Strawberry and Apple Crumble with Quinoa

As mums we are constantly juggling! When it comes to meal planning, preparation and keeping the kids amused at the same time, it gets difficult to keep all those balls in the air, especially if you have a fussy eater on your hands. This month we are including the children in making a warming winter dessert with fruits and quinoa.

I was a bit hesitant to jump on the quinoa recipe band wagon due to a nasty first experience. However, I have found some yummy quinoa recipes that I’ve enjoyed lately and can’t deny the wonderful properties that it holds for you and your family. Quinoa is 14% (by mass) good proteins, a source of calcium (great for vegans & lactose intolerance) and it is gluten free. Quinoa is also is a source of dietary fibre, magnesium, phosphorous and iron. I also wanted to make the most of the new Strawberry season with this fun recipe.

Ingredients:

Apple and Strawberry Layer

1 punnet of strawberries
2 large royal gala apples
1 dessert spoon of brown sugar

Crumble

1/3 cup of quinoa flakes
1/3 cup of brown sugar
1/3 cup of plain wholemeal flour (or replace with gluten free)
1/3 cup of almond meal
80g of unsalted butter at room temperature

Method:

(Where you see an A – it is an adult step and LO – is for the kids to enjoy doing)

Step One:

A – preheat the oven to 180oC and grease a deep 9″ x 9″ baking dish
LO – Wash the strawberries and take off the green leaves

Step Two:

A – Peel the apples – see if you can make one continuous length of peel like a long snake – the kids will enjoy watching you try. Chop the strawberries and apple into cubes and put together into a bowl.
LO – Mix the dessert spoon of brown sugar into the bowl of fruit and let the fruit absorb the sugar.

Step Three:

LO- Mix all the dry ingredients of the crumble together in a separate bowl. Using your washed hands, mix the butter into the dry ingredients until it starts to feels like sand.

Step Four:

LO – Pour the fruit mixture into the baking dish. Spread the crumble evenly over the top of the fruit.
A – Put the baking dish into the oven for 35min. When you remove it from the oven, let it sit for 5 – 10min to ensure the crumble isn’t too crumbly before serving warm. It can be served with a nice vanilla yoghurt or a fat reduced custard. It is also nice cold!

Happy Eating!

About the Writer:
Simone Emery is a mum and owner of Sydney based, Play with Food. Play with Food run fun-filled classes and workshops about fruit and vegetables. We use seasonal produce and give parents lots of ideas for encouraging happy and healthy eating in the home environment. Check out our website for more information on singing, playing and laughing your way to happier family eating experiences www.playwithfood.com.au