Ingredients

For the filling:
18oz (~500g) fresh or thawed from frozen blueberries
3 tbsp maple syrup
zest from half of a lemon
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 tsp vanilla
3 tsp ground chia seeds

For the crust/crumble:
2 1/2 cups large flake oats
1 1/2 cups almond flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup maple syrup

additional coconut oil for greasing pan

Method

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Lightly grease a 8 or 9 inch square baking pan with coconut oil to prevent the crust and filling from sticking to the pan.
3. Filling: In a mixing bowl, mash the blueberries with a fork.
4. Add remaining filling ingredients to the blueberries and stir.
5. Set the filling aside while preparing the crust/crumble. During this time, the chia seeds will gel the mixture to create a jammy filling.
6. Crust: Blend the oats in a food processor until ground into a fine oat flour.
7. In a mixing bowl, stir together the oat flour you just created, almond flour, and salt.
8. Add remaining crust/crumble ingredients, and mix together until dough holds together when squeezed in your hands. Using a fork or simply using your hands is easiest to ensure that everything is mixed thoroughly.
9. Scoop out 1 cup of the crust and put aside – this will be used for the crumble topping later.
10. Spread the remaining crust mixture in the bottom of the greased pan, pressing down firmly to create a packed crust in an even layer.
11. Pour the lemon blueberry filling onto the crust and spread evenly over the crust to the edges of the pan.
12. Sprinkle the reserved crumble topping over the blueberry filling. For chunkier bits, squeeze the dough in your hands before placing on top.
13. Place in the oven and bake for 35-40 minutes, until the crumble is lightly golden and the filling has thickened.
14. Allow to cool completely before cutting into squares.

Notes:

1. Thawing blueberries from frozen at room temperature is preferred to heating them to thaw, as you do not want to pre-cook them before putting them in the oven.
2. Large flake oats are also known as old-fashioned rolled oats. They cook faster than steel-cut oats, but not as quickly as “quick” or “minute” rolled oats.
3. If you require gluten free, make sure to buy oats that are certified gluten-free for this recipe.