Strawberry-Rhubarb Chia Jam Crisp

So, yes. I've gone a little crazy over my strawberry-rhubarb chia jam. Tease me all you want, but it truly is so versatile. I originally wanted to make my favorite gluten-free/vegan breakfast bars with it, but I was running out of time with the craziness of getting ready to head out to Minnesota for a week (recap of my trip to come soon!).

So what is faster than breakfast bars but a similar premise of crispy oat-y goodness, fruity, and happens to be gluten-free and vegan?

This dangerous crisp. I say dangerous, because I made this mini 6-inch Lodge skillet's worth of crisp, intended to be plenty for two, and I had to hold back from eating more than my share. 

This crisp is almost silly easy to assemble, and you just pop it into the oven for 25-30 minutes while you get ready in the morning, and then boom it's done. You could even pre-mix the dry ingredients to have on hand, so all you have to do is cut the coconut oil into it, plop some jam on, and stick it in the oven. 

This crisp is one of those breakfasts you make when you want a slight indulgence, but aren't going to go ALL out on. It's naturally gluten-free thanks to the gluten-free oats (double-check if yours are if you are celiac), and vegan by using coconut oil rather than traditional butter.

I found the coconut oil to be way tastier in this crisp with the delicious combination of oats, cinnamon, and the caramel-like taste of raw coconut sugar. It added another dimension of flavor that butter I don't think would have quite done. You can also choose to add chopped nuts into this if you want a little extra crunch- I put a few leftover cashews in this one here, but if you have a nut-allergy, feel free to eliminate as it's not necessary.

I would eat this for breakfast, a snack, or it'd even be a great option for an after dinner sweet-tooth craving if you want something not too heavy. 

Now onto the recipe!

Strawberry-Rhubarb Chia Jam Crisp

Gluten-Free, Vegan, Nut-Free

*serves 2

Ingredients

3/4 cup Strawberry-Rhubarb Chia Jam
2/3 cup Raw Rolled Oats (gluten-free certified if necessary!)
1/3 cup Oat Flour (just blend GF rolled oats in blender or food processor)
1/4 cup Raw Coconut Sugar
3 tbsp Coconut Oil, chilled
1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
*optional: add chopped nuts or bit of fresh fruit- I added a couple crushed cashews and strawberry slices from 3 little leftover strawberries I had lingering

Recipe

1. Preheat oven to 425ºF and lightly grease 6-inch cast iron skillet or small baking dish with coconut oil if not already seasoned (for cast iron skillets).

2. In a small bowl, combine oats, oat flour, coconut sugar, and cinnamon (and nuts if you wish). Mix well. Add chilled coconut oil to mixture, and use a fork to "cut" in the oil (as you would with butter for a pie crust) to achieve a crumbly oat mixture

3. Place about 1/4th of the oat mixture in the skillet, followed by the strawberry-rhubarb chia jam (and sliced fresh fruit if you wish), then crumble the rest of the oat mixture on top.

4. Place skillet in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes until jam is bubbly and the oats are crisping brown on the top. Tip: place a baking sheet under the skillet if skillet is rather full, to prevent spillage when jam bubbles up.

5. Remove skillet from oven and let cool for a few minutes. Serve! 

Tip: A scoop of greek yogurt goes deliciously on top- you could also do cashew cream, almond-milk yogurt, or lactose-free yogurt if you have food restrictions/allergies.