Rhubarb Simple Syrup

Makes ~1.5 cups

Ingredients

1 lb rhubarb, washed, trimmed, and chopped into chunks

4 cups water

2 cups sugar

Instructions

1. Combine rhubarb and water in a medium-sized pot and place on the stove over medium heat.

2. Cook until softened and rhubarb is broken down.

3. Once softened, strain the liquid out into a bowl. You can discard the rhubarb pulp, or save for using later in baking or other recipes.

4. Transfer the liquid back to the pot, stir in the sugar, and bring the pot to a boil.

5. Reduce heat and simmer mixture for 5 minutes.

6. Let cool, then transfer to a jar or bottle. Use in sparkling water, cocktails, or salad dressings.

Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Rhubarb Vinaigrette

Makes ~1.5 cups

Ingredients

1 cup rhubarb, washed, trimmed, and cut into chunks

¼ cup water

2 tablespoons Melon Blossom Honey

2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

½ teaspoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon Garlic Scape Mustard

¼ cup olive oil

1 clove garlic, minced

Kosher salt to taste

Instructions

1. Add rhubarb and water to a small pot and cook over medium-low heat until rhubarb is softened and broken down.

2. Transfer mixture to a cup and blend with an immersion blender. Make sure the cup is wide enough to fit the blender but narrow enough that the blade can be submerged!

3. Mix remaining ingredients into the blended rhubarb mixture. Serve with your favourite salad, and if you don’t use it all at once store in mason jar for later use. This will keep for up to a week!

Recipe developed and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Aunt Kathleen's Rhubarb Cake

This cake is incredibly easy to put together, and a real hit at a potluck!

In our family, Aunt Kathleen always comes prepared with this dish and without fail it disappears oh-so-quickly! There's no denying it's exceptionally sweet, but to us it tastes like family, a warm night on the patio, and a reminder of all the goodies & memories yet to come.

Ingredients

1 bunch rhubarb, washed and diced

1 package strawberry jello

1 bag mini marshmallows

1 white or yellow cake mix, prepared according to package directions

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Thoroughly grease a 9x13 baking dish with cooking spray.

3. Add diced rhubarb to the bottom of the baking dish.

4. Sprinkle the packet of jello powder evenly over top of the rhubarb, followed by the marshmallows.

5. Finally, pour the prepared cake mix over the rhubarb mixture.

6. Place the cake pan in the oven and bake for at 1 hour, until cake is done.

7. Remove from the oven and let sit. The longer you wait the more set the cake will be.

Rhubarb Sticky Pudding

Ingredients

3 cups rhubarb, diced

½ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup sugar (more or less depending on sweetness preference)

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

½ cup butter, melted

¼ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup icing sugar

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup water

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Grease 4 small oven-safe containers with butter or cooking spray. I used some ceramic French onion soup bowls! Divide the rhubarb evenly between the containers.

3. In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt and whisk to combine.

4. In a separate bowl, combine the melted butter, milk, and vanilla.

5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until smooth. Batter will be quite thick!

6. Spread ¼ of the batter on top of the rhubarb in the ceramic baking dishes.

7. In another bowl, combine the icing sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over top of the rhubarb and batter mixture.

8. Pour ¼ cup of water on top of each ceramic dish.

9. Bake in preheated oven for 1 hour.

10. Remove from oven, cool, and serve. Pairs deliciously with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

 Recipe modified from hoteatsandcoolreads.com and photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Rhubarb Simple Syrup

Ingredients

1 bunch of rhubarb stalks, roughly chopped

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup sugar

Instructions

1. Roughly chop 1 bunch of rhubarb stalks: should give you approximately 2 cups.

2. Add to a small pot along with 1 1/2 cups water.

3. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of sugar overtop.

4. Cook over medium heat until rhubarb is softened and sugar is dissolved, around 5-6 minutes.

5. Strain the liquid, reserving it for your drink!

6. The rhubarb mash can be saved and eaten on top of yogurt or oatmeal.

7. Makes around 1 3/4 cups (14 oz). Mix together 2 oz. rhubarb simple syrup, 1/2 oz. lemon juice, 1/2 cup sparkling water or soda, and 1 oz. liquor of your choice

Recipe developed and photographed by on-farm Registered Dietitian Alex Chesney

Strawberry - Rhubarb Turnovers

Ingredients

1 sheet puff pastry, thawed

1/2cup strawberries, sliced

1/2cup rhubarb, sliced

2 tablespoons white sugar

1 tablespoon flour

¼ teaspoon lemon juice

¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons whipping cream

1 teaspoon white sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. Slice the thawed puff pastry into quarters. Then halve each of the quarters on a diagonal, leaving you with 8 triangles. Set aside until you are ready to use.

3. Place the sliced strawberries and rhubarb in a medium-sized bowl. Sprinkle the sugar, flour, lemon juice, and vanilla overtop. Stir until thoroughly combined.

4. Add a heaping teaspoon of the strawberry rhubarb filling to the centre of each pastry triangle.

5. Fold the triangle in half, and pinch together the two open edges. Next, seal the edges with a fork.

6. Brush the tops of the turnovers with whipping cream and then sprinkle with the sugar.

7. Cut a slit into the top of each turnover.

8. Place the prepared turnovers on a baking sheet and pop into the oven.

9. Bake for 25 minutes, until pastry is browned and puffed up

Recipe developed and photographed by on-farm Registered Dietitian Alex Chesney

Rhubarb Vanilla Cheesecake Bars

Ingredients

Crust

2/3 cup graham cracker crumbs

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

1 tablespoon white sugar

Cheesecake Filling

1 8-ounce block full-fat cream cheese, softened

¼ cup white sugar

¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon lemon juice

1 egg, at room temperature

Rhubarb Topping

4 stems rhubarb, very thinly sliced on a diagonal (~ ¼ inch thick)

¼ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper. Set aside.

2. Combine all crust ingredients in a medium bowl. Firmly press the mixture into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Place in the oven and pre-bake for 5 minutes.

3. Combine sliced rhubarb with white sugar and vanilla and mix until pieces of rhubarb are fully coated.Allow to sit while you complete the rest of the recipe.

4. Next, place the cream cheese and white sugar in a large bowl and beat with a hand mixer on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute.

5. Add the sour cream, vanilla extract, and lemon juice, then beat again until fully combined.

6. Next, add the egg and beat until just combined. Batter will be thick!

7. Pour half of the batter into the pan and carefully spread to cover the crust.

8. Add slices of rhubarb on top of the batter, until the entire pan is covered.

9. Pour the remaining batter into the pan, smooth again to cover the first layer of rhubarb.

10. Add a second layer of rhubarb to the top.

11. By now the sugar and vanilla that coated the rhubarb will be liquefied. Pour the remaining sugar liquid overtop of the rhubarb and cheesecake.

12. Place the prepared pan in the oven and bake for 25 minutes, until the cheesecake is set and the rhubarb slices are softened.

13. Transfer the pan to a wire rack on the counter and let cool at room temperature for 30 minutes.

14. Transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours.

15. Once chilled, use a sharp knife to slice the cheesecake into bars or squares.

Recipe developed and photographed by on-farm Registered Dietitian Alex Chesney

Rhubarb Lemon Curd

Ingredients

½ cup lemon juice

4 cups rhubarb, roughly chopped

2 cups water

Zest from one lemon

1 large egg

2 large egg yolks

1/4 cup granulated sugar

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed

Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Begin by making the rhubarb juice: place chopped rhubarb and water in a medium-sized pan over medium heat. Cook until the rhubarb is softened, and juices are released. Strain the mixture into a small bowl. Keep the pulp for use in muffins or mix with honey for a perfect yogurt topping!

2. Transfer the rhubarb juice to a measuring cup to cool and stir in the lemon juice and zest.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, yolks, and sugar. When the juice has cooled to room temperature, whisk it into the egg mixture in a steady stream.

4. Set a clean bowl with a strainer over the top next to the stove.

5. Pour the egg and juice mixture back into your small saucepan and set it over medium heat. Stir slowly but constantly until the mixture has thickened to a pudding-like consistency — about 8 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is 180°F.

6. Strain the mixture into the clean bowl to remove the zest and any bits of cooked egg. Stir in the butter and the pinch of salt while the curd is still warm. Mix until smooth. Store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freeze for up to 3 months.

7. Use this curd on top of French toast, as a filling for crepes or a tart, stirred into yogurt, and more!  There are so many options.

Recipe modified from thekitchn.com by Alex Chesney, RD

Roasted Rhubarb Ricotta Toast

This recipe is like cheesecake on toast: tangy, sweet, and delicious! The ricotta give you a dose of protein, and rhubarb and whole grain toast offer up fibre, making for a super satisfying breakfast or snack. Roasting the rhubarb adds a unique depth to its flavour, especially when paired with flavours from honey, vanilla, and orange zest. We used our very own Melon Blossom Honey of course, but whatever you have on hand would work! Alternatively, you could swap it out for maple syrup. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

*Serves 3-4

Ingredients

2 cups rhubarb, cut into 2-inch long pieces

1/3 – 1/2 cup honey, depending how sweet you like it!

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 teaspoon orange zest

1 cup ricotta cheese

3-4 thick slices of bread of choice

1 tablespoon sliced or chopped almonds

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°.

2. Wash, trim, and chop rhubarb. Cut them diagonally for an extra pretty presentation!

3. Whisk vanilla into honey.

4. Toss rhubarb pieces with honey in a medium-sized bowl until they are evenly coated.

5. Sprinkle with orange zest.

6. Transfer prepared rhubarb pieces to a baking pan lined with parchment paper. There will be some extra honey in the bowl, so be sure to scrape that out on top of the rhubarb pieces!

7. Roast for 15 minutes or so. Rhubarb should be tender but still holding its shape.

8. While rhubarb roasts, toast your bread.

9. Spread approximately ¼ cup of ricotta cheese on each piece of toast.

10. When rhubarb is ready, lay atop your ricotta toast.

11. Spoon some of the liquid (it’s so good!) from the pan on top of the rhubarb pieces.

12. Sprinkle with almonds and enjoy!

Recipe developed and photographed by on-farm Registered Dietitian Alex Chesney

Rhubarb for Breakfast Two Ways

Rhubarb has such a wonderfully tangy and fresh flavour, which makes it the perfect addition to your breakfast plate! It brightens up that first meal of the day, and makes you excited to face whatever adventure is heading your way. At least, it does for me! Check out these two breakfast ideas that will fuel you up and keep you energized. Let me know what you think!

Stewed Rhubarb on French Toast

*Serves 4

Ingredients

Stewed Rhubarb

2 cups rhubarb, chopped

1 tablespoon water

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 tablespoon honey (more or less, to taste)

French Toast

8 slices bread of your choice

4 eggs

½ cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon nutmeg

1 tablespoon butter

Toppings

1 cup plain Greek yogurt, 2%

Cinnamon

Honey (optional)

Instructions

1. Add all ingredients to a small pot, and place over medium-low heat. Cook for 5 – 8 minutes, stirring frequently and mashing as the rhubarb starts to soften. Once rhubarb has softened completely, it’s all ready to go!

2. To prepare French Toast, whisk together eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.

3. Heat a pan over medium-low heat, and melt half of the butter. Once the butter is sizzling, dunk 4 slices of bread into the egg mixture, and place in the prepared pan. Cook for approximately 3 minutes per side, until the French Toast is golden brown. Flip and repeat on the other side, then repeat the process for the 4 remaining slices of bread.

4. Top your prepared French Toast with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt, a generous scoop or two of stewed rhubarb, and sprinkle cinnamon on top.

5. Breakfast is served!

Recipe created & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Rhubarb Crisp Parfait

*Serves 4

Ingredients

4 cups rhubarb, chopped

2 tablespoons sugar

½ cup oats

1 tablespoon chia seeds

1 tablespoon hemp hearts

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup butter

2 cups Greek yogurt

1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375⁰F.

2. Mix together the rhubarb and sugar, and place in a small baking dish. Next, combine oats, chia seeds, hemp hearts, and brown sugar. Once combined, cut in the butter until a crumbly mixture forms.

3. Top the rhubarb with the oat mixture, then place in the preheated oven and bake for 35 minutes, until bubbly and rhubarb is softened.

4. Allow the mixture to cool, then you can begin to assemble the parfaits!

5. Find 4 tall glasses or mason jars and add ¼ Greek yogurt to the bottom of each. Next, add a scoop of rhubarb crisp. Top with another ¼ cup of Greek yogurt, and finish with another scoop of rhubarb crisp on top. Screw on the lids if using jars or cover with saran or beeswax wrap if using glasses and store in the fridge until ready to eat.

6. To serve, top with an additional sprinkle of chia seeds and hemp hearts. Enjoy!

Recipe created & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Rhubarb BBQ Sauce

This past weekend we were finally treated to some warmer weather, and gosh was it ever overdue! We really need the sun to shine more often in order to be able to get our field work done.

On a lighter note, the sunshine also inspires us to cook up more summery meals. And this definitely fits the bill! Check out our recipe below for a homemade BBQ sauce that’s tangy and delicious, and features springtime rhubarb. It’s got some texture to it, and pairs wonderfully with chicken or pork. It’s not overly sweet, but does have some perfect sweetness thanks to the inclusion of brown sugar and our very own Strawberry BBQ Sauce!

Did you know that rhubarb is high in fibre, calcium, and vitamin C? Just 1 cup of diced rhubarb packs in 2.2g of fibre (8% of the recommended Daily Value, aka DV), 10% of the recommended daily intake for calicim, and 16% of the recommended vitamin C. It’s definitely an underrated springtime treat, for both its culinary and nutritional perks.

Give it a try today and let us know what you think!

Ingredients

1 teaspoon canola oil

1 onion, minced

1” piece of ginger, minced or grated

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 cup rhubarb, diced

½ cup water

¼ cup brown sugar

¼ cup Thames River Melons Strawberry BBQ Sauce

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 teaspoon paprika

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

Dash of salt

Dash of pepper

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 1 piece of minced onion to test the temperature. Once the onion starts to sizzle, you know it’s time to add the rest!

2. Add the remaining onion and cook until softened, 3 – 5 minutes. Next, add the ginger and garlic and cook for an additional 1 – 2 minutes, until fragrant.

3. Finally, add all remaining ingredients: rhubarb, water, brown sugar, strawberry bbq sauce, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, paprika, chili powder, Worcestershire sauce, salt & pepper.

4. Continue to cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until rhubarb starts to soften. As it does, mash together to create a more unified sauce.

5. Continue to cook until most of the moisture has evaporated, and the mixture has thickened.

6. Serve with the protein of your choice: we topped our chicken meatballs with it, but it would also be delicious on BBQ’d chicken legs, or on pork!

Recipe created & photographed by Alex Chesney, RD

Rhubarb Custard Bars

What a strange time of year — spring is clearly here, and we’ve had some gloriously warm & sunny days! But we’ve also had some very chilly, windy, and rainy ones. It seems to go back and forth, teasing us with warmth, then sending us running back inside with the cold.

This mix of temperatures allows for time with the oven on, though! And turning on the oven inevitably leads to baking for me. This week I whipped up some rhubarb custard bars: a delicious combination of creamy, tangy, and sweet flavours. If you can, try to snag a corner bar, as they get extra caramelization, and are even more delicious.

I found this recipe on a popular baking blog, and made a few tweaks: added some oats to the crust for extra texture and a bump of fibre, halved the sugar in the filling, and added vanilla for an increased depth in flavour. Although these adjustments do make these bars a little more healthy, they’re definitely still a dessert. And that’s okay! There’s more than enough room for desserts in our diets. It’s all about balance: maybe don’t eat the whole tray, but enjoy one or two without guilt, just enjoyment!

They don’t take long at all to whip up, but you do have to have some patience to allow them to fully cool and set. It’s worth the wait, though! Give them a try and let me know what you think.

Ingredients

For the crust

1 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup oats

3/4 cup cold butter, cubed

1/4 cup sugar

For the filling

3 large eggs, beaten

¾ cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 cup flour

1/2 tsp salt

4 cups rhubarb, diced

2 tablespoons icing sugar (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, oats, and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

2. Pat the crumbs into a well greased 9 x 13 in baking pan. Bake the crust at 350 F for 10-12 min or until lightly browned.

3. While the crust is in the oven, mix together eggs, sugar, vanilla, flour and salt.

4. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb. Pour the rhubarb mixture over the hot crust. Return bars to the hot oven. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the filling is set and no longer jiggly

5. Cool for 30 mins on the counter and then refrigerate until chilled before cutting into bars.

6. Before serving, sprinkle with icing sugar for an extra hint of sweetness and a pretty final touch.

Recipe modified from http://chocolatewithgrace.com/rhubarb-bars/ by Alex Chesney, RD

Strawberry Rhubarb Cobbler

*Serves 6

A cobbler is an incredibly delicious dessert, full of fruity filling & topped with biscuits that soak up the fruit juices as it bakes. This recipe uses a mixture of strawberries & rhubarb. The berries add lots of natural sweetness, so I was able to cut back a bit on the amount of sugar required. For the biscuit topping, I did use some butter (because you can’t get a flaky biscuit without butter!) but I also included some Greek yogurt, which cuts back on the fat and also gives the biscuits their lovely moistness & dense texture. I hope you try out this treat soon and enjoy it with a smile, alongside some family & friends. Let me know what you think!

Ingredients

Filling:

4 cups rhubarb, chopped

2 cups strawberries, hulled & sliced

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup sugar

1/4 cup flour

Topping:

1 ½ cups whole wheat flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 ½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup Greek yogurt

5 tablespoons cold butter, cubed

1 tablespoon milk

1 teaspoon milk

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Begin by making the filling: sprinkle the lemon juice and vanilla over the fruit & toss. Next, whisk together the sugar and cornstarch, sprinkle over the prepared fruit, and toss again. Lots of tossing in this step!

3. Transfer the prepared filling to a baking dish. You could use a 9x9 square dish or a deep dish pie plate – that’s what I chose!

4. Now you can move on to preparing the topping. Start by whisking together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

5. Next, cut the cubes of butter into the flour mixture using a pastry cutter. Forks work too, in a pinch! Once the butter is the size of peas, you’re ready for the next step.

6. Add the Greek yogurt and mix using a rubber spatula until the flour & butter mixture is moistened. Next, knead the mixture approximately 10 times. The dough should be slightly sticky.

7. Divide the dough in half, then divide each half into 3. This will leave you with 6 even parts. Pat each ball of dough into a round biscuit, about an inch thick.

8. Arrange the biscuits over top of the prepared fruit filling. Brush each biscuit with some milk and sprinkle with a pinch of sugar. Now you’re ready to bake!

9. Place the baking dish into the pre-heated oven. Bake for approximately 45 minutes. The fruit should be bubbly and the tops of the biscuits should be golden brown. You may want to place a piece of tinfoil underneath the baking dish – the fruit juices may overflow while baking!

10. Once baked through, remove from the cobbler from the oven and let cool on the stove top for at least 15 minutes.

11. Serve each person a biscuit plus lots of fruit filling. You can also top with a scoop of vanilla ice-cream for an extra indulgent dessert. Enjoy!

Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD

Rhubarb Muffins

Springtime & rhubarb go hand-in-hand, don’t you think? And rhubarb has always seemed at home in muffins to me! Try out this recipe today & enjoy them as a side to your morning coffee, or as an on-the-go snack.  If you choose to add the cinnamon sugar topping, these muffins would also make a great dessert!

The whole wheat flour, oats, and rhubarb will give you a nice hit of fiber. Pair with a glass of milk and a handful of almonds & you’ll have yourself a deliciously healthy treat. These guys would be even more tasty slathered with some of our Thames River Melons strawberry jam! Check out the recipe below:

*Makes 2 dozen muffins

Dry Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ cups whole wheat flour

½ cup large flake oats

½ - ¾ cup sugar (depending how sweet you’d like them to be!)

2 teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

¼ teaspoon nutmeg

Wet Ingredients:

1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon lemon juice (aka homemade buttermilk!)

1 egg, lightly beaten

¼ cup canola oil

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 ripe bananas, mashed well

Add-in:

2 cups rhubarb, diced & tossed in ¼ cup sugar

Topping (optional):

¼ cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons brown sugar

¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons butter, softened

Instructions

1.  Preheat your oven to 400°F.

2. Lightly grease a muffin tin, or fill with muffin liners & then set aside.

3. Combine the milk & lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup and allow to sit together for at least 5 minutes. This is your DIY buttermilk!

4. While waiting, thoroughly whisk together all of the dry ingredients (flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, spices) in a large mixing bowl, then set aside.

5. In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (your homemade buttermilk should be ready now, plus the egg, canola oil, vanilla extract, & mashed bananas).

6. Make a well in the dry ingredients, and slowly pour in the wet ingredients, mixing gently until they are just combined. Don’t over mix, or the muffins could be tough & chewy!

7. Next, gently fold in the chopped rhubarb.

8. Your batter is ready to go now! Use a spring-loaded ice cream scoop and drop muffin batter into the prepared muffin tins.

9. If you are interested in adding the optional topping (it gives the muffins an extra bump of sweetness!), whisk together the flour, sugar, and cinnamon and then cut in the butter until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle evenly on top of the muffin batter.

10. Once finished, bake the muffins in your pre-heated oven for approximately 20 minutes.

11. To check for doneness, take a peek at your muffins. Gently shake the muffin tin – are they still jiggly in the middle? If they are, return them to the oven and continue to check them every 2 – 3 minutes. Once they are not jiggly and when they spring back from your touch they are done & ready to be removed!

12. Allow muffins to rest in the pan for a few minutes. Once they are cool enough to touch, transfer them to a cooling rack. All that’s left to do now is enjoy! That and the clean-up J

Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD

Freezing Rhubarb

Rhubarb is such a classic taste of spring, and we're always a little sad when the season starts to wind down. But it doesn't have to be goodbye until next year! Try freezing some to enjoy all winter long with these easy steps: 

1. Trim off leaves (they are actually poisonous!) and about an inch from the bottom of the stalk.
2. Wash and dry thoroughly and chop into chunks about an inch thick.
3. Transfer chunks of rhubarb into a freezer-friendly zipper storage bag and place in the freezer.

There you have it! Easy as 1-2-3 :) Freezing fresh produce when it's at peak season is a great way to ensure your winter diet stays full of variety & health.

We also freeze some here on-farm so feel free to drop by any time!

Alex Chesney, RD

Rhubarb & Yogurt Parfait

Here's a quick & easy, plus healthy & delicious treat that can be enjoyed as an on-the-go breakfast, or as a light dessert! Rhubarb & oats provide filling fiber, and Greek yogurt gives a boost of protein. Prepare ahead of time for easy enjoyment. Here's the recipe: 

*Serves 4

Ingredients:
6 cups rhubarb, chopped
6 tbsp honey
¼ cup water
3 cups Greek yogurt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups large flake oats

Instructions

1. Place chopped rhubarb, 3 tbsp of the honey, and water in a medium stock pot over low heat. Simmer for approximately 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rhubarb is completely softened. 

2. Meanwhile, whisk together Greek yogurt, 3 tbsp of honey, and vanilla extract. 

3. Once rhubarb is cooked, begin to layer your parfaits into 4 mason jars. Start with 1/2 cup yogurt mixture, then layer on 1/2 cup rhubarb, then repeat once for each jar (total of 1 cup of yogurt and 1 cup rhubarb per jar).

4. Top each parfait with 1/2 cup oatmeal.

Store in fridge until ready to enjoy!

Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD

Rhubarb Crisp

Rhubarb crisp is so delicious & easy to make. It can be made using either fresh or frozen rhubarb - either works! This dessert makes the perfect addition to a weeknight family dinner, and here at the farm we love to nibble on leftovers (if there are any!) for a breakfast-time treat. 

Here's the recipe: 

Ingredients

Filling
4 cups of chopped rhubarb
1/2 cup sugar
Dash of lemon juice

Topping
1 cup quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350. Toss chopped rhubarb in sugar and transfer to a greased 9x9 baking dish.

2. Prepare topping: mix oatmeal and brown sugar, then cut in softened butter.

3. Once combined well, sprinkle on top of rhubarb. Bake for 30-45 minutes (until rhubarb is softened and mixture is bubbly). Enjoy!

Recipe created by Alex Chesney, RD