Healthy{ish} Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

When I spotted big, bright pink stalks of rhubarb at the market this week, I just couldn’t pass them by.  Rhubarb brings back all sorts of memories for me…  Summers at my Baba’s (grandma’s) house, her immaculately kept yard and gardens, and fresh rhubarb stalks picked from the garden and paired with little glass bowls of dipping sugar…  Best.thing.ever.

And while I’m not quite ready to be handing Gracen little bowls filled with white sugar, I was sure we could use our rhubarb to whip up something delicious and healthy{ish} together.

So today, after a morning with friends at Campbell Valley Park and an afternoon outside in the backyard, we decided to bake a strawberry rhubarb crisp while our dinner warmed in the oven.  (These are the perks to making a big dinner the night before and having more than enough for a second night.)

IMG 2523First things first, gather the following: rhubarb, strawberries (fresh or frozen), wholewheat flour, vanilla, pure maple syrup, old-fashioned oats, and olive oil.  The biggest necessity however?  One silly little doodle sporting a tiny apron and her “smile face”.

IMG 2528To get started, dump your fruit into a large mixing bowl.

IMG 2530Enthusiastically add some wholewheat flour…

IMG 2531Some pure maple syrup…

IMG 2533And a touch of vanilla.

IMG 2535Then mix it all up.  If you’re feeling adventurous, follow Grae’s lead and sneak a piece of flour-covered rhubarb into your mouth (yuck).

IMG 2538When everything is mixed, pour the fruit mixture into a glass baking dish and spread it around evenly.

IMG 2540With the fruit filling complete, it’s time for the topping.  Grab a fresh bowl (or rinse the one you have) and dump in some wholewheat flour.

IMG 2541Next, add some old-fashioned oats…

IMG 2545Some cinnamon…

IMG 2548Some olive oil…

IMG 2550And a little bit of pure maple syrup.

IMG 2552Mix everything well.

IMG 2553Next, shake your oat mixture out on top of your fruit, trying to distribute it {somewhat} evenly over the dish.  Gently pat everything down in place.

IMG 2555That’s it!  Now pop it into the oven for a bit.

IMG 2556And take it out when the fruit is bubbling and the oats are golden brown.  Let cool on the counter while you eat dinner.

IMG 2565Then dish out two little bowls, one for you and one for your toddler, and listen to her exclaim “Mmmmmmmmm! Nom-a-nom-a-neh” while she shovels heaping spoonfuls into her mouth.  Be prepared – she’ll most likely finish before you do and then ask to eat yours on top of her own. ☺

I honestly wasn’t sure how this recipe would turn out…  I’ve made many crisps before and significantly reduced the amount of butter and brown sugar, but I’ve never omitted both ingredients all together and replaced them with olive oil and maple syrup.  I’m happy to report, however, that it turned out really well.  Although it’s not as sweet as a regular crisp, it’s just sweet enough to balance out the tartness of the rhubarb, plus it’s got lots of flavour and a good crunch to it.  And the best part is that I feel okay about giving our wee one a little bowl to enjoy too.

Of course, if you wanted to sweeten it up a little bit, you could increase the amount of maple syrup, add a touch of honey, or, my personal favourite – top it with a little bit of whipped cream or ice cream.

Healthy{ish} Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

  • 4 cups of chopped fruit (we used about 3 cups of rhubarb and 1 cup of frozen strawberries)
  • 1/4 cup of wholewheat flour
  • 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
  • 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla
  • 1 cup of wholewheat flour
  • 1 cup of organic old-fashioned oats
  • 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup of olive oil
  • 2 – 3 tablespoons of pure maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon of pure vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Put the first set of ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Spread the fruit mixture in the bottom of a glass baking dish.

Put the second set of ingredients in a bowl and mix well.  Shake out the oat mixture on top of the fruit, trying to distribute it evenly over the fruit.  Gently pat down with your hands.

Bake for approximately 25 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling and the oats are crunchy and golden brown.

Allow to cool a while, then scoop into bowls and serve.

Enjoy!

5 thoughts on “Healthy{ish} Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp

  1. First picture: Best. Face. Ever. Both my girls have a ham-face for photos, that look eerily similar…the scrunched eyes and biggest grin ever.
    No word of a lie, Phil made strawberry rhubarb pie tonight for dinner. I almost passed out with excitement. I can still feel the tasty pie jingling around in my tummy. It’s my favourite! I also snuck a piece of flour covered rhubarb :O it was delicious!

    1. So funny that kids do that. They must not know how crazy they look! :)

      Seriously, your other half can make pie?!?! You’ve got to be kidding me! Mine can make a grilled cheese, but that’s only if you give him 45 minutes and don’t mind the house being filled with smoke afterwards. :) I’d say you hit the jackpot!

      1. Hahaha! Well, it’s a fair trade since I can’t bake to save my life :P I’m just kidding, (not about baking, I really can’t do that) I did hit the jackpot! He makes all kinds of delicious baked goods and I don’t have to lift a finger. I’m an official taste tester! My man can also cook meat to perfection. I tend to dry out steaks, porkchops, and the like.

  2. Another good way to replace butter in your crisps is unsweetened apple sauce it adds the moisture and sweetness! I’ve also replaced the butter in banana bread with apple sauce and it turned out too and actually didn’t taste different, the colouring was just lighter! The joys of a dairy allergy lead you to experiment! :) But I’ll defiantly have to try olive oil and maple syrup!

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