School is officially out for summer, and berry picking is in full swing.  With deep red strawberries, plump blueberries and vibrant blackberries already decorating U-pick farms and backyards across the country – it’s clear it’s summer and it’s berry season!

A few weeks ago, we made our first trip to the U-pick blueberry farm – and with blue-tainted fingertips, full baskets (made slightly lighter by young samplers), and a few apricots plucked from nearby trees, we were ready for our first Blueberry-Apricot Pie of the season.

But when the last bit of that pie had been devoured, we were still left with lots of blueberries, a couple of apricots and hungry kids.  Next up on the dessert menu: Blueberry-Apricot Crisp.  But why should dessert have all the summer berry fun?  We decided to take this delicious summer dessert and turn it into an “Out of the Box Food dessert for breakfast” (or breakfast for dessert).  This Whole Grain Blueberry-Apricot Crisp is sweet enough to serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on a warm summer evening, but healthy enough to serve in the morning topped with Greek Yogurt as a deliciously cool start to a sweltering day.

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Whole Grain Blueberry-Apricot Crisp

Time: Prep – 5 minutes  Cook – 30 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups blueberries
• 2 large apricots, cut into eighths
• 1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or whole wheat flour)
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup flax meal
• 1/4 cup raw (Turbinado) sugar
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter, softened

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Place berries in 3 quart round baking dish, top with sliced apricot.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, oats, flax meal, sugar, nutmeg and cinnamon.
4. Cut softened butter into small pieces and add to flour mixture.  Stir until butter in incorporated into flour mixture.
5. Sprinkle (all or a portion depending on your tastes) of flour mixture over berries and apricots.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until bubbling and slightly browned.
7. Serve as a dessert with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream or as breakfast topped with a dollop of Greek Yogurt.

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Until next week…