Rhubarb's last hurrah... for this year anyway

Rhubarb season is drawing to a close, sadly.

This year, a lot of the rhubarb I was able to scrounge up ended up in muffins. The rest topped a ricotta tart and and strawberry-rhubarb tart with a pine nut crust.

When it comes to the muffins, there are two types. The kind that are “breakfast muffins” and the kind that are “cakey muffins.”

Cakey muffins are just like cupcakes, minus the frosting and sometimes have the redeeming quality of having fruit in them (if we’re lucky—triple chocolate muffin anyone?).  Breakfast muffins have a little more nutritional value. These muffins will have whole grains, and maybe a little less fat. I find the first type to be a little misleading since most of us tend to think of muffins as breakfast, and not dessert.

While the first batch of muffins I made was strictly white flour, just to test out a recipe, I conceded that I’m really not the type for cakey muffins.

This recipe has two whole cups of rhubarb, which leaves less room for other non-nutritious things. Did you know that rhubarb is rich in vitamin K? Vitamin K helps keep your blood healthy and assists with bone density. So this is a good way to get it, unless you’re like my sister and you just like to eat the rhubarb raw. Personally if I eat that way, I prefer it with a bowl of sugar for dipping.

This recipe makes exactly 12 regular sized muffins. It’s uncanny how it’s just the perfect amount.

Rhubarb Buttermilk Oat Muffins

1 cup rolled oats

1 ¼ cup all purpose flour

¼ cup  ground flax seeds

½ tsp salt

½ tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp ground ginger

1 ½ cup brown sugar

1 egg

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup canola oil (or other mild tasting vegetable oil)

2 cups chopped rhubarb

Preheat oven at 350F

Combine rolled oats, flour, flax seeds, salt, baking soda and baking powder and ginger. Set aside. Whisk together egg, and oil, add in buttermilk and combine well. Pour into dry ingredients and incorporate into a smooth paste (don’t overmix). Stir in rhubarb.

Scoop into muffin tin and bake at 350F for 20 to 25 minutes.

 On a side note, I recently gave birth to our son. Born June 13, he is a healthy happy baby boy, who is demanding much of my time. However, I hope to be blogging more regularly soon. Stay tuned for more on this, and maybe a baby picture or two!