Last weekend, walking between Chichester and the beautiful little village of Bosham, I couldn't resist a bit of foraging along the way and this was the bounty I effortless collected. Talk about fresh and in season!
The humble blackberry is a little powerhouse of nutrients rich in Vitamin C, A, E, K and B, magnesium, potassium, manganese and copper. It is high in both soluble and insoluble fibre and contains high levels of many powerful phytochemicals giving it a higher ORAC value (Antioxidant level) than both blueberries and pomegranates, almost double that of Goji berries and triple that of oranges.
So before long I was conjuring up a fig and blackberry crumble for dinner.
I divided the fruit between individual ramekin dishes and threw in few frozen blueberries as well just because I had some. The sweetness of the figs will offset the lovely sharpness of the blackberries so there is no need to add any additional sugar.
I made a crumble topping from oats (gluten free), coconut flakes and chapped almonds. All protein rich, full of fibre and will give a lovely crunchy texture.
Blackberry and Fig Crumble // Serves 6 (Adapted from Sprouted Kitchen)
Ingredients
2 cups Blackberries
3 large Figs
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1½ cups Jumbo Oats
½ cup Coconut Flakes/Desiccated coconut
½ cup Flaked Almonds
1 tsp Cinnamon
⅛ tsp Vanilla Powder
1 tsp Baking Powder
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1 cup Oat/Coconut/Almond/Hemp Milk
1½ Tbsp Melted Butter/Ghee (Coconut oil for Vegan version)
Method
1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. Divide the berries and fig slices between the ramekin dishes
3. Mix the oats, coconut, almond flakes (keeping some to decorate on top), cinnamon, vanilla powder and baking powder in a bowl. Divide the dry ingredients between the dishes, layering on top of the fruit, about ⅓ cup.
4. Combine the milk and melted butter and pour on top of the oats, letting it seep to the bottom. Use the remaining almonds to sprinkle on top. Place all the dishes on a baking tray and place on the middle shelf for about 30 minutes.
If you want to make ahead of time, undercook by 5-8 minutes so they don't dry out on reheating.