Rhubarb immediately reminds me of my childhood. As soon as it came into season my mam would make it for us in the form of a pie or simply stewed with ice-cream. I popped into @kates to pick up a beautiful bunch of fresh rhubarb as I wanted to create some healthy rhubarb & raspberry treats.

Rhubarb is a rich source of antioxidants and fibre. It is also high in Vitamin K which is important for blood clotting and bone and heart health. These bars contain two wholegrains (buckwheat and oats), two fruits (banana, raspberries) and one vegetable (rhubarb). It also includes healthy fats in the form of chia seeds, almond flour and a little coconut oil. So these really are healthy little treats. 

Ingredients:

Crust & Crumble Topping

• 150g quick cooking oats & 40g rolled oats

• 50g almond flour

• 50g buckwheat flour

• 30g maple syrup

• 1 large ripe mashed banana

• 25g coconut oil

• 1 flax egg (1tbsp ground flax + 3tbsp water)

• 1 tsp baking powder

Rhubarb & Raspberry Chia Filling

• 6/7 stalks of rhubarb chopped into 1/2 inch pieces (Discard the leaves)

• 150g raspberries (frozen or fresh)

• 3 tbsp chia seeds

• 4 tbsp maple syrup

• 4 tbsp water

• 1 tbsp cornflour

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• 1 thumb fresh minced ginger

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 180C (160 fan oven) and line a baking dish with parchment paper.

2. Crumble Layer: Add all ingredients for the crust and crumble except for the flax egg & baking powder to a large bowl and mix. Remove 1/3 of the mixture and set aside for the crumble topping. Add the flax egg to the remaining 2/3 to form the base of the crumble.

3. Spread the base mixture across the baking dish and press down into an even layer with your fingers or a glass. Bake for 15 minutes until the crust is turning golden brown and is fragrant.

4. Rhubarb Layer: Add all ingredients for the rhubarb filling to a pot over a medium heat and cook for 15 minutes or until the rhubarb softens. Make sure you stir frequently to avoid sticking.

5. Add rhubarb-raspberry mixture to the baked crust spreading into an even layer.

6. Take the mixture that was set aside for the topping and use your fingers to crumble evenly over the fruit mixture.

7. Bake for another 10-15 minutes or until the fruit mixture is bubbling and the crumble is starting to brown.

8. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Once cooled, remove from the baking dish and then slice into 12 squares.

9. You can eat these on their own but I really enjoy them with some plain soy yogurt and a little peanut butter.

10. Store leftovers in a well-sealed container in the fridge for 3-4 days.