APPLE RHUBARB CRISP SMOOTHIE

We love rhubarb season at my house!  This is a nutritious and delicious smoothie inspired by one of my husband's favourite desserts.

Local rhubarb starts appearing in farmers’ markets here in Ontario in mid to late spring.  It is harvested for its tart, crispy stalks which are often cooked down with lots of sugar for sauces, pies, crumble and other baked goods.  However, fresh raw rhubarb is extremely low in calories, being composed of 95% water.  It is a good source of vitamins including K & C as well as dietary fiber.  In fact, 100g of raw rhubarb contains only 21 calories but 5 g of fibre.  It also contains additional phytocompounds including anthraquinones which can help with constipation and are believed to have anti-cancer properties.  Of note, rhubarb leaves contain high levels of oxalate and are toxic to ingest.

For this recipe, I froze full-fat coconut milk in an ice cube tray.  Coconut milk (and/or coconut water) cubes are great to have in the freezer for making quick and healthy treats.

For 2 servings, blend together until smooth:

• 6 frozen coconut milk cubes (standard ice cube size)

• 2 diced apples

• 2/3 cup diced fresh rhubarb stalks

• 2 to 4 Tbsp almond butter

• 2 Tbsp Further Food collagen peptides (optional)

• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground cardamom, adjusted to taste (optional)

• pinch of nutmeg (optional)

• 1/2 to 1 cup unsweetened coconut water (or coconut milk for creamier consistency), adjusted to desired consistency

• Lakanto sugar-free monk fruit sweetener, raw honey (non-vegan), pure stevia, or maple syrup, adjusted to taste (optional)

• optional toppings: homemade granola (used here), nuts, seeds, toasted coconut chips

Sprinkle with homemade granola or crunchy topping of choice and serve.

Addendum:  Another option is to turn this smoothie into overnight oats.  Check out the recipe here!