Rhubarb, Beet & Apple Pudding and… a Cocktail!

Rhubarb, Beets & Apples…. Oh my! Who would have thought that these would be so yummy together? I think you’ll agree upon tasting these combined in either recipe below that they pair quite well together. My goal with this pudding recipe was to use the freshest and most natural ways to thicken, sweeten and create intense flavour.  As for the juice I just couldn’t resist playing with the sweet and the sour to make a healthy and tasty cocktail.

What I’ve noticed with regards to my choices for beverages is my desire for the most nutritious yet delicious choice possible.  Water is most always my beverage of choice with a wedge of lemon but on occasion I’ll enjoy a glass of wine or a special cocktail for a celebration.  However, if I have the means, say I am at home and would like a special drink, I would WAY rather make myself a cocktail like this rhubarb juice as it simply just tastes way better and it satisfies me soooo much more.  Some may think I’m crazy but there’s something so much more comforting knowing that I am nourishing my body whilst enjoying the delicious taste of something I love.  Like I said, I do enjoy a glass of wine now and then but I know that I will have to deal with the consequence of feeling dehydrated, or perhaps a slight head ache the next morning.  At the time it tastes nice but there isn’t the same feeling of satisfaction.  How about you? What’s your satisfaction level with beverages, alcoholic or non? Have you cut out soda, or do you still enjoy the odd can? I never was a big fan of soda so it is easy for me to avoid it altogether now but I know it can be difficult to kick the habit or decide to make choices that have no consequences.  But bit by bit, it’s certainly doable to kick the soda addiction and it’s sooo rewarding when you do.

With rhubarb season here it’s perfect timing to give these recipes a try.  However, for the pudding you could make this with frozen rhubarb, so if you have an abundance, just chop and freeze in ziplocs.  The cocktail is only good with fresh rhubarb and beets.  As for the alkalinity of these two recipes, they both contain natural sugars from the beets and the apple thus it will be on the acidic side for your daily intake however, the benefits of the nutrients make it a brilliant choice for a dessert or a cocktail when you compare these with inferior choices like a frozen pre-made pie or an alcoholic martini–and you do need to have a balance of 20-30% acidic foods in your diet, so make it a nutritious, acidic choice.
Rhubarb, Beet & Apple Pudding
Yield: approx 3 cups
3 cups rhubarb, chopped
2 apples, juiced
1 beet, juiced
1/3 cup chia seeds
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp agave syrup
3 drops liquid stevia
2 tbsp filtered water for consistency if needed
Method
Place chopped rhubarb & freshly juiced apple juice in small casserole and bake for 30 mins at 375 degrees til rhubarb is tender, stirring at least once.  Allow to cool for about 30 mins til just slightly warm.  Stir in fresh juiced beet juice and chia seeds, vanilla and let stand for 10mins, and no longer.  Scoop this mixture into high speed blender and blend well until chia seeds are completely smooth adding 1-2 tbsp filtered water for consistency if needed.  Adjust sweetness/tartness level with agave and stevia.  Spoon into dessert dishes, garnish with edible flower and serve or chill, covered with wrap.  This pudding keeps incredibly well for up to 3 days in the fridge but you may not be able to resist it for that long!

Here you have the frothy, freshly juiced apple juice poured over the shiny red rhubarb, ready for the oven.  Be sure to stir the mixture at least once while it’s baking to submerge all the pieces.  The house smells sooooo yummy while it’s in the oven.  To preserve the goodness of the chia and beet juice be sure to add it once this mixture is only slightly warm.  You’ll see the liquid absorbed very quickly by the chia forming a gelled mixture.  If it becomes too thick, additional water may be added to allow it to blend.  A food processor will not yield a smooth mixture.  However, if desired, you may enjoy this pudding gently combined in a blender or food processor leaving the chia texture in tact.  It’s your call.

The flavour of this creamy, smooth dessert is just like a baked rhubarb pie but minus the volumes of white sugar that are often incorporated to offset the tart rhubarb and minus the white flour and lard crust.  Matter of fact, this dessert is packed with goodness even though the rhubarb and the apple juice is cooked as the addition of the raw beet juice wakes it up with available vitamins and minerals and the chia seeds that thicken it so nicely are a super food.

The benefits of Chia are quite astounding–rich in omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, while providing fiber, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, manganese, copper, iron, molybdenum( read more here), niacin, and zinc.  The Aztec Indians used chia medicinally to stimulate saliva flow and to relieve joint pain.  It was a big part of the Aztec and Mayan diets and used as a survival ration for Aztec warriors–one tablespoon was enough to sustain a warrior for up to 24 hours.  Thus the reason it assists in weight loss cuz it keeps one full.  The seeds form a gel when soaked in water, increasing it’s size and weight that tricks your system into feeling full, without adding calories.   This gel coating of the seed is a soluble fiber that keeps the colon hydrated and ensures the easy movement of food, aiding in the prevention of diverticulitis.  If you didn’t know the chia was in this pudding, you’d have no idea that it was soooo darned healthy for you!

Rhubarb, Beet & Apple Cocktail
Yield: approx 16 oz
2 10″ pieces rhubarb
3 small beets
1 medium apple
Method
Juice rhubarb, beets and apple, pour into cocktail glass, garnish and enjoy!

To garnish these dishes I used the leaves and flowers of my pretty scented geraniums.  Both the flower and the leaves are edible.  Like most other edible flowers they provide a small dose of vitamin C or A, and contain other trace elements such as calcium, zinc and magnesium as do the the leaves, which also contain chlorophyll.  They certainly make my simple recipes look more inviting, don’t you think?

I hope you have an enjoyable Sunday. Happy Father’s day to You if you are a dad–be sure to put your feet up and take it easy today, even if you aren’t a dad, why not?

See you back here in a few days:)

Julie

ps. I’m a little out of sync with my posting days since the cruise but I hope to return to mid week posts this week.