Rhubarb & Apple Crisp

A lot of rhubarb recipes rely on loads of refined sugar to make them markedly less sour. The sweetness from the apples and raisins combined with unrefined coconut sugar in this recipe make it much healthier than most, and equally as delicious. The lack of refined sugar here is great for your gut microbiota, and rhubarb offers healthy insoluble fibre that feeds the beneficial bacteria in your gut and keeps your insides clean and running smoothly.

It is always a good idea to eat locally and whatever is in season. Food that is local and in season is proven to be richer in nutrients than food that has been harvested before it is ripe and shipped from a distance.

Toasted buckwheat and almonds add nuttiness to the crisp topping and using coconut oil instead of butter makes it totally vegan! I also added raisins to the filling to add a bit of sweetness without adding more sugar. Of course, if you don’t like raisins you can omit this addition or add dried cranberries or dried cherries.

Overall an easy, health-conscious dessert that is a welcome addition to any dinner table!

*serves 6

Topping ingredients:

1/3 cup gluten-free flour blend

2/3 cup gluten-free oats

1/3 cup coconut sugar or date sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 cup slivered almonds

1/4 cup buckwheat

Filling ingredients:

1 lb apples, peeled & cored (about 4)

1 lb fresh rhubarb

1 1/2 tbsp coconut sugar or date sugar

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/3 cup raisins (can substitute dried cherries or dried cranberries)

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Toast the buckwheat over medium heat in a dry non-stick skillet until golden. Do the same with the almonds. *You want to toast them separately because they toast at different rates.

Mix all topping ingredients until combined and set aside.

Peel, core and chop apples into cubes. Sprinkle a bit of lemon juice on your apples to prevent browning. Chop the rhubarb into 1-inch pieces.

Combine all filling ingredients and mix until combined.

Transfer filling ingredients to a 10-inch cast iron skillet and cover with topping.

Cover and bake at 400 F for 30 minutes. Uncover and increase oven temperature to 425. Bake for another 15 minutes.

Serve with vanilla ice cream or enjoy on its own!