Elana's Guilt Free Blueberry Cobbler

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As a Jew, I know a little something about guilt.

However, the Italian in me absolutely cannot stand to bring that guilt to the table. It’s so not sexy. As a result, years ago I started creating desserts that I could feast on to my heart’s content without worrying about calories or sugar. This cobbler has become my go-to. It’s famous amongst my students and friends. We love it because it only takes minutes to assemble, isn’t too sweet or filling, and makes a delicious, healthy end to a dinner party or potluck. Put it in the oven during appetizers or the first course, and by the time you’re done with dinner, dessert is ready! Going to a dinner and know that the dessert will be terrible for you? Bring this cobbler uncooked to your friends’ homes, as I do, and stick it in their oven when you get there. Everyone will be thrilled.

As far as guilt-free, I’m referring to:

  1. There is no sugar added to the fruit. The topping is also not sugary. The sweetness comes from the cooked fruit. Check out other cobbler recipes and you will see CUPS of sugar.

  2. There is no white our. I use protein-rich almond meal and fiber-rich oats.

  3. Yes, there is butter, but since a little butter is actually good for us and since I rarely ever cook with it, I have no guilt using it here.

This cobbler is a decent size, intended to fill the baking dish you have at home. If you like, you can halve the recipe and prepare individual servings in ramekins, which I love to do at parties. Leftovers make for a fabulous breakfast right out of the fridge.

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 pounds blueberries, about 8 cups 

  • 3⁄4 cup (gluten-free) oats

  • 3⁄4 cup almond meal

  • 3⁄4 cup (gluten-free) oat flour

  • 1 stick butter, room temperature 

  • 1⁄3 cup raw honey or agave Dairy-free ice cream, optional

DIRECTIONS

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

  2. Scatter the fruit in the bottom of an 8 x 11-inch or 9 x 9-inch baking dish. 

  3. Place the oats, almond meal, oat our, butter, and honey in a mixing bowl. Get your hands in there to squeeze and mix until amalgamated. Alternatively, you can put all the ingredients in the food processor and pulse until it comes together.

  4. Take the mix bit by bit, flatten into misshaped pieces, and place on top of the fruit. You are not looking to create a perfectly even top crust. It’s good if there are “holes” where the juices of the fruit will bubble through, letting you know when it’s done.

  5. Place the baking dish in the oven, and bake until it’s light brown on the top and the fruit looks as if it has gotten syrupy and bubbly, 40 to 45 minutes.

  6. Remove from the oven, let the cobbler rest for 10 minutes so the juices can thicken, and serve with ice cream.

Elana HorwichDesserts, Vegetarian