Rhubarb, Strawberry and Ginger Crisp

You all know rhubarb is my favorite spring veggie, and ginger and rhubarb are the perfect match. So when I was brainstorming this year's spring recipes, another rhubarb and ginger creation had to make the cut. 

This recipe is super easy to throw together - you just roast the rhubarb, strawberries and ginger with a bit of sugar, flour and syrup and then top it with flour, sugar, nuts and butter! Making the recipe even better, it only takes about an hour to make. 

Rhubarb season lasts from May through October, so this is the perfect dessert to make all summer long!

Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!

Time: 1 hour

Serves: about 8 people

Ingredients

For the Filling

• 4 cups chopped rhubarb

• 1 cup chopped strawberries

• 1/4 cup sugar

• 1/2 cup maple syrup

• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

For the Topping

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup sugar

• 1 tablespoon molasses

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 4 tablespoons cold butter, cut into small cubes

Methods

1. In a medium bowl, combine, rhubarb, strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar. Let sit for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Preheat oven to 350 F. To the fruit and sugar mixture, add the syrup, flour and ginger and stir to combine. Transfer to a deep 10-inch pie pan, cast-iron skillet or 8-inch by 8-inch baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. While the fruit is baking, make the topping.

3. For the topping, whisk together the flour, sugar, molasses, pecans and salt. Then, use your fingers to rub the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture. Rub until only pea-sized pieces of butter remain. Refrigerate while the fruit continues to bake.

4. Working quickly, remove the fruit mixture from the oven and sprinkle the topping over it. Return the crisp to the oven and bake for an additional 30-40 minutes, or until the mixture is bubbling. Eat up!

Sustainability Tips

• Rhubarb and strawberries: Your best option here is to grow the rhubarb and strawberries yourself. Alternatively, you could buy local or organic fruit. If you buy local fruit, that means fewer greenhouse gases were released during transportation compared to non-local fruit. If you buy organic fruit, that means the farmers did not use synthetic chemicals to grow the crops.

• Flour: I like to buy King Arthur brand flour because King Arthur Flour is a B Corp, which means that they're held to a high environmental and social standard. Alternatively, you could seek out a farmer who grows and mills flour locally. Buying locally can help connect you to your local food system and cut back on the miles your food has to travel.

• Pecans: Try to get local pecans if you can find them. If you don't live in a pecan-growing area, feel free to substitute with your favorite local nut.

• Butter: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are held to really high environmental and social standards. You could also try using vegan butter or coconut oil, but keep in mind that I have not tested this recipe with these ingredients.