My friend Tanya has a very generous rhubarb plant in her backyard. Every year, she gives me a shout to help her put the fresh fruit to good use and every year, I’m happy to oblige. This time around, I immediately knew that I wanted to transform her rhubarb into a simple and delicious summer dessert. So off I went, bag in hand.

Berry and rhubarb crumble bars

She gave me a lot to work with. I trimmed and tossed the leaves, washed and chopped the stalks and got to baking. The result? These berry and rhubarb crumble bars. 

Each bite provides the perfect balance of tartness from the rhubarb and sweetness from the luscious berries and crumble. But that’s not even the best part. Having tested this recipe multiple times, I’ve needed to resort to the rhubarb tucked into my freezer only to realize that this recipe can be perfectly made from frozen fruit as well. This is wonderful news. Since berry and rhubarb season run so short in our neck of the woods, I always like to buy fresh seasonal fruit in bulk and freeze it. This allows me to enjoy it a little later throughout the year and in this case, makes it possible to throw together a delicious dessert for last minute guests, or in near future… baby visits!

The recipe calls for mixed berries along with the rhubarb, but you can let yourself be inspired by what the season has to offer. You can use a simple mix of strawberries and rhubarb if you would like as well. 

These are truly the perfect sweet bite to celebrate this special long weekend and our beautiful country’s 150th birthday. Whether you’re hanging out with friends around a bonfire or at a family picnic waiting on a firework display, whip-up a batch of these bars and I guarantee you won’t regret it.  Scroll down for the recipe and as usual, remember to give me a shout using #motivenutrition to showoff what you’ve made.

Bon appétit!

Vanessa Xo

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Berry & rhubarb crumble bars

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• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 50
• Total Time: 60
• Yield: 16 1x

Ingredients

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• 2 cups mixed berries of choice, fresh or frozen (choose from strawberries, blueberries, raspberries)
• 2 cups rhubarb, sliced into 1/2″ pieces
• 1/3 cup organic cane sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

Crumble

• 1 1/2 cups quick oats
• 1 cup whole spelt flour
• 2 tablespoons chia seeds
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup organic cane sugar
• 1/2 cup melted unsalted butter or melted coconut oil

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease and line an 8×8″ pan with parchment paper.
2. In a bowl, combine the berries, rhubarb, sugar, cornstarch and set aside.
3. In a large bowl, place the oats, flour, chia, cinnamon, baking powder, salt and sugar and stir to combine.
4. Add the melted butter and mix until the mixture comes together. It should stick between your fingers when pinched.
5. Divide the crumble mixture in half.
6. Pour half of the crumble into the bottom of the prepared pan. Press very firmly to form one even layer.
7. Pour the fruit mixture on top and spread evenly.
8. Top the fruit with the remaining crumble, patting it gently to form an even layer.
9. Place into the preheated oven and bake for 50-55 minutes, until golden brown.
10. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Serve warm with a dollop of yogurt.

Notes

• If using frozen berries, allow to thaw at room temperature 15 minutes.