There is a delightful part in my favourite childhood book, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when a naughty, gum chewing girl, Violet Beauregard gets her just desserts (pun intended).  While at the factory, she deliberately pops an experimental piece of gum into her mouth after being warned against it.  As she chews this piece of gum it takes her through a three-course meal ending with blueberry pie, then she turns  into one humongous blueberry and has to be juiced to bring her back down to size.  Not only was Roald Dahl a wildly imaginative storyteller, but his views on child rearing were tucked in there as well.  After that, I am sure Miss Beauregard never put anything in her mouth that she wasn’t supposed to have.

The only blueberry issue I came across is really a non-blueberry one.  I will explain.  Once, when I was eating a store bought blueberry muffin, I discovered while reading the list of ingredients that no blueberries were in it at all.  That was a big head-scratcher.  Later, I realized there were more examples of this in the frozen food aisle when you pulled out a box of ubiquitous frozen blueberry waffles processed by one of the big industrialized food companies.  There were no real blueberries.  So what are these impostor blueberries made of?  It turns out, some are simply artificial colouring chemicals, hydrogenated oils and liquid sugars, ewwww!!!  All the more reason to read labels when grocery shopping.

With blueberries in season (at least in our part of the world), I’m taking advantage of eating REAL, fresh blueberries and making a variety of dishes.  A blueberry crumble tops the list.  I call my version the No Grumble Blueberry Crumble because it is super easy….after all, no one wants to be slaving in the kitchen when it is gorgeous outside.  As a bonus, I’ve also included my Blueberry Waffle recipe at the bottom, so keep reading!

No Grumble Blueberry Crumble serves 8

Superfoods in the recipe are:
Blueberries – This little berry has a high amount of antioxidants.  They contain anthocyanin, vitamin C, B complex, vitamin E, vitamin A, copper (a very effective immune builder and anti-bacterial), selenium, zinc, and iron
Oats – Oats is a good source of fibre, and oat bran helps to lower cholesterol.
Ginger – Anti-nausea, anti-inflammatory, expectorant, antiseptic.
Cinnamon – Diets rich in cinnamon can help counter the effects of a high-fat meal on your body.  This spice may also balance blood sugar levels and can also help fight bacterial and fungal infections.

Filling:

• 4 cups blueberries
• ¼ cup gluten free flour
• 2 t. sugar
• 1 T. lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Combine all of the above and place into greased 9” x 9” baking dish.

Topping:

• ½ cup butter melted
• ½ gluten free flour
• 1 ½ cups gluten free oat flakes
• ½ cup honey
• 2 t. cinnamon
• 2 t. grated ginger
• ¼ t. salt

Combine the topping ingredients and spoon over the filling.  Bake for 30-40 minutes until the topping is golden brown.

My bonus recipe – Blueberry Waffle recipe makes 6-4″ waffles

They really aren’t complicated.  It takes me about 15 minutes from the time I start putting the ingredients together to eating the first waffle.  And if you don’t have a waffle iron, just make pancakes.  Here is a bonus recipe from my Fanny Farmer cookbook that has been engraved in my brain after probably making it hundreds of times over the years.

• 1 cup flour (can be Gluten Free)
• 1 t. baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1 cup milk (can be dairy free)
• 1 egg
• *1 T oil or melted butter

Directions:

• Whisk the dry ingredients together.  Then in another bowl beat the egg with the milk, and then add to the dry ingredients.  Stir the oil into the wet ingredients.
• Combine until ingredients are just mixed, lumps are fine.  Then cook waffles according to your waffle iron instructions.

*If making pancakes, then omit the oil.  Spoon batter into preheated non-stick pan, or griddle and flip once when you see bubbles.  Try not to flip more than once, otherwise they will not be fluffy.
Add whatever you like, of course blueberries, but consider sliced bananas, chopped nuts, and/or chocolate chips.

Eat healthy, live great! – {Kake}