Comunidad Health Foods

Are you in need of a last minute side dish for the 4^th? If so, I have the perfect recipe for you (really, even if you don’t need a recipe for tomorrow, I still think you’ll like this Thursday, Friday, or sometime next week). Asparagus is one of my favorite warmer weather vegetables, and what better way to celebrate summer than adding fresh tomatoes and a little bit of cheese to make it a truly memorable side dish?

I’ve tweaked the recipe a little – lightly sautéing the asparagus to get a little char on all sides (you could also grill them; I just haven’t yet conquered my oh-my-god-I’m-a-girl-I-can’t-possibly-use-the-grill phobia – maybe next year), using mozzarella instead of feta (though the latter would add a nice tang to the dish – really, use whatever cheese you love most and it will probably be fantastic), and taking great care in straining out some of the excess liquid to perfect the package. What you get is a side dish that is simple (not bland!) and delicious. The tomato-cheese topping would be equally good in other ways – I added some to my jalapeno chicken sausage sandwich and it was spot. On. I’ve also made the entire dish with an omelet, but grilled chicken or burgers would be great pairings, too.

 

 

The weather gets warmer. The sun shines brighter. And I start to think to myself, “It’s almost time for rhubarb.” I start to keep a lookout in the grocery, my eyes sharp with anticipation. I eagerly frequent farmer’s markets. And then one day, sitting in what must surely be a spotlight from heaven, there it is – those long, pink-red stalks. I think I hear a chorus of angels in the background as I select a sampling to bring home with me. I’ve got it! It feels like I’ve won the lottery. Finally, after months and months of rhubarb withdrawal, I have it, in my hands, the possibilities for using it endless.

I honestly don’t even think I love rhubarb. Sure, I like it, but it’s not my favorite. Yet, I can’t help but get giddy when it comes around, simply because it doesn’t happen all the time. As much as I love bananas and apples, they aren’t special. I know people who hoard rhubarb. No one hoards bananas.

I wish more fresh produce were like rhubarb. I wish we could only buy strawberries when they were in season, bright red in the center and juicy instead of stark white and mealy in texture. There are certain things I’m grateful to have – I don’t know what my day would be like without a banana in it, and I love exotic fruits like kiwi and pineapple. We’re very lucky. But I do try to only buy frozen berries unless they’re in season, frozen corn until the husks at the markets are truly at their best. But it’s challenging when we aren’t forced into that sort of seasonal shopping, as we are with rhubarb. It’s a challenge I’d like to take head on in the near future, because I love the exhilaration I get when I spot that first rhubarb stalk of the year. Yes, I said it – exhilaration. If only we could all be so lucky to get so thrilled over our produce bin, right?

This rhubarb spread is a fantastic recipe to make with the rhubarb that’s still peeking out from the corner of the local farmer’s markets. The only thing I changed was to substitute ½ teaspoon vanilla extract for the rosewater, as I didn’t have any and read online that it was an acceptable swap. It’s easy, makes a ton, and is versatile so you don’t have to feel tied down to any one rhubarb dish. Mix it into yogurt – lemon, plain, or strawberry would all be wonderful – spread it on a warm scone or muffin for an afternoon treat, turn it into a milkshake or ice cream sundae.  I stirred it into yogurt (Chocolate Chunk Chobani Champions – say that 3 times fast! – was one of my favorites), spread it on fresh baked challah bread, and dolloped it over a lemon chia pudding. The recipe I have below is for a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Parfait, my personal favorite way that I incorporated the spread. I was sad to see it go yesterday, and think that next year I, too, may need to learn how to properly hoard store rhubarb in my freezer to get even more uses out of it.