It’s rhubarb time! Actually, it’s probably almost past rhubarb time, but never mind that.

Truthfully I typically have so much rhubarb in my freezer (that I’ve carefully hoarded from the rhubarb season the year before) that I don’t think I’ve actually ever run out, thereby ensuring that it is ALWAYS rhubarb time.

I’ve made fruit crisps before, but I wanted to make these more of a wholesome bar. What’s the difference between that and a crisp, you might ask? Well, mostly it’s that bars have delicious oat-y, nutty, crispy goodness on both the top AND the bottom. Simple as that.

These bars are something you might bring to a picnic, or serve after a casual barbecue in the backyard. If you like, you can serve them with some whipped coconut cream, or just keep them as they are. Now get thee to a picnic, post-haste!

A few notes about the recipe:

• Yes, you can taste the banana. I liked it though! It somehow compliments the rhubarb in this unusually delicious way. If your first instinct is “perish the thought!” then try substituting with 1/3 cup organic applesauce.
• Yes, the topping is AMAZING. Nutty almonds baked up with rolled oats and maple syrup make for a super crunchy and addictive topping. Ground almonds are expensive, I know it, but they really work here.
• Yes, you could throw in some strawberries, raspberries, or even cranberries, if you feel so inclined.
• Yes, I will be keeping this base/topping recipe as a standard go-to for all future fruit bars. Can you imagine this with peaches? Or blueberries? Incredible.

Digging the fruit approach but want to try something else? Consider:

•  rhubarb strawberry crisp
• cranberry pumpkin seed muffins
• rhubarb cranberry crisp
• lemon blueberry cranberry muffins

Healthy Rhubarb Oat Bars with Crunchy Almond Crumble

• Author: Choosing Raw, with tweaks by Emily Joldersma, RHN
  • Click here for the original recipe at Choosing Raw
• Recipe Notes: vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, contains nuts

Ingredients:

Base:

• 1 3/4 cup oat flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 large ripe banana (or 1/3 cup applesauce)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Filling:

• 4 cups rhubarb
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup organic cane sugar

Crumble Topping:

• 1 cup almond flour/ground almonds
• 1/2 cup rolled oats
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil

Instructions:

1. Prepare the base: stir together oats, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and sea salt. In a separate bowl, mash banana, and then add almond milk, maple syrup, coconut oil, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients, and stir until all ingredients are incorporated.
2. Scoop batter for base into a 9×13 glass pan, or other similarly sized pan. If you know your pan often sticks, grease with a little coconut oil.
3. Preheat oven to 350F.
4. While oven is preheating, prepare rhubarb filling. Stir together cornstarch and sugar. Measure out 4 cups of rhubarb, and then sprinkle sugar/cornstarch over top, tossing to ensure that the rhubarb is well-coated. Scoop the rhubarb onto the base filling.
5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until rhubarb is starting to release some juice.
6. While rhubarb/base are baking, prepare topping: stir together oats and almond flour. Pour coconut oil and maple syrup over top, and mix well.
7. Scoop topping onto partially-baked rhubarb mix (after the first 15 minutes in the oven), and bake entire extravaganza for another 30 to 60 minutes. Yes, it’s a wide range.
8. Remove from oven when a) topping is browned and, more importantly, b) when the rhubarb filling is bubbling not just around the edges of the pan, but closer to the middle too.
9. Cool, and enjoy!

© Emily Joldersma, RHN, Eat Well, Live Vibrantly