Hey Chicks, At FIT CHICKS Academy we celebrating our past grads, so when FITNESS & NUTRITION EXPERT grad Jasmin Jagpal asked if she could share a delicious and healthy Thanksgiving dessert recipe with our readers, we were super excited for the chance to feature her! Take it away Jasmin!

 

I’m a 29-year-old Health Coach, Dance Fitness Instructor, owner of Green Soul Vibe, and of course, a FIT CHICKS Fitness & Nutrition Expert graduate. I currently provide busy and stressed women with a solution to lose weight, reduce health symptoms, and find their ideal healthy lifestyle that is realistic and right for them. I currently offer my signature nutrition transformation program, create custom meal plans for weight-loss and health conditions, and teach Zumba and STRONG by Zumba.

I struggled with being 20 – 30 lbs overweight throughout my teens and early adult years, until I joined the gym. However, I was not eating nutritious foods, mostly because I didn’t know what to eat from too much media information overload. I ate what I thought was “healthy” and did lose some weight but my dream was to teach fitness, specifically Zumba and dance fitness so I needed to learn how to improve my fitness, nutrition, and wellness so I could gain endurance, power, and stamina while also feeling healthy and well. It wasn’t until I enrolled in the Fitness & Nutrition Expert program that I finally learned about what to eat that was best for my body and lifestyle, aka following the Complete in 3 rule to create balanced meals, and I finally reached my health goals. The FNE certification and ongoing support and resources from FIT CHICKS has also enabled me to begin the career that I always wanted in fitness and nutrition.

I’m sharing this recipe just in time for Thanksgiving because I have a sweet tooth and enjoy baking healthy desserts! Once it’s finally October in Toronto, I love to combine two of my favourite fall foods – pumpkin and apples!

Pumpkins are very nutrient-dense, rich in vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Their orange-hued colour makes them high in the antioxidant, beta-carotene, which can protect the body against certain cancers, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity. Pumpkin puree is also a great replacement for oil and butter in baking recipes. Apples are another nutrient-dense food, rich in antioxidants, fibre, flavonoids, and other vitamins and minerals.

Occasionally indulging in dessert is part of living a balanced lifestyle, and as part of my food philosophy, recipes should be made from ingredients that are health-supportive. Many people are intolerant to gluten and dairy without realizing it, as it can cause inflammation in the body. Many people also over-consume processed sugar, lurking in tons of packaged foods, which puts many people in an inflammatory state and can cause a whole host of health issues. I prefer to use natural sweeteners for baking, which includes raw honey, pure maple syrup, blackstrap molasses, coconut sugar, or the sweetness of natural fruits. This delicious Autumn Apple Pumpkin Crumble recipe is gluten-free, dairy-free, and refined-sugar free.

Why crumble? Crumbles are my favourite dessert to bake. They’re super easy and I consider them almost fool-proof (compared to cookies, cakes, etc.). They can made with any fruit, and a topping simply made from rolled oats, flour, coconut oil, and natural sweetener of choice.

 

Festive Fall Apple Pumpkin Crumble by Jasmin Jagpal

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 45 minutes

Total Time: 1 hr 5 min

Servings: 6 – 8

Ingredients

Crumble Filling:

  • 5 – 6 small gala apples (or similar type of apple), skin-on, cored and chopped
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1 tbsp arrowroot powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (see recipe below)
  • 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
  • 1/4 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup

Crumble Topping:

  • 1 1/2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup brown rice flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup raw pecans, chopped
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup raw honey or pure maple syrup
  • 1 – 2 tbsp unsweetened, non-dairy milk (optional)

Directions

1. Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease the baking dish with coconut oil and set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the crumble filling ingredients together and mix well.

3. Transfer the apple mixture to the bottom of the baking dish and spread out evenly.

4. Give the mixing bowl a rinse, pat dry with a paper towel, and combine all of the crumble topping ingredients. The crumble topping mixture should be a consistency that is moist enough to crumble on top of the apple filling. If you still find it too dry, slowly add in a splash of non-dairy milk and continue to mix.

5. With a spoon or your hands, sprinkle and spread the crumble topping over the filling and use a spatula to gently press down. If the apple filling isn’t completely covered, add additional oats, pecans, and flour until the surface is covered.

6. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy!

 

Pumpkin Pie Spice

By Jasmin Jagpal

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Servings: 2.5 tbsp

Ingredients:

  • 4 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1 tsp ground allspice
  • 1/2 tsp ground cloves

1. Combine together in an airtight container and shake. Store for up to six months. Enjoy!

Thank you so much for sharing, Jasmin!

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