Trying to eat more vegetables, but turned off by all the preparation? Neuroscientists quoted in the July, 2011 issue of Ladies Home Journal (page 34) say to look at food preparation as “meaningful work with your hands.” Tasks such as dicing onions or peeling carrots flood your brain with dopamine and serotonin which also act as natural antidepressants.
Gluten-Free Rhubarb Crisp
These experts go on to say that working with hands on physical tasks that produce something tangible such as preparing a meal (or braiding your daughter’s hair, for a non-food example) help you slow down, savor, and take pleasure in life, partly because of the mindfulness (oneness with your activity) and concentration required. So, instead of viewing food preparation as a chore, change your perspective and view it as tangibly productive work that keeps you and your family healthy.
I try to keep this in mind as I’m standing at the sink, tediously washing all the new produce I bring home each week from my Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) membership!
Rhubarb
This week’s CSA delivery contained wonderful lettuces, onions, parsley, and rhubarb, so let’s focus on rhubarb first.
We tend to think of these long ruby stalks as fruits, but they are technically vegetables. I enjoyed my own rhubarb plant for years, even transplanting it to my current house nearly 20 years ago and welcoming it each spring. Unfortunately, it was destroyed during our major house remodel two years ago. I know you can buy rhubarb in the produce section of the grocery store, but getting it straight from a farm is nice.
What can you do with rhubarb? It makes great pies, crisps, and sauces. This sauce recipe came with the rhubarb from Grant Family Farms. It’s simple and very versatile. Serve it on ice cream or yogurt or top it with granola for a very quick rhubarb crisp. You can also add a few strawberries for added color or put a drop or two of red food coloring to brighten the rhubarb up a bit.
Easy Rhubarb Sauce
(from Grant Family Farms, www.GrantFarms.com )
2 cups chopped fresh rhubarb
¼ cup water
¾ cup brown sugar, agave, or honey
Dash of salt
Put the rhubarb in a 1 ½-quart part with a cover. Add the water, sugar to taste, and salt. Cover tightly and cook until tender. Chill and serve.
Very Simple Rhubarb Crisp
You can make as much or as little of this easy dessert as you like.
1 batch Easy Rhubarb Sauce (see above), at room temperature
Your favorite gluten-free granola (find recipes in all of my cookbooks, including my brand new 125 Gluten-Free Vegetarian Recipes (on sale July 5, wherever books are sold).
Cooking spray
Whipped topping or vanilla ice cream
Fresh mint, for garnish
Put the rhubarb sauce in a greased oven-proof baking dish. Sprinkle with as much granola as you like and spray the granola with cooking spray. Heat in a 325°F oven until bubbly, watching carefully to make sure the granola doesn’t burn. Alternatively, you can heat this dessert in a microwave oven, but the granola topping won’t be as crisp. Serve warm, with a dollop of whipped topping or ice cream, garnished with a sprig of mint.
Lettuces
Salad dressing cruet
Once washed, I spin lettuce dry and wrap it loosely in paper towels to absorb excess moisture, then refrigerate in plastic bags. I use them in a dinner salad, tossed with a simple oil & vinegar dressing and noticed how FRESH the greens tasted. In keeping with my “fresh” approach, I always make my own salad dressing and rarely measure it, preferring to “eyeball” a plop of Dijon mixed with roughly equal parts red wine vinegar and olive oil, plus a little salt and pepper for a total of about 1/3 cup of dressing. You can add dried herbs or garlic, if you wish. Freshly-made salad dressing are such a treat.
Or, if you want to measure the ingredients for your salad dressing, find recipes in cookbooks. Or, if you can find a cruet like the one in the photo, the ingredient amounts for various types of dressings are written on the side of the cruet so you know exactly how much to use.
