GroovyGreen.com – Start Today :: Save Tomorrow

Well, not officially, but since the markets are open and things are growing it’s close enough. This is the first in a summer long series detailing eating in season. Each week throughout the season we’re going to highlight a food that is in season and provide a recipe to inspire you, our readers, to hit the markets, try some new foods with new recipes, and even better, try to cut those miles down on the foods you’re eating.

Since I live in Iowa I have to focus on what comes available in my area, but please feel free to adjust your diet based on what’s available in your local area.

The seasonal food this week is: Rhubarb

Rhubarb’s a great food to grow at your house because it takes relatively little care (this is the understatement of the year. After a nuclear holocaust rhubarb and politicians will be the only things left on earth. I’ve tried to kill my plant for 2 years before I finally decided to start eating it) and it produces abundantly. And for those same reasons you’ll be able to find it at your local markets too. I’ve already harvested about 12 cups of rhubarb this spring and you can’t even tell if you’re looking at my plant. (This isn’t a picture of my plant. It’s enjoying a little rain shower right now)

You can find the recipe I followed at this link, but it’s pretty straightforward. It’s a standard crisp/crumble recipe.

I was curious what the nutritional value of rhubarb is and I found this location. I like what I see there. Of course the other ingredients in a crisp bring it down a little, but it is what it is.
Other good things to pair with rhubarb are strawberries and raspberries (both abundant now or soon in your area). Rhubarb is also great for jelly. Strawberry-Rhubarb jelly is absolutely amazing. (If you of any ways to use it other than dessert and jelly please let me know. I’m not aware of any, although I have been known to eat a stalk just like a carrot…)

Happy cooking!

P.S Feel free to drop a recipe or comment in the comments section below. Or a suggestion for a food you would like to see.