Quick Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

Here's a tasty recipe for y'all, and ya don't even need to be "gluten-free" to enjoy. Trust me, what came outta my oven was delish. Top her off with a glass of almond milk, coconut milk ice cream &/or some fresh raspberries or blueberries. I ate this alongside some fresh ginger root tea, (which I started brewing before I made this yummy dessert)....and dang! So good! Plus my digestion was on par too!
(see Ginger Root Tea recipe below)

Measurements are rough since I let the Powers-that-Be take over and I forget to document exactly.
I feel it's one of those recipes that forgives and then gives some more, in terms of flavor and texture.
It's easy, simple and you can make this in a pinch with an array of ingredients. I've been running low in the cupboards and fridge so this was drawn from my imagination, limited ingredients and resourcefulness. There's plenty of room to expand, vary and experiment. Try fresh peaches, plums or pears instead of apples. See what comes about!
Check it out...

Quick & Easy Gluten-Free Apple Crisp

2 medium-sized Apples  (granny smith, fuji, honey crisp, pink lady)
3-6 dashes of Cinnamon Powder
2 Tbsp. Coconut Oil (stick with coconut here...it offers the perfect sweetness like other oils cannot; plus coconut oil is anti-viral & full of perfect fat )
1-3 Tbsp. Raw Honey, Agave Nectar, or Organic Raw Cane Sugar
1/2 - 1 1/2 c. Rolled Oats (more the thicker & crunchier; less more of the apple-ness goin' on)
1/3c. chopped walnuts, pecans, toasted almonds, GF cereal or hemp hearts *optional but really good
dash sea salt
dash nutmeg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Swirl 1 Tbsp. of the Coconut Oil over the bottom of a medium-sized baking dish. Wash, core & slice Apples 1/4" thick. (you may want to peel; I like them so I keep 'em on). Combine Apples, Cinnamon Powder, Nutmeg, Sweetener & Sea Salt with remaining Coconut Oil in a mixing bowl & toss until coated. Transfer to Oiled baking dish & evenly spread Rolled Oats & Nuts over the top. Cover with foil & bake 15 min. Remove foil & bake another 20 min. Serve warm with desired toppings or accouterment, ideally Fresh Ginger Root Tea. 

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Fresh Ginger Root Tea

The key to an effective herbal tea is 1) the amount & quality of raw materials & 2) how you prepare it.
This particular herbal preparation is called a "decoction". That basically means you are simmering a course, fibrous, thick or dense herbal material for quite some time. This process is what draws out the medicinal constituents we seek from herbs. Light fluffy herbs such as Peppermint or Lavender, only need to infuse or steep in water. Tough fibrous plant parts such as Ginger or Dandelion Root require simmering. A-Ha!.....you have become an educated herbalist!

2 thumb-sized pieces of Fresh Ginger Root (preferably Organic)
6 c. Filtered or Distilled Water (distilled water holds minerals & nutrients better because it's "empty")
a few Tbsps. Raw Honey

If not Organic, peel....if Organic, skip. Thinly slice the ginger root. Combine ginger & water in a cooking pot on the stove with matching lid. Cover & bring to a boil, then turn down to a low simmer. You are now making an herbal decoction! This is way different than steeping a tea bag in a cup of water for 3 min. You're actually making medicine! 

Set the timer for 1 hour. (15-20 min is minimum if you're short on time, or up to 2 hrs if you're home & free). Then turn off heat & strain the ginger tea away from the spent herbal material. Yes, you'l have reduced the amount of liquid. That's the point! We've concentrated Ginger's healing qualities....

Compost the ginger if you can. Return ginger tea to the pot & add a couple Tbsps of Raw Honey. Stir until melted, turning heat on low if needed. You've got yourself a fairly spicy tea, perhaps. If it's too much just dilute with some filtered hot water. Enjoy with the Apple Crisp!

Store leftovers in a jar in the fridge for no more than 3 days. After that time the herb has most likely lost it's medicinal quality. In the meantime, you can reheat the tea on the stovetop, always avoiding the microwave. 

Ginger Root is fantastic & does so much more than I can say here. But please know Ginger helps with efficient digestion (especially processing dairy), relieves cramps & bloating, supports metabolism & detoxification, engages the immune system, fights bacterias & unwanted foreign invaders, plus works on the whole body! Ginger is a staple in the kitchen.

XOXOXOX