Crispity Crunchity Blueberries.....

ahhhh well I am usually an eat-them-in-the-garden type of blueberry eater. I don't really feel the need to add much or anything to them. I like to fill a bowl of them with milk and eat them like cereal. It's good. But a friend of mine recently reminded me that sometimes it's fun to dress your blueberries up a bit and I forgot how great they taste when you do that!
 I ended up with quite a few blueberries again this year and because I still have a surplus of blueberry jam from last year's harvest, I decided to make a dessert. I was in a fit of munchies and grabbed my "Passionate Vegetarian" cook book and after some hemming and hawing I chose this and I couldn't be more pleased that I did. The swap of honey for sugar in the berry mixture results in a flavor that still tastes like fresh berries when it's baked. I think next time I will add more cinnamon and maybe some nutmeg as well before serving with ice cream, also I added about 2 tbls of fresh ground flaxseed to the crumb mixture (i find that it adds a nutty flavor). Definitely serve this with some vanilla ice cream or lemon ice cream.



Blueberry Crisp (from the Passionate Vegetarian Cookbook)
Serves 6 to 8 amply

8 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and picked over
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup unbleached white all-purpose flour
1/4 butter, softened
2/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup rolled oats (regular cooking oatmeal)
1/2 cup whole wheat flour 1/8 tsp ground cinnamon
2 TBLS to 1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped after measuring(optional)
Cooking spray

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2.Spray an 11 x 14 inch baking dish with cooking spray, set aside.
3.Toss the blueberries, honey, and white flour together in a medium bowl; then put your hand in and squeeze one fistful of blueberries to release the juices. Toss again. Place the blueberry mixture in the prepared baking dish.
4.Combine butter and brown sugar in a food processor, first pulsing to blend, then buzz to combine, pausing to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla. Add the oatmeal and pulse, pausing to scrape the sides of the bowl, until the oats are slightly chopped but not completely powdered. 5.Transfer to the bowl. Add the whole-wheat flour and cinnamon, blending with a spoon to make a crumbly mixture over the blueberries. Bake until the blueberry juices are thickened and bubbling and the top is crisp & brown, 35 to 40 min. This is MINE bubbling in the oven! now go make your own !