In previous posts, I’ve mentioned that I grew up with two brothers (and my sister, Toe-Jam Monica). In the formative years of my childhood, I wanted nothing more than to be like my brothers, or more specifically, to be a boy. At the time, anatomy was not the defining factor of gender; at the time, it was more about what kind of pajamas and bathing suits you had to wear and what kind of toys you got to play with. I wanted spider man pajamas and speedo bathing suit, and I wanted to play with wrestlers and GI Joes. I wanted nothing to do with hair products, dresses or the epitome of girlishness, Barbie Dolls.

With age (re: wisdom), I’ve come to embrace my feminine qualities. I still have a fondness for WWE wrestling and the occasional action flick, but I am usually watching such stuff in a dress with a ponytail. But one thing that has not changed is my utter dislike for all things Barbie, which is what makes this post so difficult. The similarity between “Barbie” and “Rhubarb” is more than you might think. Yes, the names are similar, but Rhubarb is also abnormal long and thin. Rhubarb also has a vibrant pinkish red colour eliciting sexuality. And Rhubarb, like Barbie, also leaves a bitter taste in my mouth.

If you have ever bitten into a rhubarb stalk thinking it would taste like celery, you can probably still taste that bitter, sour taste in your mouth. Raw rhubarb tastes like biting into an orange or banana peel that is coated in rice vinegar. If you are still reading, I should tell you that cooked rhubarb can offer the sweetest, most glorious flavour to ever graze your taste buds.

This week brings two recipes perfect for summer. Act fast because this is the best time to buy rhubarb.

The Livestrong site gives the benefits of rhubarb best. For more info click on this link. Otherwise, venture forth to two wonderful rhubarb recipes!

RECIPE #1

Since the weather is warm and the BBQ is usually on anyway, why not throw some rhubarb on their for a healthy dessert?

GRILLED RHUBARB

1 or more large stalks of rhubarb

1. Wash the rhubarb to remove any dirt or silt that remains on the stalks. Dry with paper towels.

2. Cut the stalks into 2-inch, bite-sized pieces.

3. Place the rhubarb in a zip-top plastic bag with up to 1/3 cup of sugar. Let the vegetable and sugar soften for at least an hour. As the rhubarb and sugar mixture sits, preheat your grill to medium-high heat.

4. Remove the rhubarb, shake off any excess sugar and place it in a grill basket. Use a heat-proof frying pan or casserole dish if you do not have a grill basket. The purpose of the vessel is to prevent the small pieces from falling between the grill grates.

5. Place the rhubarb on the grill over direct heat. Allow the first side to cook for about five minutes. Flip over the grill basket, or if you are working with an enclosed cooking pan, turn the rhubarb over with a spatula. You may see some wilting of the stalks; this is normal.

6. Cook the second side of the rhubarb over the hot grill for another three to five minutes. Thicker stalks may require a longer cooking time. Poke a knife into a single stalk to determine if the rhubarb is grilled to your desired softness. Remove it from the heat.

Serve grilled, caramelized rhubarb with low-fat or fat-free whipped topping, a sprinkle of sugar, or other grilled fruits for a healthy dessert.

RECIPE #2
This is a take on tradition high calorie, bad fat bread recipes.
RHUBARB BANANA BREAD

2 mashed bananas

1/3 cup nonfat plain yogurt

5 tbsp of melted butter

1 cup of brown sugar

1 1/2 cups of flour (half all purpose, half whole wheat)

1/4 cup ground flaxseed

3/4 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp of salt

1/2 tsp of cinnamon

1 1/2 cups of chopped rhubarb

In one bowl, beat the bananas, yogurt, butter and eggs with an electric mixer. Add the sugar and beat again. In another bowl, stir together the flour, flaxseed, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Stir briefly until moistened and then fold in the rhubarb pieces. Pour the batter into the loaf pan that has been coated with cooking spray and bake for about an hour at 350 degrees. According to “Cooking Light” magazine, each slice of the bread has approximately 165 calories and 5 g of fat.

One easy way to adjust nearly any quick bread recipe is to substitute up to half the recommended amount of refined white flour with whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour to add more protein, fiber and complex carbohydrates. If you’re using a recipe that calls for butter or oil, you can also reduce fat and calories by using a lighter substitute. BettyCrocker.com suggests replacing up to half the butter or oil in quick bread with nonfat yogurt, fruit puree or applesauce.