Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

If you've read this blog before, then you probably know that if there's a fruit in season (or a vegetable for that matter) I will attempt to make a muffin out of it.  As you can imagine, some foods lend themselves to a tastier end result than others and as luck would have it, rhubarb is one of those foods.  Rhubarb is a springtime vegetable that many people grow in their gardens, but if you don't, it's abundant at many farmer's markets this time of year.  It looks like hot pink celery which makes it intriguing and after baking with it, you'll be hooked.

I do have a few notes on rhubarb, however.  First of all, do not eat the leaves as they are toxic due to their high oxalic acid content.  Many bundles of rhubarb that I see at the market have the majority of their leaves cut off, but in case they don't, just chop them off and throw them away before you cook with it.  Secondly, rhubarb wilts very quickly so a little storage tip I picked up from a local farmer: place the stalks in a glass of water in your fridge and they will stay fresh for several days.

Rhubarb can be prepared in a variety of ways, but most people will choose to cook it rather than eating it raw and add at least some sugar to it as it's extremely tart on it's own.  I really enjoy it in this muffin recipe because it adds a nice tart flavor to counter the sweetness of the fresh strawberries.  I used all whole wheat flour in this recipe as well as plain greek yogurt in order to cut down on the oil, so not only are they lighter, but they are moist as well.  Here is what I did:

Strawberry Rhubarb Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1 cup plain yogurt
1 cup diced strawberries
1 cup diced rhubarb
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F and grease or line muffin tins.  Sift together dry ingredients making sure any lumps from the brown sugar are broken apart.  In a separate bowl mix together the egg, yogurt, vegetable oil and milk.  Pour mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until just combined.  Fold in strawberries and rhubarb.  Spoon batter into muffin tins and bake for 20-25 minutes.

Yield: 18 muffins

Enjoy!

If They Plant It...

When most people think of toddlers or preschool children and vegetables together, chances are they are not envisioning a very joyful relationship.  Instead many of us, either because of horror stories from our parents or experiences with our own children, imagine a very different scenario.  One that involves peas splattered on the wall or sweet potatoes secretly fed to the dog, maybe even a few green beans hidden in a secret spot under the table that only your child can find.  Well, there's good news for anyone out there who has struggled or is currently struggling with a picky eater when it comes to fruits and vegetables.  Research shows that children who participate in gardening activities, whether at home, at school, or in a community garden, have an increased willingness to try fruits and vegetables compared to those without gardening experience.  Even very young children can benefit from gardening experiences as it increases their exposure to fruits and vegetables and the more exposure a child has to a food, the more likely they are to eat it.  Increasing exposure to these foods and a willingness to try them is extremely important for young children as they are forming the taste preferences that they will carry with them into adulthood.

Beyond the nutritional implications of gardening with young children, there are a vast amount of other benefits.  Children learn where food comes from, that much of it starts as a seed and goes through a growing process before it is edible rather than the popular belief among kids that it just magically appears at the grocery store.  They learn how to care for living things and their environment, which research has shown increases their chances of becoming environmentally conscious adults.  Children also engage in physical activity while gardening and are able to have a variety of sensory learning experiences.

Overall, gardening can be an amazing experience for a young person and one that will have lasting positive implications long into adulthood.  Here are a few ways to incorporate gardening activities with children:

Plant a garden, big or small, in your yard, on your patio, or on your balcony.

You don't need a lot of space to have a great gardening experience.  While traditional garden plots are great, smaller raised beds or even pots and window boxes can be used to grow a variety of fruit, vegetable or herb plants.

Join a community garden.

Community gardens are a wonderful thing because they give people a chance to have a great gardening experience while sharing the responsibility of planting, weeding, and watering among many people.  They're also a great chance to interact with other people in your community and learn more about gardening from neighbors who may have more experience.

Encourage your child's school or child care provider to start an instructional garden.

Gardens can be incorporated into a variety of curriculum for all ages.  Check with your child's teacher or daycare provider to see if they might be interested in starting a garden and talk with other parents about volunteering to help with the garden.

Any way you can, getting children involved in gardening will not only encourage healthier eating habits, but will provide them with a wealth of benefits now and in the future.

Out of Hibernation

So I just looked at my calendar and I could have sworn that it said Memorial Day was this weekend.  That's just crazy... oh wait, that's true?  Hmm, it seems that the longest winter in history has clouded my concept of time and my ability to blog!  I apologize for the long hiatus, I have in fact been continuing my locovore ways throughout the winter and early spring and will update you all on the info I've been storing up during my time in hibernation.

For now though, let's get back to the topic at hand, freaking out about getting my garden started.  Actually, I'm just being dramatic.  If you're like me and haven't started your garden yet, no need to give up on it.  In fact, if you live in the Northeast like I do, this week is probably the perfect time to get it going since we're more than likely past the danger of any frost that may damage young plants.  Also, many farmer's markets have an abundance of fruit, vegetable and herb plants ready to go into your garden so there's no need to worry if you didn't plant seeds early indoors.  That's actually my plan this year.  Again, I'm not entirely sure what black hole the last few months fell into, but I certainly didn't stay on task and prepare for spring as I usually do.  However, since our garden worked out pretty well last year, I have a pretty good idea of what I'd like to do with it this year, keeping many of the plantings the same, but possible omitting a few that we don't really need.

Here is what I'm thinking:

There is nothing that I love more than fresh greens in the summer so the romaine lettuce, arugula, and spinach will definitely return.  I think I'd like to give rainbow chard and kale a try as well given that we eat so much of it and basil is always a staple as well.  The sage we planted last year is a perennial, so it has come back looking very healthy and this year I plan to plant mint since both herbs in addition to the basil pull double duty as delicious flavorings and animal deterrents.  They are planted all around our greens for that reason.  Other items to return will be yellow squash and zucchini, cherry tomatoes, Roma tomatoes, bell peppers and green beans.

If you're planning on getting a garden started or haven't planned it, but think you might like to it's not too late!  This is the perfect time to get it going and be sure to stop at your local farmer's market to check out what they've got.  You'll be sure to get a lot for your money and can even talk to the farmers to get some planting and care tips.  Happy planting!