Rhubarb Crisp (Whole Grain)

I know, I know, I’m so predictable, whole grain this, whole grain that. It’s a running joke in my family, me using whole grains in a dessert. Or choosing a recipe with a fruit or vegetable ingredient. And always adding ground flaxseed meal to most recipes (it even goes well in a graham cracker crust!). That’s my m.o. I like to take advantage of the flavors of fat and sugar to include some nutrition too.

So, remember last week when I said my kitchen was closed for Mother’s day? I was wrong. It was all my own doing though. Hubby took the boys shopping for me which gave me time to shop for some new clothes. Clothes shopping didn’t take long and as I was unencumbered by kids I decided to pop into the grocery store to pick up a cucumber and some ranch salad dressing for supper.

Ha! Like it’s even remotely possible for me to go into a grocery store and come out with only 2 items. ESPECIALLY when the boys aren’t with me and my mind is free to wander about recipes and cravings and what to do with all the produce that’s on special that week. Fifty dollars later, I emerged with 2 lbs of magenta rhubarb stalks (ok, fine, and 20 other items). It was apropos. Rhubarb crisp is something my mom always made, and since we were going to be apart for Mother’s day, it followed I should buy up a huge bunch of rhubarb and whip up a crisp while the boys were still out shopping.

Magenta food is amazing. Swiss chard, beets, rhubarb. And the combination of pink and green is even better. Unlike chard and beets, the rhubarb is a light green like celery.

The exterior pink is silky and underneath is crisp pale green. Chopping colorful food makes me happy. Thinking of people when I cook makes me happy. I was happy happy happy. (And to top it all off, I got just what I wanted for Mother’s day. Hubby humored me and got out the tripod for a couple good family photos.)

If you’ve had rhubarb in jam, pie or cobbler/buckle/crisp before you know how unique it is and you probably look forward to its one of a kind flavor when, for a very brief time in the spring, it’s in season and available. If you’re not familiar with it you should give it a whirl. It is unbelievably tart, even with gobs of sugar both in the filling and the topping. But that’s what makes it so special!

Hubby grew up eating rhubarb raw, dipped in sugar. I saved a few sticks for the boys to eat. Little boo was a big fan of the raw rhubarb, big boo thought it was too tart. Big boo didn’t really go for the baked version either, it was “too sour.” Maybe over the years it will grow on them.

Rhubarb Crisp

For the filling

2 lbs of rhubarb sliced-once inch thick (do not use the leaves)

1.5 cups sugar

½ cup white wheat flour

2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 375.˚ Mix ingredients together and put in a 9x13 pan.

For the topping (this works over pear, apple and peach crisp as well.)

2 cups rolled oats

1 cup white wheat flour

¼ cup ground flax seed meal

¼ cup milk

1 stick melted butter (or ½ cup coconut oil)

1.5 cups brown (firmly packed) or white sugar

Mix dry ingredients, then add milk and butter and combine. Spread crumble mixture over top of rhubarb filling. Bake for 45 minutes or until browned and mixture is bubbly. Serve plain, or if you must have more sugar, with vanilla ice-cream. This is a huge recipe so unless you're baking for a crowd, half it, or bake it in two dishes so you can freeze one for later.

What dessert makes you think of your mom?