I was home, alone, for the first time since surgery and I was sore. I wanted some easy comfort. You see, when I bake, I don’t feel so alone. It gives me something to do.

But coming home after 10 days away there wasn’t much food, except for 2 small butternut squash, 2 sweet potatoes, a sugar pumpkin and 6 small apples leftover from when I went apple picking with Blondieat the end of September. There wasn’t much to go on, but I really wanted some dessert.

Crisps are the dessert I make for last minute company or when I have some fruit that needs to be used up quickly but there isn’t quite enough to bake a pie. It is also what I make when I want to make a dessert just for me. They aren’t elegant or complicated and usually aren’t particularly beautiful. But they are mighty tasty. And I had apples.

Apple crisp it was. It was hearty and warm like a hug from an old friend. It was familiar but delicious. It is one of my favorite things. There is nothing better than making something simple and delicious. I frequently make single serving apple crisp in oven-safe bowls from one apple. I also like a good crumbly top to fruit filling ratio.

Crisps are one of those things that you can make from anything that you happen to have on hand. That is part of why they are so wonderful. The recipe is flexible and really can’t be messed up. You can add more or less sugar depending on how sweet you like your desserts (or how sweet your apples are).

This version is also oat-free. I was trying something out for my oat-allergic dad (although, he didn’t get to try it). And all of you gluten-intolerant folks who can’t handle oats either will love this. I used quinoa flakes in place of the standard oats and their nutty flavor adds to the success of the dish.

This post was submitted to Slightly Indulgent Tuesdays on Simply Sugar & Gluten Free.