Rhubarb Crisp Lite

Rhubarb Crisp Lite

Rhubarb Crisp Lite

This lighter method of making crisp gives you a delicious and enjoyable summer dessert. The filling is baked separately from the topping which is served on the side, allowing you to control how much you use.

FILLING:
5 cups diced fresh rhubarb or frozen rhubarb, thawed
¾ c raw sugar for tart fruits (or ½ c for sweeter fruits)
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon cinnamon

In a large bowl, mix together the raw sugar, cornstarch, and cinnamon. Add rhubarb (or other fruit) and mix well. Spoon into an 8-inch baking dish, cover and bake in a preheated oven at 400°F for 35-40 minutes or until bubbling. While filling is baking, make the topping as follows:

CRISP TOPPING:
1/3 cup butter, softened (no substitutions)
1/3 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup flour

Cream the butter and brown sugar. Blend in flour until evenly mixed. Spread on a lightly greased foil-lined baking sheet (about ¼-inch in depth) and bake separately at 400°F for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. (You can save time and slide this into the oven while the filling is baking, but watch carefully.) Remove from oven, cool and later, keep in a covered container. It will be a lot like cookie crumbles.
To serve, sprinkle topping over “naked” crisp and drizzle with milk (optional).

When using apple, strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, peaches or other sweeter fruit, reduce filling sugar to ½ cup.

Makes 9 servings of filling, 58 calories per serving. The crisp topping is right around 60 calories per tablespoon, so use it sparingly. 1% Milk is 6.5 calories per tablespoon. a quarter cup is a little over 25 calories, and it works well with rhubarb.

Rhubarb is a surprisingly high source of calcium, potassium and manganese.