Each Summer I head to beautiful British Columbia, Canada for the warm water, sandy beaches, hiking trails, the natural beauty of the forest, and of course…. all the seasonal BC produce. You never have to worry about looking for a sign to tell you that you arrived in BC, you will instantly know by the constant roadside pattern of ice cream shops, outdoor go-karts, and produce stands lining the roadway. There is something that just feels like home to me when I see the first one.
The fruit stands are like a brightly painted canvas with splashes of every color and tone imaginable from the s0ftness of a peach, the array of rainbow peppers, to the bold hues of a plum. For me, I’m like a kid in a candy store where my eyes are always bigger than my stomach. I ensure I have coolers and space to always bring back boxes of the seasonal goodies to can, freeze, and turn into a delicious meal.
I always buy blueberries in a 5lbs-10lbs box and each year it amazes me how quickly we can burn through them. Like most berries, Blueberries are a total power food thanks to their flavonoids, which not only determine the pigment of the beautiful berries but also their nutritional profile. Blueberries contain a flavonoid group known as anthocyanins which are a protective group of antioxidants that aids to combat free radical damage. Blueberries rank high amongst the antioxidant power and a simple 3.5 oz serving can contain the equivalent antioxidant capacity of a 5 cup serving of other fruits and vegetables according to Whole Living Magazine.
In the world of nutrition, we can demonize sugar and desserts for that matter. I take a more neutral and balanced approach in that a piece of homemade pie can be adapted so that the sugar serving is reduced, you enjoy the benefits of summer seasonal fruits, and add in extra nutrition.
This Blissful Blueberry Cobbler is one of my go-to summer desserts as it is so quick and easy to make, you can adjust sugar content as desired, and by having a few scoops of a topping you are reducing the amount of crust involved. In this recipe, I used Spelt flour but I have also used almond flour which gives the dessert a lovely flavor while making it naturally gluten-free for those with intolerances. Top a piece of this cobbler off with my 3-Ingredient Coconut Whipped Cream for a vegan and dairy-free topping and its an absolute heavenly dessert.
I should warn you its hard to have just one bite!
XO JO
Blissful Blueberry Cobbler
Ingredients
Blueberry Filling
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 4 cups blueberries
- 1/4 cup honey, raw cane OR coconut sugar divided
- 1 tbsp flour of choice same as topping flour
- 1 lemon juice & zest
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
Topping
- 1 cup spelt or almond flour
- 1/4 cup honey, raw cane OR coconut sugar
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1.5 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tbsp vanilla
- 3 tbsp coconut oil or grass fed butter (melted)
- 1/2 cup almond milk or grass fed, organic milk
Coconut Whip Cream (optional)
- 1 can can of full fat coconut milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 tbsp maple syrup
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees and have a 10" pie dish ready.
- In a small pot over medium heat, melt coconut oil. Add 2 cups of blueberries with 1/8 cup of the sugar of choice and stir often for about 5-8 minutes until it becomes like a jam texture.
- Remove the pot from the heat, stir in the remaining blueberries, reserved 1/8 cup sugar and the rest of the filling ingredients. Stir to ensure all the blueberries are coated.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix the dry ingredients together.
- Then mix the wet ingredients in until it becomes like a thick batter (scrape down the sides).
- With a spoon, drop down the batter starting in the center and work your way outwards to the edge. Leave a 1" gap around the edge as the batter will expand as it bakes. Bake for about 30-35 minutes and let stand for 10 min on a wire rack.
- Serve warm and with coconut whip cream if desired (click the link above and in the recipe notes below to see the video of how to make it).