We’ve made quite a few food changes in our home over the last two years (more on that soon, I promise!). One of those big changes includes regulating our processed sugar-intake. Of course, we love dessert & would never eliminate it from our diets. But as with all things, moderation is key.
I love a delicious slice of cake or pie just like the rest of ’em, but I’ve come to appreciate & even crave the simple sweetness of fruit. There’s nothing quite like in-season berries during the summer months!
In celebration of Berries & Cherries Sale at Whole Foods Market (starting June 28th through July 4th!), I thought I’d share my favorite ever-evolving crumble recipe! You can use any berry that you like, mixing & matching whatever you may already have in the fridge or freezer.
I so appreciate that Whole Foods Market offers a wide variety of fruit that is organic, responsibly grown and/or local because you will find cherries & some berries on this year’s Dirty Dozen List! Whole Foods has a commitment to supporting farmers and their families who address sustainability, soil health, pesticide use, worker welfare, water quality & so much more. Plus, who doesn’t love to save a buck or two during this upcoming week’s berry & cherry sale?!
I plan to bring this crumble recipe with us to the river this weekend for our family’s Fourth of July festivities! It’s also a delicious addition to any summer potluck or enjoyed on the front porch during the heat of the day & it’s so much easier to throw together than baking a fancy pie.
It’s quick to make with simple ingredients & was inspired by my friend, Amanda (@awilsonwellness on Instagram), & her yummy blueberry crumble. I must mention, she’s a wealth of knowledge if you’re looking to incorporate more whole foods into your daily diet.
I hope you enjoy this crumble just as much as our family does!
See below for recipe…
Berry Cherry Crumble
Ingredients:
– 4 cups of berries & cherries (pitted), fresh or frozen… I used frozen cherries & fresh blueberries both from Whole Foods & their quality was amazing!
– 1 cup old fashioned oats
– 1/2 cup almond meal
– 1/4 cup halved pecans
– 1/4 cup maple syrup
– 2 tablespoons olive oil
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– dash of cinnamon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mist a pie dish with olive oil spray & layer your berry/cherry mixture inside the dish. Set aside.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together oats & almond meal. Sprinkle the pecan halves on top, crushing them in your hands as you add them to the bowl. Add maple syrup, olive oil, vanilla extra, salt & cinnamon to your bowl & mix until your oats are wet & the ingredients are lumpy.
Spoon your lumpy oat mixture on top of the fruit until a thin layer is covering most of the berries & cherries. Bake for 40-45 minutes until your fruit is bubbling. Turn on the broil & allow to cook for 3-5 minutes until the top oat layer is golden brown.
Enjoy with a delicious scoop of vanilla bean ice cream on the front porch!
Do let me know if you try this recipe with your bounty of berries & cherries this season!
love,
natalie
*Disclosure: I have a partnership with Whole Foods Market & was compensated for my work, but all words & opinions, recipes & inspiration are my own.
Summer is my favorite time of the year. I love spending an entire day out in the garden weeding, watering, planting & harvesting. The longer summer days are a little more forgiving, allowing space for experimenting & learning.
Over the last four years, we’ve been slowly growing & expanding our garden to fit our family’s needs. We’ve added a fresh cut flower garden & plan to introduce an asparagus patch along with a wide variety of berries this fall!
This summer I am slowly cultivating a culinary & medicinal herb plot. We usually sneak in herbs among our perennial flower beds next to the farmhouse & annual herbs around the tomatoes, but this year I am excited to dedicate a space just for them.
Basil
Hyssop
Bergamot
—–
Here’s a list of what’s currently growing:
– Basil
– Rosemary
– Lavender
– Thyme
– Oregano
– Lemon Balm
– Sage
– Chamomile
– Hyssop
– Bergamot
I am excited to experiment with the use of hyssop & bergamot in the future. Not only will they be wonderful dried, I’m excited to see their benefits for our garden pollinators! I just harvested chamomile from our herb plot & have begun drying it for a tea blend & infused oils.
The garden is such a wonderful space to explore & learn. I hope to add more herbs as my little space grows.
What are some of your favorite herbs & their uses? Please share in the comments!
love,
natalie
Hello, friends!
How are you doing? How is your summer coming along? Are you taking time to enjoy the season & soak up these gorgeous, long days?
I wanted to check in with you & share a handful of things/lifestyle changes/home routines I am currently loving. I personally love reading suggestions from others so I hope you enjoy this little update.
Loving Lately List…
– Harvesting fresh flowers from the garden… As a little girl, I dreamed of having my own secret garden brimming with blooms. Now every morning or evening that I harvest a fresh bouquet for our neighbors, friends & little shop, I am overcome with thankfulness for this life.
I’ve been sharing my flower farming journey over on Instagram with the hashtag #freckledhenblooms if you’d like to follow along!
– Mornings & evenings on the patio… We’ve spent years cultivating this cozy little space on our patio & we love it so much. We spend many nights out here eating dinner & many mornings sipping our coffee.
– Finishing books… I finally finished The Underground Railroad. It was a difficult yet important read. I am so grateful to have space for reading in the evening once again. I’m trying out a new book club & excited to start digging deep into When Breath Becomes Air. I’ll let you know what I think!
– Podcasts… I may very well be the very last person to have heard about this specific podcast, Happier by Gretchen Rubin, but I am loving it! I have read all of her books & have thoroughly enjoyed them so it’s such a gift to listen in on her tips & thoughts regarding habits & our overall happiness.
On the topic of podcasts, I’m also giddy to share that there is a new season of Elise Gets Crafty & I am a guest once again! Elise interviewed me in 2014 so it’s exciting to be back on to share an update about our farm & the business! Click here to listen.
– Dinners from the garden… Once the abundance of the garden has been harvested & washed, I often have a tough time finding creative ways to use it all within our weekly meal plan. This summer I am making an honest effort to use our farm fresh vegetables. Last night I made egg roll bowls with our homegrown cabbage & onions. I also plan to make broccoli & cheese soup later in the week. What creative ideas do you have for using up the abundance of vegetables from the garden during the summer months?
– Fermentations… Tis the season for fermenting! Luke is working on a batch of sauerkraut as I type this (using our amazing kraut lid – I’d highly recommend this tool if you’re a gardener or fermenter!) for adding to brats on buns with a garden salad for dinners. I’m giddy to also be taking a kombucha class this month, too! We’ve made kombucha in the past, but I’ve always struggled with bottling. I’m excited to glean some tips from the experts.
– Natural Deodorant… We had a bit of a scare within my family a couple of weeks ago, which left me re-evaluating all of the products I use in my body care routine. One product I have found & love is Schmidt’s natural deodorant stick (I like the lavender scent!). I’ve been telling all of my friends, but I thought I would tell you, too, ha! It doesn’t completely eliminate sweat like the other weird brands, but I still feel fresh hours later. So far I’ve gardened & went to the river with this deodorant on & I love it. You can find it at most stores now (I think I even saw it at Target!), but here’s a link to Grove Collaborative, which is where I buy mine. You get a whole bunch of freebies when you sign up so that’s fun! YAY for making conscious decisions, y’all.
– Hammock season… We hung the hammock & opened the pool for the season! I love spending so much time outside during the summer months. I see many naps in this cozy spot under the tree in my future!
What are you loving lately? Share in the comments!
love,
natalie