This week, we were strolling under surprisingly sunny skies on what’s often a gloomy June Wednesday morning and spotted an unusual newcomer at our go-to berry stand: the mulberry. It’s rich, dark color and wrinkly, caterpillar-like shape caught our eye and we decided to forgo our beloved blueberries and try something new.
A distant relative to the fig, the mulberry is one of today’s most en vogue superfoods. It’s health benefits are right up there with goji berries, acai and the pomegranate. It boasts an unusually high iron content and significant amounts of Vitamins A, C and E that help the body’s immune system by scavenging harmful free radicals. It’s also been proven to play a significant role in cancer prevention, diabetes and controlling blood pressure. An important food remedy in Chinese medicine, the tangy black berry is considered a blood tonic, cleansing the blood and increasing its production, strengthening the entire circulatory system and improving the overall health of the body. Impressive stuff for an unassuming little berry.
Make a quick topping to spice up your morning breakfast routine by mixing a handful in a bowl with a squeeze of Meyer lemon and a small spoonful of raw honey. We recommend Pacifica’s Coast California Wildflower version. Add to plain yoghurt, oatmeal or whole grain toaster waffles for an easy, delicious, nutritious start to your day.
If you’ve got a bit more time on your hands, try this simple, healthy dessert recipe. Extra bonus, it’s vegan!
Mulberry Meyer Lemon Crisp
Fruit Filling
- 4 cups mulberries
- 1/4 cup meyer lemon juice
- 1 T. arrowroot powder
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 T. california honey
Topping
- 3/4 cup coconut flour
- 4 T. coconut oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 T california honey
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
Experiment by adding ground almonds, pistachios and walnuts for added crunch and flavor!
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine fruit filling ingredients, and pour into a baking dish.
2. Combine all topping ingredients except the coconut flour. Then, slowly add the coconut flour until the mixture reaches a crumble consistency.
3. Distribute the crumble over the fruit.
4. Bake for 40 minutes.
(Adapted from Organic Lifestyle Magazine’s Mulberry Crumble recipe.)
Photo credit: imperfecturbanfarm.com
