RHUBARB STRAWBERRY PALEO CRISP

Two healthy rhubarb plants are thriving in the garden. I picked quite a bit the other day and froze a bag with four cups of chopped rhubarb, gave some to a friend and used another four cups to make a crisp. I like rhubarb mixed with strawberries. As it is hot outside and not wanting to heat up the kitchen, I cooked the rhubarb on the bbq. I use the top rack above the burners so that the bottom doesn't burn before the crisp is cooked. If you don't have a top rack or what some call a warming rack, you can cook the crisp on the main grill with a few burners turned on and the crisp off to the side without the burner turned on right under the pan with the crisp. Last year I made several pies on the top rack and they turned out well. If the topping is browning too fast on the bbq, cover the pan with tin foil while the fruit cooks. I covered it after about 20 minutes of cooking.

I used honey in the topping and as it was more clumpy versus crumbly, I used my fingers to drop small clumps onto the fruit mixture. The crisp cooked for 50 minutes on the bbq and I had the temperature at about 400 degrees F. 

The consistency of the topping using honey.

Adding the topping to the fruit.

Ready for the bbq.

Cooking on the top rack.

Ready for sampling.

INGREDIENTS:

Fruit:

4 cups chopped rhubarb
2 cups sliced strawberries (fresh or frozen)
1 tbsp lemon juice
3/4 cup sugar or stevia (stevia for baking)
2 tbsp arrowroot powder or minute tapioca

Topping:
1/2 cup slivered almonds or chopped pecans
3/4 cup almond flour
2 tbsp coconut flour
1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup coconut oil (at room temperature) or butter

DIRECTIONS:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, add the fruit, lemon juice, sugar and arrowroot powder and mix well. In a separate bowl, mix together all of the topping except the coconut oil or butter. Add the oil or butter and mix using a fork or pastry blender so that it forms into crumbs or clumps. Using honey will make it form more like clumps. 

Grease with oil or butter a medium size baking pan. Add the fruit mixture, spread it evenly across the pan and add the topping to cover the fruit. Bake for at least 30 minutes or until it is bubbling and the topping has browned. Serves 6 to 8.  

MILLET TABBOULEH SALAD

I like the combination of fresh dill, mint and parsley with lemon juice in a salad. I have eaten tabbouleh over the years and this recipe for tabbouleh is a bit different. It uses millet as the grain instead of bulgar wheat or couscous. Some tabbouleh recipes also include chopped tomatoes, onion and cucumber. Tabbouleh can be eaten as a side dish with chicken, fish or meat or eaten on its own as a salad. This recipe doesn't include a lot of dressing and if you like a 'juicier' salad, you can add more lemon juice, vinegar and oil.

Both the DH and I enjoyed this salad and have leftovers for another meal. We ate this salad with baked chicken thighs. 

Salad mixed and ready to serve.

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups cooked millet
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
1/4 cup fresh dill
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:

If cooking the millet right before you make the tabbouleh, let it cool first. In a medium size bowl, mix the millet, herbs and dressing. Combine well. Add more lemon juice, vinegar and oil to taste if needed. Serves 4.

Adapted from "The Plant Paradox Cookbook"