Rhubarb: The Raw Truth

Rhubarb is treated more like a fruit than a vegetable, most often used for jellies and baked in desserts (mark your calendar – June 9 is National Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie Day).

In fact, in 1947, New York declared rhubarb a fruit because that's how most people used it (and, it has been suggested, to save importers from taxes). But this tart veggie, low in sugar and a great source of dietary fiber, Vitamin K, Vitamin C and potassium, can also be a raw treat.

Check the farmers market for fresh, crisp stalks. Peel off stringy bits, and remove all the leaves before eating (and we mean all – they’re poisonous!). Try dipping stalks in agave nectar, or dice and sprinkle over yogurt. 

Or, take the salad route:

Ingredients

• 2 stalks rhubarb
• 1 medium cucumber, peeled
• 1tbsp fine sea salt
• 1 cup baby arugula
• 1 cup kale
• juice of ½ lemon
• ½ cup mint leaves, shredded

Recipe

1. Cut the rhubarb and cucumber into thin slices.
2. Toss rhubarb and cucumber with salt, let stand for 10 minutes. Rinse and drain.
3. In a large bowl, toss the rhubarb and cucumber with the arugula and kale. Drizzle with lemon juice. Top with mint leaves.