DEEP SOUTH BLUEBERRY COBBLER

You’d never know that this delicious Deep South Blueberry Cobbler is good for you! It has the perfect blend of carbohydrate (blueberries and bananas), protein (hemp seeds and almond meal), fat (chia and hemp seeds), and fiber (oats, chia, blueberries and banana). So, while it’s meant to be a slightly sweet treat, it can easily substitute as a sustainable and satisfying morning breakfast or midafternoon snack. There are several ways this cobbler can lower blood pressure — from the anthocyanins in the blueberries, the fiber in the oats, omega-3s in the chia seeds, and phytonutrients in the lemon. Enjoy this knowing you’re treating your body well.

FOR THE FILLING:

3 cups frozen or fresh blueberries ½ cup fresh lemon juice (2-3

lemons)

¼ cup maple syrup

2 tablespoons chia seeds 2 tablespoons lemon zest 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder 2 tablespoons water

Heat oven to 375 degrees and line a loaf pan with parchment paper or lightly spray it with oil.

TO MAKE THE FILLING:

Add blueberries, lemon juice, maple syrup, chia seeds and lemon zest to a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 6-8 minutes or until the filling is bubbly and resembles pourable blueberry jam. (Optional: mash half the blueberries with a spatula or leave them all whole if you prefer more texture.)

Make the arrowroot slurry by combining the arrowroot powder with 2 tablespoons of water in a small bowl. Mix until the arrowroot is dissolved.

Stir the arrowroot slurry into the blueberries until the blueberries thicken, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

FOR THE CRUST:

1 cup rolled oats

1 cup almond meal

1 cup oat flour 2 tablespoons hemp seeds 1 teaspoon baking powder 2 pinches salt (optional) ⅓ cup mashed banana ¼ cup maple syrup

¼ cup plant-based milk 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

TO MAKE THE CRUST:

In a large mixing bowl, add the oats, almond meal, oat flour, hemp seeds, baking powder and salt, if using. Stir well to combine.

In a small bowl, add the mashed banana, maple syrup, plant-based milk, and vanilla extract, and mix well.

Add the wet banana mixture to the dry ingredients. Mix well to form a dough.

Spread 2/3 of the dough in the parchment-lined baking dish (a loaf pan or an 8-by-8 square dish will work).

With a spatula, transfer the blueberry mixture on top and spread it out evenly.

Crumble the remaining 1/3 of the dough on top of the blueberry mixture. (The crumble will be moist so it may not exactly “crumble” on top. Basically, you’re placing pieces of the crumble along the top to make your crumble topping and it may not cover the entire topping. That’s OK!)

Bake for 30 minutes or until the crumble top is golden brown. Let sit for 10 minutes before diving in.

Makes 6 servings.

Per serving: 411 calories, 11 grams protein, 55 grams net carbohydrates, 10 grams fiber, 15 grams total fat (1.5 grams saturated), 1 gram omega-3 fatty acids, 145 milligrams sodium.