Yes, it’s true a month ago I did a race with my sister and now I am finally sharing a recap. Better late then never right?
But first, lets share a great recipe, one that is a favorite in our household. I have made this since I was in junior high. It’s a family favorite and a summer tradition. We can’t let summer slip by without making rhubarb crisp at least a few times. Over the years, I have perfected the recipe and finally made it completely gluten free and vegan, without losing the same great taste.
When you have family members who can’t do dairy or gluten, it’s hard not to want them to have something to eat too. So everyone can share in this dish and no one even knows I have changed it up. What’s great about rhubarb crisp is you can add raspberries or strawberries as well to the crisp, especially since they are typically in season together.
Summer Rhubarb Crisp
Rhubarb was always a great addition to our summer picnics and our time at the lake cabin. I loved picking fresh rhubarb from my grandma’s garden making crisps, muffins, and even cookies. It’s great topped with ice cream or homemade whipped cream, or even yogurt. I love it warm right out of the oven, but my sister loves it cold. Either way the pan gets finished.
Simple ingredients of sugar, oats, coconut oil, water, cinnamon, vanilla extract, brown sugar…….and simply put together for one of those dishes that the whole family can enjoy.
- 4 cups rhubarb, chopped
- 3½ cups water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cup organic sugar
- 3 cups rolled oats
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- 1 cup brown sugar
- ½ cup melted/softened coconut oil or vegan margarine
- additional cinnamon for sprinkling
- *can add in strawberries or raspberries to, just lessen the water by ½ cup
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 X 13 inch pan.
- Stir together oatmeal, brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium mixing bowl.
- With a fork, add the partially melted, softened coconut oil or butter to the mix and create a mixture that is crumbly (like a pie crust crumbly)/
- Lay ½ of the mixture in the prepared 9 X 13 inch pan to form a crust.
- Add the rhubarb on top of the "crust" and sprinkle the sugar on top of the rhubarb along with some additional cinnamon.
- Add vanilla extract to the water and pour over the rhubarb.
- Sprinkle the remaining oatmeal mix on top of the rhubarb and bake for 30-35 minutes (until rhubarb is tender).
- Enjoy topped with whipped cream or ice cream.
Rhubarb Crisp, gluten free & vegan + Bay Trail Run Recap Share on X
One things for certain, I need to update my photos on this recipe!! Did I mention this who updating recipes and resharing them is a lot of work 😉
Bay Trail Race Recap
This race has become a family tradition or at least a sister tradition. It’s a race we both enjoy and love to do together. Well sort of together, she does the 5k and I do the 10k. I like having a longer option. This year wasn’t a year of PR’s and I wasn’t expecting to podium finish, but when I knew it was possible, I thought what the heck. It was actually pretty easy.
It’s funny how disappointed I was with my time and place, even given I was 28 weeks pregnant. My competitive drive is too strong at times. We woke and drove to the start of the race about an hour or so away. It was a later 9 a.m. start so not too early of a wake up call. With pregnancy though I hadn’t been getting much sleep. Marc and my mom came along and watched the kiddos while we ran.
They played by the beach area and park while my sister and I raced. It’s a nice out and back course for the 5k and 10k, with the 10k running the first out and back with the 5k, and then adding on an additional out and back on another part of the trail. It’s such a pretty area too. All proceeds help to fund keeping the trail alive and preserving the last piece of private land that isn’t owned by big investors. It ensures the land will always be there for public use as a walking or running trail, which is something near and dear to my heart.
My sister does races for fun and I do them for podium finishes I guess, which is maybe why racing while pregnant is so hard for me. The weather was perfect, but I just wasn’t feeling it. My legs were so tired and achy and I felt heavy with the growing baby.
I found out a few days earlier I had anemia, which had explained my exhaustion. It made the race a little bit tough, but I tried not to let that get into my head. The first out and back was tough, but by mile 3 I finally got into the swing of things. My body finally felt like it was racing and I wasn’t noticing the crampy legs and bouncing belly.
I started picking off people, mostly men, and stayed in third place. Enjoyed running along the water and making the guys cringe when they saw a pregnant lady passing them 😉 Came in third overall female and 9th overall with a time of 43:22, average pace of 7:06. I guess our little jumping bean may be a runner too!! 🙂
Enjoy your weekend folks!! I may be racing another half marathon this weekend. Hoping the baby doesn’t fall out…just kidding. 32 weeks along and this baby is already so low. He’s been that way for a good month now. It’s a weird feeling this soon.
Until Next Time Be Whole and Be Fit
Any summer race plans? Favorite summer dessert?