It’s that time again!

Don’t you just love cooking fruits and vegetables while they are in season? Spring and summer make this practice a significant joy and challenge to keep up with. Fresh produce picked at the peak of its readiness not only provides the nutrition we’re all looking for but the flavor can’t be beaten! Well, it’s that time again to hurry on out to the garden! It’s rhubarb season, and I’ve got two delicious breakfast recipes to help use it up.

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Followers on my social media have heard, Stache and I are guest-hosting this year at The Metamora Inn, in Metamora, Indiana, about once (or twice, or …) a month to help our friends and have a bit of creative fun. This month, I had the privilege of using rhubarb from Staches’ garden, and it turned out so good that I decided to share the recipes as fast as possible so you and yours can enjoy them too!

First, on the list, I have the reasonably simple Very Berry Rhubarb Baked Parfait. Inspired by traditionally decadent fresh fruit and granola parfaits, as well as the old-fashioned fruit crisps we all grew up on, this recipe has a few combined twists thrown in for good measure.

Layers of baked sweet-tart berries and rhubarb with lightly spiced, crunchy toasted oats are topped with a rich whole-fat Greek yogurt and drizzled with a kiss of real maple syrup. I knew, in theory, this was going to be a masterpiece. And indeed it is -it’s truly divine!

Breakfast or Dessert?

Admittedly sweet enough for dessert (yet not overly so); still, this beauty is literally packed with fresh berry goodness and plenty of quality rolled oats to claim some level of superior nutrition. But while the sugar content may indeed be a serious diet distraction, this dish is so perfect, nobody will care. Save it for a special occasion, like a sunshiny, ‘Happy Saturday’ morning surprise to kick off the weekend –and why not polish things up –go ahead and enjoy it again for dessert before the workweek begins.

I should warn you, this recipe is family-sized. It can easily be cut in half, but I don’t recommend it. Instead, invite a few friends to experience your culinary genius, and then look forward to a few leftovers. Stache and I are pleased to confirm that the crunchy granola layer stayed crunchy overnight in the frig. We gently rewarmed single portioned servings of the baked fruit and granola in the morning, topped with yogurt and maple syrup, and it was amazingly fantastic as the night before.

Enough said about all that –but of course, I promised you TWO rhubarb recipes. Don’t worry, I didn’t forget!

Rhubarb Buttermilk Scones are coming up next, and they are just as out-of-this-worldly good! However, Stache JUST informed me, of all things, that I had to give the rhubarb plants a chance to rest and catch up. After serving the Inn and baking more here at home for pictures, breakfast, and all, it seems I’ll have to give it a break for a week. Be watching for the recipe in my next post –I promise it’ll be ASAP –and I’ll link it here as soon as it is ready. [Edit: The Rhubarb Buttermilk Scones link is now attached as promised!]

Check out more Breakfast treats from Grammie’s Cottage Kitchen.

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Very Berry Rhubarb Baked Parfait

Layers of baked sweet-tart berries and rhubarb with lightly spiced crunchy toasted oats are topped with a rich whole-fat Greek yogurt and drizzled with a kiss of real maple syrup. I knew, in theory, this was going to be a masterpiece. And indeed it is -it’s truly divine.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Servings 16 servings

Ingredients

Fruit Base

• 10 cups Mixed Berries rinsed and trimmed. [I used Blueberries, Blackberries, Raspberries, and trimmed and quartered Strawberries.]
• 2 cups Rhubarb rinsed, trimmed and cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 medium-sized Lemon rinsed, zested, and juiced
• 3/4 cup Granulated Cane Sugar
• 1/3 cup Cornstarch

Oat Topping

• 2 1/2 cups Rolled Oats Good quality, whole rolled oats --NOT quick oats
• 1 cup All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Unsweetened Coconut Flakes [optional -but it adds to the 'granola' like taste and texture]
• 1 cup Brown Sugar
• 1 teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon Ground Ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon Fresh Ground Nutmeg
• 1 1/4 cup Unsalted Butter melted
• 2 teaspoons Real Vanilla Extract

Yogurt Finish

• 16 ounce Unsweetened Greek Yogurt
• 1/3 cup Real Maple Syrup

Instructions

1. OK, so begin by preparing and measuring your berries and rhubarb. Add them together in a large bowl. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees
   
2. Rinse and zest your lemon --then halve and juice it, removing any seeds. Add the zest and juice to the fruit mixture.
   
3. Now add the sugar and cornstarch.
   
4. Gently fold the berry mixture together. Evenly layer the fruit mixture and any juices collected to a 9x13 baking pan (or 9x9 if you decided to halve the recipe).
   
5. Now grab yourself some beautiful oats. Measure and add to a medium-sized bowl.
   
6. Add the all-purpose flour, unsweetened coconut flakes (if using), brown sugar, salt cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Whisk together gently to avoid the same floury mess I made.
   
7. Add the melted butter. With a large fork, mix well until all the oats, flour, and spices are coated with the butter.
   
8. With clean hands, evenly crumble the oat mixture over the top of the fruit. Go all the way to the edges as pictured.
   
9. Set the baking dish on a larger baking sheet to avoid fruit juices spilling over into the oven.
   
10. Bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Check the oat layer, being careful not to burn. Lay foil unsealed over the top of the oats if already perfectly browned. Finish baking another 5-10 minutes until fruit is bubbling up and over the edges of the pan and over some of the oat topping --as pictured.
    
11. Remove the baked crisp from the oven and allow to cool about a half-hour. The fruit juices will thicken as they cool.
    
12. Carefully serve portions in a footed parfait dish or simple dessert cup, attempting to keep layers as intact as possible. Finish the serving with a heaping tablespoon of unsweetened Greek yogurt and approximately one teaspoon of real maple syrup. Enjoy!
    

Recipe Notes

If on the off chance you have leftovers, Stache and I are delighted to confirm, the crunchy oat layer stays crunchy for at least two days. Allow crisp to cool completely to room temperature, cover tightly, and store in the frig.

This recipe will work well with many combinations of fresh fruit. Consider trying equal recipe parts Apple Blackberry, Peach Blueberry, Pear Raspberry, or whatever juicy fruit combination your heart desires.