crowd
Unless I’m feeding a crowd, I like to divide the recipe among two 8-inch square pans — one for now and another to stash in the freezer for later. Or, make eight individual servings in ramekins or small cast iron pans. Bake, then freeze, tightly wrapped in foil; put frozen crisp in a 300ºF oven to warm up before serving.
Enjoy this Mixed Berry Polenta Crisp now while berries are at their peak. And be sure to put up some berries for later and make this crisp all year long. Learn more here: How to Put Up a Freezerful of Summer Berries.
Prep Time | 10 minutes |
Cook Time | 30-40 minutes |
Servings |
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- 8 cups berries blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, or a mix, fresh or frozenno
- 2 oranges zested and juiced
- ½ teaspoon koshersalt
- 4 tablespoons butter preferably grass-fed
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 cup almond flour
- ½ cup quick-cooking polenta also called instant polenta
- ¼ cup coconut palm sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
Ingredients
For the berries:
For the crisp topping:
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- Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
- Clean and sort the berries, removing leaves and stems.
- Place the berries in a 11- by 7-inch ceramic or glass pan. Add orange zest, orange juice, and a pinch of salt. Toss gently so that all the berries are coated.
- Cut the butter into small cubes and place in a food processor. Add olive oil, almond flour, polenta, sugar, egg, baking powder, and salt. Pulse 10 times or until a crumbly dough forms. (Or, place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl and crumble them together with your hands.)
- Crumble the topping over the berries. Place the baking dish on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper for easier clean-up. Bake until the crisp is lightly browned and the filling is bubbling, 30 to 40 minutes. Cool for about 30 minutes before serving to allow the juices to set up and thicken.
Note: Don't try to make this with regular polenta, sometimes called polenta corn grits; it will be too crunchy. Look for instant or quick-cooking polenta for the crisp topping.
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