Yesterday was an awesome day. It was Hemsley’s baby shower and we had family and friends gather together from far and wide to celebrate our precious girl. It was such a beautiful day… the sun shining, great company, and so much smiling my cheeks were literally sore by the time we got home, a perfect addition to Father’s Day weekend as we are also celebrating my hubby’s First Father’s Day today! I was hoping to post Hemsley’s birth story on the blog today but I didn’t get the chance to finish writing it, so instead it will be coming next week. In the meantime, I’ve got this delicious breakfast recipe for you to try this week!
Rhubarb is definitely a tasty seasonal treat. It’s not something we typically find ourselves eating all year round but just in the Summer months. Every time I get the chance to enjoy it, I am reminded of just how delicious rhubarb really is…addictively tart and sweet and goes so well with fruits like raspberries or strawberries.
I had ordered some local, organic rhubarb through SPUD (my online grocery go-to) a while back and when I didn’t have a plan for it, I just popped it in the freezer and forgot about it. Later, as I was planning for the blog, brainstorming Summer recipe ideas, I remembered that little bag of rhubarb and knew I could put it to good use. It’s not unusual to see the strawberry-rhubarb combination in a pie, crumble, or some kind of dessert, and while I was originally thinking of taking that route, I decided to change it up and bring this tasty and healthy flavour combination into breakfast.
Oatmeal makes such a fantastic blank slate to work with so I knew that I could really jazz up boring oats (did I just say “jazz up”?? I’m officially a Mom…) with sweet juicy strawberries and tart rhubarb topped with a cinnamon-loaded crunchy and nutty crumble.
Dessert turned breakfast? Yes please!
A couple years ago I made a delicious roasted berry-rhubarb compote that I used for a topping to 3-ingredient sweet potato pancakes (you can find the recipe here) and I knew that same roasted rhubarb compote would be the way to go with this oatmeal dish. Instead of using a mixture of berries though, I decided to simplify it and go with fresh strawberries.
Both strawberries and rhubarb are a great source of vitamin C and fibre and are low glycemic making them a great combination to include in breakfast. Roasting the two together brings out their natural flavour even more and with a drizzle of honey the compote is perfectly sweet, tart, and rich.
For the “crumble” I used a tasty combination of oats, dates, pecans, almond butter, honey, cinnamon, and salt, bringing in some healthy fats and more natural sweetness.
While I wouldn’t say this oatmeal dish is rich in protein, it does contain some, and you can easily enjoy it with a couple of eggs or even add some natural protein powder to the oats. Lately I’ve been stirring collagen protein into my oats as the collagen powder dissolves completely and doesn’t change the taste or texture of the oatmeal at all, it just brings in a good 10g of protein!
For a change to the regular oatmeal breakfast, some sweet Summer flavours, and all the nourishing goodness of strawberries and rhubarb, this dish is a must-make. Plus, you’ll have leftover strawberry-rhubarb compote which you can add to chia pudding, spread over toast, top pancakes with, or like I did… eat with a spoon.
Are you a fan of rhubarb? What’s your favourite way to enjoy it in a recipe? I’d love to read about it in the comments below!
- Roasted Strawberry Rhubarb Compote:
- 2 stalks of rhubarb, chopped
- 1 cup halved fresh strawberries
- ½ tablespoon raw honey
- Cinnamon Crumble:
- 2 dates
- 1 tablespoon pecan halves
- ½ tsp almond butter
- ¼ tsp honey
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- pinch of salt
- Oatmeal Base:
- ½ cup gluten free oats
- 1 cup water
- 1 teaspoon honey
- Begin by creating the strawberry-rhubarb compote.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Spread the rhubarb and strawberries over the pan and drizzle with the honey.
- Roast for 20-25 minutes, keeping a close eye on them so they do not burn.
- When the rhubarb and strawberries are finished roasting, remove the pan from the oven, add to a bowl, and and mash together to make a thick, jam-like consistency. Set aside.
- Next cook the oatmeal on the stovetop following package directions.
- While the oats are cooking, add the crumble ingredients to a small food processor and blend/process until crumbly and well combined.
- Once the oats are cooked to your preferred liking, stir in the teaspoon of honey, then add to a serving bowl.
- Top the oats with 2-3 tablespoons of the strawberry-rhubarb compote, and then sprinkle over the crumble mixture.
- Optional: As mentioned in the post, to bring in some protein, I like to add in 1 small scoop of collagen protein powder to the oats once they are done cooking. I also love to pour unsweetened vanilla almond milk over my oatmeal at the very end to add some extra moisture and creaminess, so you can do this if you wish, or skip it!
Happy Sunday all, and a Happy Father’s Day to all the papas out there, you are so special and very loved!
