APPLE RHUBARB CRUMBLE OVERNIGHT PROATS
/We love rhubarb season at my house! This nutritious and delicious overnight oats recipe was 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.
Ingredients for 3 servings:
3/4 cup gluten-free rolled oats
3 Tbsp chia seeds
3 scoops or packets collagen peptides (omit for vegan)
1 can coconut milk (or 1 cup coconut milk + 1/2 cup coconut water if prefer less creamy)
2 diced apples
2/3 cup diced fresh rhubarb stalks
1/4 cup almond butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 to 1/2 tsp ground cardamom (adjust to taste)
pinch of nutmeg
3 pitted Medjool dates, raw honey (nonvegan), pure stevia or maple syrup to sweeten as desired
optional toppings: granola, nuts, seeds, toasted coconut chips and/or rhubarb sauce (fresh rhubarb cooked down with your choice of sweetener)
Directions:
Place oats, chia and collagen in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
Put coconut milk/water, apples, rhubarb, almond butter, vanilla, cinnamon, cardamom, and nutmeg in blender container and blend well. Add sweetener as desired.
Pour apple rhubarb "smoothie" over the oat and seed mixture and stir well to combine
Cover and refrigerate overnight (or for a minimum of 6 hours and maximum 3 days).
In the morning, stir and serve with your toppings as desired.