7 Rhubarb Recipes That Venture Way Beyond Pie

rhubarb

Strawberry-rhubarb pie may be the only rhubarb recipe you’ve heard of, but there are many other ways to enjoy this fall/spring vegetable without downing the calories or being forced to whip up a labor-intensive dessert. Here are 6 different ways to enjoy rhubarb besides in a pie.

Rhubarb is a vegetable but often treated as a fruit, even though it retains a tart flavor. One cup of diced rhubarb contains 26 calories, 351 milligrams of potassium, 2.2 grams of dietary fiber, 1.1 grams of protein, 16% of the RDA of vitamin C and 10% of the RDA of calcium.

Rhubarb leaves contain a poison, oxalic acid, so should never be eaten. Be sure to remove all stems before moving forward with any rhubarb recipe. Here are 6 fun and new ways to enjoy the rhubarb stalks.

1. Raw

Most people don’t know this, but rhubarb can actually be eaten raw. The leaves are poisonous, not the rhubarb itself, so it’s worth a taste. Be sure to remove all the leaves and then pair the stalk with something sweet, dipping it into honey, agave or maple syrup in order to best complement the rhubarb’s tartness.

2. In a smoothie

If eating raw rhubarb alone isn’t for you, try to hide it in a superfood smoothie, so you can benefit from its nutrition without really tasting it at all. The color of your smoothie may even come out more delightful and fun!

3. With Meat, Chicken and Fish

Rhubarb goes very well with protein, such as fish, chicken, turkey, duck and pork. Add a generous dollop of a rhubarb sauce, chutney or salsa to your next roasted animal protein dish and bask in the deliciousness. To make rhubarb compote, in a saucepan combine 2 cups of chopped rhubarb with 1 cup of sugar and about 1 teaspoon of orange juice. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook until the rhubarb is cooked down and all of the flavors have come together – about 10 minutes. Serve warm or chilled.

4. Roasted

Roast rhubarb the same way you’d roast sweet potato or another vegetable that can caramelize deliciously. Drizzle chopped rhubarb with honey or maple syrup and bake to a roasted perfection – this way, you bring out the natural sweetness of the rhubarb without putting it in a dessert pie. Add the roasted rhubarb pieces to a salad full of bitter greens (arugula or rocket), fennel, goat cheese and toasted nuts.

5. In ice cream

This rhubarb recipe for ice cream is paired with honey-scented strawberries and whipped cream. This ice cream recipe is made to impress, so reserve if for your family and extra-special friends with an appreciation for interesting food pairings.

6. Pickled

We’re pickling just about anything these days, but have you ever seen a rhubarb pickle? This sugar-free pickled rhubarb recipe is a great way to venture into the new.

Related on Organic Authority

6 Fall Ideas for Easy Rhubarb Recipes

Rhubarb and Strawberry Tart Recipe with Chocolate

Meatless Monday Recipe Roundup: Reveling in Rhubarb

Photo Credit: Whitney

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