Recipe: Healthy Strawberry Rhubarb Pie

Photo by Asia Bradlee

When you’re browsing the farmers’ market, rhubarb likely isn’t at the top of your list. This healthy strawberry rhubarb pie recipe may just change that.

Rhubarb, classified as a vegetable but used largely as a fruit, is a sour plant reminiscent of celery, but it pairs beautifully with berries. For this recipe, search for the sweetest rhubarb possible, indicated by a deep red color.

A top crust for this pie is optional. Try playing around with different designs, or just keep it simple and cover the entire top, being sure to poke a few holes. For additional tartness, add some orange zest to the filling.

Ingredients
Serves 6-8

1 lb strawberries
3-4 stalks rhubarb
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 Tbsp lemon juice
2 tsp cinnamon
1 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup cold coconut oil
1 cup ice water
1 egg
Wax paper

Note: If making a top crust, double the flour, salt, and coconut oil.

Directions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a food processor, combine the flour, coconut oil, and salt. Pulse the mixture until crumbly, probably one or two five-second pulses.

Move the crust to a bowl. Slowly add the water, tablespoon by tablespoon, using your hands to mix. The dough should stick together and form a ball, so be wary of adding too much water.

Coat one piece of wax paper with a light dusting of flour, and place the ball of dough on top. Sprinkle the top of the dough with a light coating of flour, and place another piece of wax paper on top of the ball. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a thin circle. (If you’d like a top crust, you’ll need to make two, setting one aside until later.) Place in the pie plate, pinching the edges as desired. Place in the refrigerator.

Chop the strawberries and rhubarb until you have two cups of each. In a bowl, combine the strawberries, rhubarb, maple syrup, cinnamon, and lemon juice. Mix well and let sit for five minutes.

Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator and add the filling. Top with the second crust, if using. Whisk the egg, and use a brush to coat the top crust with the egg wash.

Bake for 20 to 30 minutes, or until the crust turns golden brown. Serve the pie with a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt or whipped cream.