Healthy cooking with rhubarb

You know that reddish celery-like stalk you have been seeing at the market? It's rhubarb, a vegetable that is destined for jams or pies if you are brave enough to purchase it. Often considered a fruit, rhubarb is quite versatile and really good for you! In season for a few weeks during the spring and early summer, rhubarb has a robust, tart flavor, which is why it has historically been paired with sweet foods. Like most vegetables it is very nutrient dense. The edible stalks (avoid the leaves; they are poisonous) are rich in fiber, vitamin K, Vitamin A and calcium. One cup of cooked rhubarb actually has as much calcium as a glass of low-fat milk! While these facts make for a compelling argument to include rhubarb in your diet, be wary of the preparation. Heaps of sweeteners can easily negate some of the health benefits.  Luckily, you can cut down on the sugar content without compromising the flavor of the dish.

Try pickling rhubarb (see low-sugar recipe below) or steeping it to make a tea or the base of a sparkling rhubarb drink.  For steeping purposes:
In a saucepan, combine 1 pound of chopped rhubarb with 3 cups of water, a 2 inch piece of ginger and 1-2 tablespoons of honey. Bring the mixture to a boil and then simmer it for 10 minutes. Strain the rhubarb and ginger and cool the liquid. Mix the liquid with sparkling water and other flavors like fresh mint and orange, lemon or limejuice and or peel.

Want to make a jam without all the sugar? Try this Raspberry and Rhubarb Compote recipe that was then used to make these gluten-free  Raspberry and Rhubarb Oat Squares.

You will likely have some leftover compote. Dollop it onto your oatmeal or quinoa breakfast cereal or spoon it onto yogurt. You could even serve it with fresh ricotta and serve it a top of a whole grain crositini for a festive spring appetizer.

Ginger and Citrus Pickled Rhubarb

1 1/2 cups apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 cups water
¼ cup honey
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 star anise pod
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
½ orange
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and sliced
1 pound rhubarb, cut into 3/4-inch pieces

In a medium saucepan, combine vinegar, water, honey, salt, orange, ginger, star anise and black peppercorns. Bring to a boil then reduce to a low simmer for about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool, about 10 minutes.

Add the cut rhubarb to one or two mason jars. Strain the brining liquid into the jars, enough to cover the rhubarb. Press paper towels against surface to submerge rhubarb and let stand until cooled. Transfer rhubarb and brine to a large sealed container and refrigerate for up to 3 weeks.

Katie Cavuto MS, RD, is a Philadelphia-based registered dietitian and wellness advocate. Katie appears in regular nutrition and cooking segments on local and national TV.  Her writing and recipes have been showcased nationally in O, the Oprah Magazine, Family Circle and more. Katie is the dietitian for the Philadelphia Flyers and Phillies and was awarded Philadelphia Magazine's "Best of Philly" in 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014. Her first cookbook is being published by the American Diabetes Association in late summer of 2016. For recipes and wellness tips visit her blog nourishbreathethrive.com.

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