Grain Free Berry Crisp: Whether this crisp is made from berries that are fresh or from frozen berries during the winter months it will be an instant family favorite and crowd pleaser. Grain free and approved for those following the Paleo Autoimmune Protocol diet.
Grain Free Berry Crisp
We are a family that loves crisps; easy to make, naturally sweet, and just a touch of crunchy goodness on top. This Grain Free Berry Crisp is super versatile … it is healthy enough to be a snack (my husband’s favorite treat to bring to work), sweet enough to satisfy as a dessert, travels well for potlucks, freezes easily, is perfect to use up seasonal fruit before it spoils, and makes for a wonderful treat in the dead of winter when all you have is frozen fruit.
This recipe is a little different than my other crisps because I have modified it to not only to be grain free, but to also be a dessert that can be enjoyed by those who are on the Autoimmune Protocol (AIP).
AIP is similar to eating Paleo but has been recommended for those with autoimmune conditions (e.g. rheumatoid arthritis, Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, lupus, psoriasis, fibromyalgia, juvenile diabetes, type 1 diabetes, Addison’s disease, Crohn’s disease, endometriosis, Graves’ disease, Kawasaki disease, ulcerative colitis, thrombocytopenic purpura (TPP), restless legs syndrome, multiple sclerosis, and more). In fact, there are more than 100 documented autoimmune diseases.
Being that I am a Registered Nurse with a background in Intensive Care & Emergency Medicine and current employment in a pediatric emergency department, it is obvious that I have seen many individuals (and children) suffering from autoimmune disease. It is more prevalent than most people think and is seen in all social classes and ethnic backgrounds. I have been at the bedside many times when parents receive the initial diagnosis that their child has an autoimmune disease such as new onset juvenile diabetes (presenting with extremely high blood sugar) or thrombocytopenic purpura (the child is typically covered in unexplainable bruises). They want so desperately to DO something; anything to help their child.
Stop to think about it: how many friends, family, co-workers, or acquaintances do you have that are struggling with an autoimmune condition? I would argue that instead of just taking a pharmaceutical approach there are many more avenues to heal the body. Just one of those other avenues is through adding nutrient dense foods while omitting (for a time) foods that are known to increase inflammation in the body.
The Autoimmune Protocol is designed to help heal the gut lining and balance gut bacteria which are known triggers for autoimmune disease. (1) Leaky gut occurs when the tight junctions of the cells lining the small intestine (where food gets absorbed) become more permeable, letting undigested food, toxins, and pathogens into the body which triggers the immune system. (2) Dysbiosis is when the gut flora (microorganisms that live in the digest tract) get out of balance and there is overgrowths or deficiencies in certain species. (3) Research has shown that removing certain foods and substances from the diet helps heal the gut lining and balance the gut flora which almost always results in a lessening of symptoms and “healing” for those with autoimmune disease. (4)
Check out The Paleo Mom for more information on autoimmune disease and the AIP diet.
This Grain Free Berry Crisp is excellent following a hearty nutrient dense meal such as Quiche, Beef & Broccoli, Chicken Curry, or Indian Curry Spiced Ground Beef.
♥ Rashele
Don’t forget to pin this GRAIN FREE BERRY CRISP to your favorite PINTEREST board for later!
Grain Free Berry Crisp (AIP)
Ingredients
Fruit Bottom
- 7-8 cups mixed berries whole (can be fresh or frozen)
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
Topping
- 1 cups cassava flour or arrowroot flour
- 1/2 cup coconut flour
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 1/2 tsp Celtic sea salt
- 3/4 cup refined coconut oil (melted) or substitute palm shortening
Instructions
Fruit Bottom
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Mix fruit, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Dump into greased 9 x 13 pan. Should cover bottom of pan entirely with a layer of fruit about 1 1/2 inches thick.
Topping
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Combine all ingredients. Stir with fork if using melted coconut oil or use pastry blender for palm shortening. Mix well until combined.
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Pour topping over fruit bottom and spread evenly. Bake uncovered at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes or until golden brown on top.
Recipe Notes
- This crisp is best the in the first 24 hours because the top remains nice and crunchy. After that it looses some of the amazing texture but is fantastic when stored in the fridge for up to 3-4 days.
- When I make a crisp to freeze I simply put it all together, skip baking it, and stick it straight in the freezer (with a lid on it). Freezes well up to 3 months. Thaw before baking.
- You can see from my picture of making the fruit bottom that it is possible just to dump fruit in, splash with lemon juice and sprinkle on the cinnamon -- it doesn't have to be exact!
Don’t forget to pin this GRAIN FREE BERRY CRISP to your favorite PINTEREST board for later!
♥ Rashele
Tools used to make this recipe (click on photo or link to learn more):
- Pyrex Basics: very handy!
I’ll try this again in the future because the crumble does taste similar to a regular berry crisp but I will leave the fruit at room temperature before making so the fruit has a bit of juice… There was way too much for the amount of fruit so I had a very dry crisp.
Thanks for your feedback. I’ve always used frozen fruit and haven’t experienced the dryness problem. I’ll have to add that to the recipe.
If using shortening do you melt or just cut it in?