Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble with a twist

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One sure sign of late spring is rhubarb and strawberries!  I remember growing up in Saskatchewan when our huge mound of  a rhubarb plant would grow and turn red and mom and I would pick it, chop it up and freeze it for the coming year.   We had two huge chest freezers in our house filled with anything and everything from our garden, not ever letting anything go to waste.   Somehow mom always made those long, skinny, tart stalks of rhubarb into delicious desserts and juices.  Yup, rhubarb juice… imagine.  So good for you… I had no idea then.  I just kinda turned up my nose.

When a bunch of rhubarb stalks showed up in my CSA box this week, I wanted to make something delicious with it.   I pulled up some recipes and researched what goes well with rhubarb and put together a recipe that was a big hit last night.  (The recipe makes two dishes, so hopefully the second one will also be a hit tonight, with our friends coming for dinner).

There are three special ingredients that make the taste a little more interesting than your average crumble.

• freshly ground cardamom
• balsamic vinegar (I know right!)
• orange zest

Now you know this is coming, because it is what I do…  Facts on why you should add rhubarb to your diet!

Rhubarb:

The lowly rhubarb plant is actually a vegetable not a fruit.  However, apparently in 1947 a New York court declared it to be a fruit… (meaningless info)  It is a perennial and will grow almost anywhere.  I have grown rhubarb plants in both Saskatchewan and Alberta, and I figure if they grow there with the crazy bone chilling weather and pests, they are pretty much indestructible!

Not, that any sane person would want to eat these, but beware that the leaves are poisonous. They contain oxalic acid which can cause severe kidney damage.  It would take about 10 pounds of leaves to kill a 140 pound person, but apparently even a small amount can make you sick.  Good to know – for your pets too.

Now onto the stalks.  They are sold a bit like celery, by the stalk.  The color can range from bright burgundy to light green.  Its color does not indicate ripeness.  Rhubarb is high in the following vitamins and minerals:

• vitamin C
• vitamin K
• potassium
• manganese
• loaded with calcium
• magnesium

According to Dr. Michael Greger, author of How Not to Die, rhubarb is very high in nitrites, second only to arugula.  Nitrites in vegetables are extremely beneficial, improving heart health.  These are not to be confused with nitrites coming from animal products which are not healthy.  More on that in this video.

According to Rachael Link, MS, RD, rhubarb is beneficial in:

1. easing digestion
2. strengthening bones
3. fighting free radical damage
4. easing constipation
5. protecting the brain from neurological damage
6. lowering inflammation

Here is a link to Organicfacts.net where you can find more interesting facts on rhubarb.

Now onto a simple, but delicious recipe you can make for everyday or a special occasion!

  

Hopefully you will search out some rhubarb before it is gone for the season and try out this recipe.  I promise you will enjoy it.  Please post a comment if you do!  Please tag The Vibrant Veggie on facebook and instagram too!

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble

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Serves: 10 - 2 pans serving 5 each Prep Time: 30 minutes Cooking Time: 35 minutes 35 minutes

Nutrition facts: 200 calories 20 grams fat

Ingredients

• Fruit base: 
• 4 cups rhubarb washed and chopped into 1/2 inch slices
• 4 cups strawberries, washed and sliced (organic if possible as they are the fruit that is most heavily contaminated with pesticides when conventionally grown)
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
• zest from most of one orange (1 1/2 teaspoons)
• 2 teaspoons arrowroot powder (or organic cornstarch, non organic has GMOs)
• Crumble topping: 
• 2 cups rolled oats (use gluten free to make recipe gluten free)
• 1/2 cup almond flour
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom (2 buds freshly ground)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup coconut sugar (date sugar, cane sugar or maple syrup can be substituted)
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil, melted (or other neutral oil of your choice)
• plant-based vanilla ice cream
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Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Chop rhubarb and strawberries and split into two 8 or 9 inch round or square pans.
3. Drizzle 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar and maple syrup over each pan of fruit.  Mix gently with a spoon.
4. Place in oven and bake for 15 minutes.
5. Remove and let cool for a few minutes as you work on the crumble topping.
6. Drain the liquid through a colander and save the juice.  This can be saved to drizzle on top of the ice cream as you serve the crumble, or can be saved for a syrup on waffles or pancakes.
7. Zest the orange peel (use a grater with tiny blades).  Add half of the zest and arrowroot powder to each pan and stir.
8. Mix all of the ingredients for the crumble in a medium sized bowl.
9. Smooth the crumble over both pans equally.
10. Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.  Check in the last five minutes to make sure the topping doesn't burn.
11. Serve with a plant based vanilla ice cream of your choice.  You may like to drizzle the reserved from the pan on top.

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