Prep time: 15 min • Cook time: 40 min • Yield: 4-6 servings

Ingredients

• 1 pound apples, cut into half-moon slices (about 4 cups)
• ½ teaspoon lemon zest
• ½ tablespoon lemon juice
• ⅓ cup almond flour
• 4 dried dates, pitted
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil, chilled until solid then diced
• ¼  cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
2. In a medium bowl, mix the apples, lemon zest, and lemon juice with wooden spoon.  Allow to rest at room temperature while you prepare the topping.
3. Place almond flour, dates, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a food processor.  Pulse until combined.
4. Sprinkle the chilled coconut oil chunks over the flour mixture.  Pulse about 10 times, and then process on high for 5 to 10 seconds until there are no lumps. Pour the topping into a bowl and use a fork to mix the chopped nuts.
5. Pour the fruit into an 8-inch square pan, pressing it gently into place with the back of a wooden spoon.  Sprinkle the nut topping over the fruit with the back of the spoon.
6. Cover the crisp lightly with foil and back for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and back 5 to 10 more minutes, until browned.

Notes You can also bake this dish in individual ramekins. Place four ramekins on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper.  Spoon generous ½-cup servings into each ramekin, press aobut 2 tablespoons of topping onto each, and then follow baking instructions above.

This crisp is yummy topped with Whipped Coconut Cream (see recipe in Chapter 12-Living Paleo for Dummies-Wiley) or with a drizzle of coconut milk. Substitute pears for the apples and sliced almonds for the walnuts or pecans. For extra zing, add ½ teaspoon dried ginger along with the lemon juice to the pears.