Rhubarb Crisp

I'll admit it. I'm a bad blogger sometimes. Nevermind the months of absence - but occasionally, I forget to photograph my treats. I guess that means I'll just have to make this one again!

Rhubarb is one of my many loves - I think made even more so since we really only can have rhubarb a few short months of the year. So, imagine if you will, my joy when my CSA box the first week came with some exceptionally beautiful rhubarb. Of course, the first CSA box (which ... I can go on and on about my life for my CSA) coincided with a cleanse I was doing. No sugar or carbs for Becky for 10 days. What am I to do with my rhubarb then? The answer ... freeze it and wait 10 days.

Finally, a couple of days ago, I heard the rhubarb calling to me from my freezer. So I found myself a crisp recipe and headed to the kitchen.

This crisp is amazing - it's a nice balance of sweet and rhubarb-y goodness. And! It's super easy. I will be making this again, some day. And then I will take photos - if I don't eat it too quickly.


Rhubarb Crisp

prep time: about 10 minutes
baking time: 45 - 55 minutes

Yields: 8x8 pan of crisp

Ingredients

• 1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup oats (quick cooking or old fashioned)
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• pinch of nutmeg
• 4 cups sliced rhubarb (about 1/2" pieces)
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 TBS cornstarch
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp vanilla

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter the bottom and sides of an 8-inch square baking dish.
   
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, oats, butter, cinnamon and nutmeg. Mix together until crumbly.
3. Press half of the brown sugar and oats mixture into the buttered baking dish. Top with the sliced rhubarb.
4. In a saucepan: combine the granulated sugar, cornstarch, water and vanilla. Cook together until clear, stirring frequently.
5. Pour water/sugar mixture over the rhubarb (distributing evenly) and then top the rhubarb with the remaining crumb mixture.
6. Bake for 45 - 55 minutes

Enjoy by alone, with ice cream or whipped cream!

Gluten-Free Apple & Pear Crisp

I know what you're thinking: gluten-free?!? Well, I don't keep a gluten-free kitchen, and frankly I feel like most gluten-free has a bad rap. Plus, it requires a ton of ingredients and just seems like a lot of work. Honestly, I've never tried gluten-free baked goods before. I don't have any dietary need for it and I really do enjoy gluten-y items.

That said...this recipe is gluten-free, white sugar-free, and vegan. It was a challenge for a holiday party in which some of my friends DO have dietary restrictions and can't have the gluten, dairy, or white sugar. So, I set-out to find a recipe that I could make for them...that didn't require a lot of additional ingredients due to the impending move.

Hopefully if you need a dessert recipe for those with some additional dietary needs, this will fit the bill without breaking the bank!

Apple & Pear Crisp
adapted from the Gluten Free Goddess

Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 35 - 40 minutes
Yields: 1-9" pie, serves 4

Ingredients for the fruit filling

• 2 Granny Smith apples, cored & sliced thin
• 2 Yellow Delicious apples, peeled, cored & sliced thin
  
• COOKS NOTE: I honestly just use an assortment of apples that appeal to me.
• 1 large red pear, cored, peeled & sliced thin
• 4 TBS unsweetened apple juice
• 1 TBS raw agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp gluten-free Apple Pie Spice, or cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice mix
• Pinch of Sea Salt
  
  For the crisp topping:
  
  • 3/4 cup organic light brown sugar
    
  • 3/4 cup gluten-free pancake and baking mix, such as Pamela's Baking & Pancake mix or Trader Joe's Gluten-Free Baking & Pancake mix
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 3-4 TBS organic shortening or vegan margarine

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Smear a deep 9-inch pie plate with vegan shortening.
2. In a medium to large bowl, toss the apple and pear slices in the apple juice, agave, spices, and a small pinch of sea salt.
3. In a separate bowl, stire together the organic brown sugar, gluten-free flour mix and cinnamon. Add the shortening in small pieces and rub between your fingers until the crumbs are moist and form a crumble topping mixture.
4. Sprinkle a handful of the crumble mixture into the bottom of the prepared pie plate. Spoon in the apple and pear slices; add all the liquid. Top with the remaining crumble mixture.
5. Bake at 350 degrees F, in the center of the over, for 35 to 45 minutes, or until the fruit is fork tender and the filling is bubbling and thickened. The top should be golden brown.
6. Cool a bit on a wire rack before serving warm or at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate leftovers.
7. The crisp may be reheated in the oven or a microwave, but it truly is best eaten the day you make it.

Enjoy!!


By the way...this was highly recommended by both those gluten-free & non. In fact, a lot of people enjoyed this not knowing it was a gluten-free dessert.