The perfect balance of sweet and tart, this recipe includes a few modifications to make a “healthier” dessert without sacrificing flavor. Basically, I reduce the amount of sugar, butter, and flour in the crumble, increase the amount of oats, and use brown sugar to benefit from its mineral content. For the thickener, you can use flour instead of cornstarch, but I prefer to avoid gluten when possible—and the texture is still very pleasant. Quantities in parentheses are non-European measurements for those living elsewhere. For an even healthier option, serve it with Greek yogurt instead of whipped cream.
Rhubarb is sour which In TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) is the associated flavor with the liver and gallbladder. It particularly helps to clear heat and detoxify the liver and is high in vitamin K. The root is traditionally used in TCM to treat constipation, cool and invigorate blood circulation.
Strawberries are cooling and slightly sour, which can nourish the liver and protect it.
Ingredients:
- 500 g (1 quart) strawberries – hulled and halved
- 500 g (1 quart) rhubarb (about 3 stalks) – cut into 1 cm (½ inch) pieces
- 30 g (4 tablespoons) cornstarch
- 70 g (1/3 cup) sugar (I prefer brown sugar)
For the crumble:
- 70 g (1/3 cup) brown sugar
- 45 g (1/3 cup) flour (whole wheat if possible for added fiber)
- 57 g (4 tablespoons) butter
- 90 g (1 cup) rolled oats
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons flax seeds (or 100 g chopped pecans or walnuts)
Preparation:
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F).
- Lightly butter the inside of a baking dish.
- For the crumble, take the butter out of the refrigerator ahead of time so it softens.
- In a bowl, mix the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, and cornstarch well, then pour into the baking dish.
- In another bowl, combine the flour, softened butter, sugar, cinnamon, oats, and flax seeds (or nuts) until you get a crumbly texture. Gently press this mixture over the fruit.
- Bake for 45 minutes.
- Let cool for 20 minutes before serving.
Bon appetit!
