Blueberry Filling Ingredients

  • 3 cps. fresh blueberries
  • 1/4 cp. maple syrup or brown rice syrup
  • 1/2 tsp. almond extract
  • One TB. kuzu or arrowroot
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cp. water
  • Pinch of unrefined sea salt

Crumble/Crust Ingredients

  • One cp. GF flour
  • 1 1/4 cp. rolled oats
  • 1/2 cp. chopped almonds
  • 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/3 cp. vegan butter or coconut oil
  • 1/4 cp. maple syrup, honey, or brown rice syrup
  • Pinch of unrefined sea salt

 

Filling Directions

  1. Place blueberries and sweetener in a saucepan with pinch of sea salt
  2. Dissolve kuzu or arrowroot in the water
  3. Turn heat to medium and add the kuzu or arrowroot water
  4. Turn heat to medium high and stir constantly until mixture thickens. Should only take a few minutes. If you don’t keep stirring, the kuzu or arrowroot will get lumpy.
  5. Turn off heat and stir in the almond extract. Set aside while you make the crust.

 

Crumble/Crust Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl combine oats, flour, almonds and sea salt
  3. Melt the coconut oil or butter and whisk together with the sweetener
  4. Pour into the oat/flour mixture combine well. You can wet your hands and mix with your hands.
  5. Oil and 8 x 8 baking dish with coconut oil or vegan butter.
  6. With wet hands press enough of the crust (about 2/3) into the bottom of the dish to form a solid layer.
  7. Pour blueberry mixture evenly over the crust.
  8. Sprinkle the remaining crust/crumble over the blueberries.
  9. Bake 25-30 minutes until top is browned.
  10. Allow to cool before cutting into squares.

 

Options

  • You can combine a variety of berries
  • You can use almond flour or a combination of GF flour and almond flour
  • If you like a very sweet taste, add more sweetener

 

Therapeutic Properties

Blueberries are medicinal for the blood and liver. They support eye health and have bacteria-fighting capabilities useful for countering UTIs.  Blueberries are a good source of vitamin C, manganese, and vitamin A. Berries contain the phytonutrients ellagic acid and resveratrol, known to regenerate liver cells.

Kuzu (aka Kudzu)  is an important and time-tested folk medicine, kuzu helps create the alkaline blood condition necessary for restoring and maintaining health. It quickly remedies various intestinal and digestive problems, especially diarrhea, upset stomach and disorders related to excess acidity. Kuzu is also commonly taken for relief from colds, flu, fever and hangovers; and relieves acute pain, stiff neck and shoulders. Kuzu has no taste.

Purchase kuzu at a health food store for a pure product. Eden Kuzu is a good brand.  Kuzu from Asian markets may have been blended with potato starch. Arrowroot works as a thickener but does not have the health benefits of kuzu.