Rhubarb is one of my favorite seasonal treats, so I look forward to the rhubarb growing season every year. I love the tart stalks raw and dipped in sugar; I love them baked in pies and custards; and I even have a few savory dishes that I like to make with rhubarb. Rhubarb, although most often is featured in desserts with a lot of sugar and butter, is also a good source of calcium, vitamin C, and fiber. If you have found yourself with more rhubarb than your arms can carry, I have a few tips on how to store this delicious red and green vegetable for later use. (Yes…even though we use it like a fruit, it is actually a vegetable.) When you pick your rhubarb, you can store it one of two ways: Fresh rhubarb can be stored for up to one week as long as the leaves are removed and you do not wash the stalks. Just wrap the stalks in plastic wrap and store them in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator. You can freeze the rhubarb by washing and slicing the stalks into 1 inch segments. Store it in a freezer plastic bag for up to 6 months in your deep freezer. (It usually does not last that long in our house!) Today I am going to share with you two of my favorite rhubarb dessert recipes. The first recipe I am sharing is for a Rhubarb Dump Dessert. I would call it a dump cake, but it doesn’t really take on the texture of a cake. The smell of this dessert baking in the oven is sure to get everyone in the house making a loop or two through the kitchen to see where “that really good smell” is coming from. Aside from the smells and the taste of this delightful treat, it can also be put together and ready to bake before your oven is even done preheating! All you need for the base is rhubarb, sugar, and vanilla extract. The topping itself is made from yellow cake mix and melted butter. You simply mix together the chopped rhubarb, sugar, and vanilla and pour it into the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan. For the topping you sprinkle one box of yellow cake mix and then ladle 1.5 sticks of melted butter over the top. After one hour in the oven, the results are to die for. I like to serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream over the top. It ends up being the perfect mix of warm/cold and tart/sweet. The second dessert (or breakfast) recipe I am going to share with you doesn’t come with all of the guilt of cake mixes and melted butter. In fact, it’s almost on the healthy side! Coconut Chia Rhubarb Parfaits are a great way to start or end the day. Chia seeds are one of my favorite quick dessert items to keep in the cupboard. Because they can make any liquid thick, I use them for quick fruit jellies to keep in the fridge or to turn my favorite flavored milks or protein shakes into pudding. Chia seeds are a great source of calcium, protein, fiber, and omega 3’s. What’s not to love about eating dessert and doing something good for your body at the same time? To make the Coconut Chia Pudding, blend the chia seeds with coconut milk - the kind from the carton, not the can - honey, and vanilla extract. When the tiny black seeds are left in the liquid for a few hours, they turn the coconut milk into a delightfully light gelatin-type dessert with a consistency similar to tapioca. For the strawberry rhubarb topping, I cooked rhubarb with fresh sliced strawberries, honey, and vanilla. For a garnish, and to bring out a little extra coconut flavor, I added toasted coconut flakes. You can make this dish ahead of time and just store the topping and coconut chia pudding in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, just layer it in a parfait glass or a to go container to bring with you for a special treat at work. When I served this at home, the kids went nuts for it, and I couldn’t have been happier! Rerick is a professional chef and blogger. Find her blog atcraveable.areavoices.com, and follow her on Pinterest as Jessica Karley Rerick. If you have a party idea to share, email her at craveablekitchen@gmail.com. Rhubarb Dump Dessert 8 cups of rhubarb, sliced one inch (fresh or frozen) 2 cups granulated sugar 2 tablespoons cornstarch 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I use a vanilla “crush” extract that has vanilla bean seeds in it) 1 box yellow cake mix 1.5 sticks butter, melted Directions: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine sliced rhubarb with sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Stir until the rhubarb is coated. Pour the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. (Just spread any sugar remaining in the bottom of the bowl evenly around the pan) Top the rhubarb mixture with the dry yellow cake mix and then use a spoon to distribute the butter over the top of the cake mix, trying to get it around to all the areas of the cake topping. Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes, or until the rhubarb is bubbling and the cake mix is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve with vanilla ice cream over the top. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Coconut Chia Rhubarb Parfait For the coconut chia pudding: 3 cups coconut milk, from a carton, not canned. ⅔ cups chia seeds 2 teaspoons vanilla extract ¼ cup honey (more or less depending on your taste) For the strawberry rhubarb topping: 3 cups rhubarb, sliced 1 inch, fresh or frozen 3 cups sliced fresh strawberries ⅓ cup honey 1 teaspoon vanilla extract To top the parfaits: Toasted coconut flakes or whipped cream. Directions: In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the pudding. Whisk together, cover, and store in the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving. (It can be used ahead of time, but I personally prefer it to sit longer.) Store until ready to use. Meanwhile, in a sauce pot, combine the rhubarb, strawberries and honey and cook over medium heat until the fruit is broken down and the mixture is smooth, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Let cool and store in refrigerator until ready to use. To make the parfait, place the coconut chia pudding in the bottom of a bowl, wine glass, or any pretty container you have. Layer it with the rhubarb topping and sprinkle with toasted coconut or even whipped cream.Rhubarb is one of my favorite seasonal treats, so I look forward to the rhubarb growing season every year. I love the tart stalks raw and dipped in sugar; I love them baked in pies and custards; and I even have a few savory dishes that I like to make with rhubarb. Rhubarb, although most often is featured in desserts with a lot of sugar and butter, is also a good source of calcium, vitamin C, and fiber.If you have found yourself with more rhubarb than your arms can carry, I have a few tips on how to store this delicious red and green vegetable for later use. (Yes…even though we use it like a fruit, it is actually a vegetable.)When you pick your rhubarb, you can store it one of two ways:Fresh rhubarb can be stored for up to one week as long as the leaves are removed and you do not wash the stalks. Just wrap the stalks in plastic wrap and store them in the vegetable drawer of your refrigerator. You can freeze the rhubarb by washing and slicing the stalks into 1 inch segments. Store it in a freezer plastic bag for up to 6 months in your deep freezer. (It usually does not last that long in our house!)Today I am going to share with you two of my favorite rhubarb dessert recipes. The first recipe I am sharing is for a Rhubarb Dump Dessert. I would call it a dump cake, but it doesn’t really take on the texture of a cake. The smell of this dessert baking in the oven is sure to get everyone in the house making a loop or two through the kitchen to see where “that really good smell” is coming from. Aside from the smells and the taste of this delightful treat, it can also be put together and ready to bake before your oven is even done preheating! All you need for the base is rhubarb, sugar, and vanilla extract. The topping itself is made from yellow cake mix and melted butter. You simply mix together the chopped rhubarb, sugar, and vanilla and pour it into the bottom of a 9x13 cake pan. For the topping you sprinkle one box of yellow cake mix and then ladle 1.5 sticks of melted butter over the top. After one hour in the oven, the results are to die for. I like to serve it warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream over the top. It ends up being the perfect mix of warm/cold and tart/sweet. The second dessert (or breakfast) recipe I am going to share with you doesn’t come with all of the guilt of cake mixes and melted butter. In fact, it’s almost on the healthy side! Coconut Chia Rhubarb Parfaits are a great way to start or end the day. Chia seeds are one of my favorite quick dessert items to keep in the cupboard. Because they can make any liquid thick, I use them for quick fruit jellies to keep in the fridge or to turn my favorite flavored milks or protein shakes into pudding. Chia seeds are a great source of calcium, protein, fiber, and omega 3’s. What’s not to love about eating dessert and doing something good for your body at the same time?To make the Coconut Chia Pudding, blend the chia seeds with coconut milk - the kind from the carton, not the can - honey, and vanilla extract. When the tiny black seeds are left in the liquid for a few hours, they turn the coconut milk into a delightfully light gelatin-type dessert with a consistency similar to tapioca. For the strawberry rhubarb topping, I cooked rhubarb with fresh sliced strawberries, honey, and vanilla. For a garnish, and to bring out a little extra coconut flavor, I added toasted coconut flakes. You can make this dish ahead of time and just store the topping and coconut chia pudding in the refrigerator. When you are ready to eat, just layer it in a parfait glass or a to go container to bring with you for a special treat at work. When I served this at home, the kids went nuts for it, and I couldn’t have been happier! Rerick is a professional chef and blogger. Find her blog atcraveable.areavoices.com, and follow her on Pinterest as Jessica Karley Rerick. If you have a party idea to share, email her at craveablekitchen@gmail.com.Rhubarb Dump Dessert8 cups of rhubarb, sliced one inch (fresh or frozen)2 cups granulated sugar2 tablespoons cornstarch2 teaspoons vanilla extract (I use a vanilla “crush” extract that has vanilla bean seeds in it)1 box yellow cake mix1.5 sticks butter, meltedDirections:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, combine sliced rhubarb with sugar, cornstarch, and vanilla extract. Stir until the rhubarb is coated. Pour the mixture into the bottom of a greased 9x13 pan. (Just spread any sugar remaining in the bottom of the bowl evenly around the pan) Top the rhubarb mixture with the dry yellow cake mix and then use a spoon to distribute the butter over the top of the cake mix, trying to get it around to all the areas of the cake topping.Bake at 350 for 60-65 minutes, or until the rhubarb is bubbling and the cake mix is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Serve with vanilla ice cream over the top. Store any leftovers in the refrigerator.
Coconut Chia Rhubarb ParfaitFor the coconut chia pudding:3 cups coconut milk, from a carton, not canned.⅔ cups chia seeds2 teaspoons vanilla extract¼ cup honey (more or less depending on your taste)For the strawberry rhubarb topping:3 cups rhubarb, sliced 1 inch, fresh or frozen3 cups sliced fresh strawberries⅓ cup honey1 teaspoon vanilla extractTo top the parfaits: Toasted coconut flakes or whipped cream.Directions:In a medium bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the pudding. Whisk together, cover, and store in the refrigerator for 4 hours before serving. (It can be used ahead of time, but I personally prefer it to sit longer.) Store until ready to use.Meanwhile, in a sauce pot, combine the rhubarb, strawberries and honey and cook over medium heat until the fruit is broken down and the mixture is smooth, about 30 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and add the vanilla extract. Let cool and store in refrigerator until ready to use.To make the parfait, place the coconut chia pudding in the bottom of a bowl, wine glass, or any pretty container you have. Layer it with the rhubarb topping and sprinkle with toasted coconut or even whipped cream.
