"She licked a stalk of rhubarb to make it sticky, plunged it into the bag of sugar, and took a big bite." (Bich Minh Nguyen, Stealing Buddha's Dinner)

Rhubarb is one of the few fruits and vegetables which tastes just as good eaten out of season, so when I saw the long, red stalks on the shelf of my local shop I just had to pick them up. Rather than being associated mystery and disappearance, the Yorkshire 'Rhubarb Triangle' has been famous for forcing rhubarb in the colder months for hundred of years. This shed grown variety is extremely similar to the seasonal bunches; it's slightly less sour (I wouldn't go as far as to say sweeter), and more tender than the seasonal variety, but it's just as nutritional and delicious!

As soon as I saw the rhubarb, I knew what I would be making: rhubarb crumble. I love the the combination of the tart fruit with the sweet crust, and it always reminds me of Sunday roasts and winter evenings spent by the fire when I was little. This time though I wanted to make this pudding a little healthier, and after playing around in the kitchen I think I have managed it! This recipe is completely vegan, it has no refined sugar and it is completely free of flour, but the topping is as sweet and tasty as ever. In fact, thanks to the quinoa and almonds, the topping has an extra crunch, with nutty and creamy flavours, as well as being packed full of protein and iron!

Ingredients

500g Rhubarb

1 tbsp coconut oil, softened

2 tbsp coconut sugar

4 tbsp quinoa flakes

3 tbsp rolled oats

3 tbsp ground almonds

2 tsp honey

Method

1. Roughly cut the rhubarb into 4cm chunks, and place into a pan.

2. Pour water over the rhubarb, barely covering it and cook on a low heat for 3-5 minutes or until softening. Drain the water and put into the crumble dish.

3. Put all of the dry ingredients into a bowl, then add the honey and the coconut oil. Use your fingers to rub the ingredients together, until the mixture resembled broken up flapjack.

4. Lay the crumble mixture evenly over a tray, and put under the grill on a low heat for 5 minutes or until browned.

5. Shake up the crumble and then sprinkle over the rhubarb.

6. Put the dish in the oven at gas mark 4 (180 degrees Celsius) and bake for 15 minutes.

Et voila- a healthy and delicious version of a traditional pudding. Serve with almonds sprinkled on top if you want an extra crunch- the nutty flavour goes so well with the fruity rhubarb filling!