This sweet & nutty gluten-free and paleo friendly streusel topping elevates the humble grapefruit into a delicious seasonal breakfast or a warm citrusy dessert!
I was a grapefruit virgin (I’ve had grapefruit flavored things in the past and I’ve loved them…but I’ve never actually had the fruit itself) until just the other day when I saw them on sale front and center at my grocery store. I hovered…hesitated and then talked myself into buying a couple to give them a try. “I’ve heard it’s very sour and bitter….”, “I do love all the other citrus fruits I’ve tasted before”, “plus it’s supposedly very healthy and nutritious”, “I’ve seen people cook it…eww hot citrus…that doesn’t sound good”, “I’m always up for trying something new. What’s the worse that can happen ..you don’t like it… you don’t buy it again…no biggie!” are just some of the things that went through my mind before I bought a couple.
I then went home and looked up the best ways to eat grapefruit and almost unanimously it was to sprinkle brown sugar or some form of sweetener on it and broil it for a few minutes until it crystallizes. A lot of places suggested a dusting of cinnamon, ginger powder or some form of spice as well. Even though I was skeptical and warm citrus didn’t exactly sound appealing to me …I gave it a try. After a sprinkling of brown sugar, cinnamon and broiling it…I took my first bite of the fruit and my world paused for just a second. It was divine! Sweet..but not too sweet (which I like!). Incredibly juicy and…just a little tart. I loved it!
I was all kinds of excited for the rest of the day and couldn’t stop obsessing over the fruit. My husband thought I was weird….he doesn’t get my excitement over food…let alone grapefruit. But, you guys do right?…or so I hope! 🙂 Anyway….after obsessing about it for a couple days and trying different ways to broil it….I’ve found a winner!
I liked the concept of adding something to sweeten the fruit, but adding brown sugar or regular sugar kind of negates the eating healthy aspect of eating the fruit.I also like texture in my food…so I wanted to add nuts and so a streusel topping came to mind. Although I’m not gluten-free or into the paleo lifestyle, I’m really starting to think about just how much processed food we consume here in the States and how it’s affecting us (not for the good). I’ve been reading up about it lately and I have a new found respect for the paleo lifestyle. I wish I was stronger in taking that leap. Maybe someday…but till then I’d like to eat fresher, cleaner and more real foods and avoid processed foods when I can. Baby steps 😉 .
So for the grapefruit I tried a gluten-free, paleo friendly topping (I say paleo friendly cos…I’m not a 100% on the rules of what’s paleo and not…but I’m fairly certain it that you can make simple substitutions in this recipe to suit your paleo lifestyle) inspired by Poet In The Pantry….which turned out sooo yummy (I could eat it plain…uncooked!) I just know I’ll be using it on other fruit and baked goodies too!
I added a dollop of Greek yogurt with honey (which I know isn’t paleo… so try this coconut whipped cream from Oh She Glows instead if you’d like) to have my grapefruit as an after dinner dessert, which is another thing I discovered about having grapefruit this way. It’s not only great as a quick and healthy breakfast….but is even better as a guilt-free dessert that’s warm and satisfying on a cold day. I’m seriously going to eat this everyday till it’s out of season. I’ve already made a batch of streusel topping in my fridge…so it’s as simple as cutting a grapefruit, spooning over some topping and sticking it under the broiler for a few minutes for breakfast or anytime I have a craving for something sweet.
Try it!! (And do tell me all about your grapefruit experiences and favorite ways to eat it in the comments below…I’d love to hear them! 🙂 )
- 2 Grapefruits
- 1/3 cup chopped walnuts/pecans
- 2 tbsp almond meal/flour
- 1 tbsp shredded unsweetened coconut
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon powder
- 1 tbsp organic coconut oil, melted
- 1 tbsp + 1tbsp pure maple syrup
- Greek yogurt with honey for topping (exclude for Paleo or try coconut whipped cream instead)
- Fresh mint sprigs (for garnish)
- - For the gluten free (paleo friendly) streusel topping start by mixing together all the dry ingredients (i.e - chopped walnuts, almond flour, shredded coconut {unsweetened}, salt and cinnamon powder) together well.
- - Then pour in the melted coconut oil and 1 tbsp of the maple syrup and mix the streusel topping well and set it aside.
- - To prepare the grapefruit cut a sliver off both ends of the grapefruit to create a flat surface for them to sit, then cut it in half.
- - To make it easier to eat, using a paring knife cut around the edges where the fruit meets the rind, then around the center white part, removing any seeds as you go along. You can pull the white pith out with your fingers if you want. Next, run the knife between the segments of grapefruit to loosen them. Repeat for all the grapefruit halves.
- - Place the grapefruit halves, cut side up on a baking sheet or oven proof pan and drizzle a little maple syrup over each half (I used 1 tbsp among the 4 halves).
- - Spoon over a little of the streusel topping on each of the grapefruits place them under your oven broiler on low until it's bubbly, caramelized and golden brown (about 5-7 minutes). Rotate the pan as needed when you're broiling and keep a close eye on those suckers...they go from golden to burnt pretty quick
- - Serve warm with a dollop of honey Greek yogurt and a sprig of mint as a garnish.
- You can double the recipe and make the streusel topping for a whole week. Just refrigerate it to have on hand for a daily healthy grapefruit breakfast!
- Exclude the Greek yogurt and try coconut whipped cream for as a Paleo friendly version.
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[…] a coating and make it slightly crispy. Almond Flour! I even had it on hand as I love making my Gluten-free streusel topping for broiled grapefruits for breakfast or dessert. It was such a simple and easy solution instead of […]