Whole Healthy Apple Pie

This apple pie has everything you love—warm cinnamon, tender apples, and a golden crust—but with a healthier spin. The filling is naturally sweetened, the crust uses olive oil for lightness, and it’s easier to make than most pies. Perfect for grounding into autumn.

Ingredients:

For the crust:
2 ½ cups almond flour
½ cup oat flour (or finely ground oats)
¼ cup coconut sugar
¼ teaspoon sea salt
⅓ cup olive oil (or melted coconut oil)
3–4 tablespoons ice water

For the filling:
6 medium apples (mix of tart and sweet, like Honeycrisp and Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons arrowroot starch (or cornstarch)
¼ cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional topping:
1 tablespoon maple syrup for brushing
Sprinkle of coconut sugar or oats

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F and lightly oil a 9-inch pie dish.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, oat flour, coconut sugar, and salt. Stir in the olive oil and 3 tablespoons of ice water, mixing until the dough holds together. If it feels dry, add the last tablespoon of water.

Press two-thirds of the dough evenly into the bottom and sides of the pie dish. Save the remaining third for the topping (you can crumble it, or roll it out between parchment for a rustic top crust).

In a large bowl, toss the apple slices with arrowroot, maple syrup, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and vanilla until well coated.

Transfer the filling into the crust, spreading it evenly. Add your topping—either crumble the reserved dough over the apples or lay rustic strips for a lattice.

Bake for 40–50 minutes, until the apples are tender and the crust is golden. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil.

Cool at least 30 minutes before slicing so the filling sets. Brush with a little maple syrup and sprinkle with coconut sugar or oats if desired.

✨ Pro Tip: Bake this a day ahead—the flavors deepen, and the pie slices more easily once cooled. It’s wonderful on its own, but a spoonful of coconut yogurt or dairy-free vanilla ice cream makes it extra cozy.

The Best Berry Crispy Crumble (GF)

This gluten free berry crisp is one of those recipes that feels like comfort but still stays light and wholesome. I even love it cold the next day with a spoonful of plain yogurt!

Ingredients for topping:

1 1/2 cups of oat flour

1/2 cup rolled or quick oats

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/3 cup organic can sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2-1 teaspoon of lemon zest

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter ( or plant based) melted and cooled

Ingredients for filling:

2 tablespoons of cornstarch

4 tablespoons of brown sugar or cane sugar.

1 tablespoon of lemon zest

8 cups of fresh berries or fruits ( blueberries, raspberries, cubed peaches, plums, pitted cherries, apricots, or a combo)

Vanilla ice creme or whipped creme for topping if desired.

Instructions:

Heat you oven to 350 degrees

Make your topping: Whisk together in a bowl, oat flour,oats,salt, spices, sugar. Stir in cooled butter and with your hands mix until you have coarse crumbles about 1/2 inch or some smaller.

Take a rimmed baking sheet ( ungreased) and spread topping evenly. Bake for about 15 minutes. Topping will not change too much in color but will be solid to the touch. Transfer to a wire rack to cool ( you may make your topping a day ahead and store in an airtight container)

Time for the filling: In a large bowl, whisk togther sugar and cornstarch. Add fruit and toss carefully to coat. Pour your filling into a 2 quart dish or a 10’ cake pan.

Spoon crumble over your filling and place on a baking sheet. Bake until it starts to bubble around the edges, about 50-60 minutes.

Let cool. Serve warm or room temp with ice creme or fresh whipped creme!

Great the next day re-heated on oatmeal or from the fridge on plain yogurt.

Double Chocolate Banana Almond Mini Muffins

I love when my fellow Chefs, health foodies, and plant forward pioneers make some awesome treats to share. Here is one of my faves. The fact that they are mini, helps with the portions sizes and you can also share ( if you can!)

VEGAN, GLUTEN FREE, DAIRY-FREE

Serves: 24 mini muffins

INGREDIENTS

• Wet Ingredients
  • 3 medium, very ripe bananas
  • ¼ cup melted coconut oil
  • ¼ cup pure maple syrup
  • 1 flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water, whisk together, set for 10 mins)   or 1 egg beaten

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients
• 1 cup gluten free oat flour
• ¾ cup almond meal
• ½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Add-ins
• ¼ cup vegan mini chocolate chips
• ¼ cup sliced almonds, chopped
Optional for topping
• 1 tablespoon each: vegan chocolate chips and sliced almonds, chopped

 INSTRUCTIONS
• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with mini muffin liners.

• Add peeled bananas to a large mixing bowl. Using a sturdy whisk or fork, mash bananas until smooth. Add coconut oil, maple syrup, flax egg, and vanilla. Whisk until well incorporated.

• Add the dry ingredients: oat flour, almond meal, cocoa powder, baking powder, and baking soda. Whisk together until just incorporated, making sure no flour patches remain.

• Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop batter evenly into muffin cups (about 2 tablespoons of batter per muffin). Optional: sprinkle chocolate chips and almonds on top of the muffins.

• Bake for 16-24 minutes. Mine took 19 minutes. Allow to cool on a cooling rack for about 1 hour. Lift out and enjoy!