Healthy Rhubarb Oat Strawberry Crumble

The strawberries sweeten the mixture enough to keep the sugar down. Use almond flour for the crispest topping but, if it’s unavailable, ground almonds work too. These look beautiful when made in individual servings.

1 lb (455 g) rhubarb, cut into 1 inch (2.5 cm) pieces

1 cup (250 mL) chopped strawberries

3 tbsp (45 mL) packed brown sugar

2 tsp (10 mL) grated fresh ginger

1 star anise, coarsely chopped

2 tbsp (30 mL) whole wheat flour

TOPPING

1 cup (250 mL) rolled oats

(not quick-cooking)

¼ cup (60 mL) almond flour

2 tbsp (30 mL) room-temperature unsalted butter, cubed

2 tbsp (30 mL) packed brown sugar

⅛ tsp (0.5 mL) salt

1 Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).

2 Combine rhubarb with strawberries, brown sugar, ginger, star anise and flour, then spoon mixture into a 4-cup (1-L) baking dish (see TIP). Place on a baking sheet.

3 For topping, combine oats, almond flour, butter, sugar and salt in a bowl and rub together with your fingertips until mixture has the texture of coarse crumbs. Scatter over rhubarb mixture.

4 Bake until rhubarb is bubbling and topping is crunchy, 45 to 50 minutes, covering with foil after 30 to 40 minutes if browning too quickly.

Serves 4 TIP

For single-serving crumbles, divide rhubarb mixture among four 1-cup (250-mL) ramekins. Scatter a heaped ¼ cup (60 mL) topping over each and place on a baking sheet. Bake until rhubarb is bubbling, and topping is crunchy, about 35 minutes.