The Farmers’ Market in my neighbourhood is seasonal; for a short time during summer, the street by the local park is closed to traffic and transformed into a bustling market with stalls full of fresh organic fruits and vegetables, baked and artisan goods, local cheese, meat, eggs and wild-caught fish.

I don’t know if it’s the market or the sun, but the neighbourhood comes alive on Saturday mornings, and it almost feels like you’re in some quaint town square, it’s charming.

We got strawberries this weekend, juicy sun-sweetened local strawberries that taste like summer!

We just kept eating them… and when we’d had enough, we made strawberry crisp with what’s leftover.

This is what we do, it’s tradition – we’ll keep making crisps, crumbles and pies all summer long with the abundant fruits from the farmers’ market.

Sliced strawberries are topped with oats, nuts and sugar and baked until golden and crisp; it’s simple, quick, smells heavenly and it’s ah-mazing with ice cream.

I have it for dessert every night the rest of the week, and dream of the next farmers’ market when I can get strawberries again and… repeat.

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Strawberry Crisp

INGREDIENTS

Filling

• 1 pint strawberries (about 2 cup), hulled and sliced
• 2 tablespoon turbinado sugar
• 1 heaping tablespoon cornstarch (I used Bird’s custard powder)
• A splash of lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• A pinch of salt

Topping

• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup almond flour (or whole wheat flour)
• 2 tablespoon crushed pistachios (optional)
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 1/2 tablespoons coconut oil, chilled

DIRECTIONS

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F., and lightly oil a baking dish (or a pie or Pyrex casserole dish)
2. Combine strawberries, sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla and salt in the baking dish and mix well
3. Mix oats, almond flour, pistachios, sugar, salt, nutmeg, cardamom in a small bowl
4. Add in coconut oil and mix until mixture is crumbly
5. Sprinkle oat mixture over strawberries and bake for 25 – 30 minutes, until topping is golden brown
6. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream
7. Enjoy!

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