Some say the best things in life are free.
But I also think some of the best things in life are unplanned. Of course, some of the worst things in life can be unplanned too, but I prefer to focus on the positives! This past Saturday my husband and I awoke at the crack of dawn to make it into downtown Minneapolis for a doctor’s appointment. (I’ve had some weird pain/burning/numbing sensations in my leg and foot and we wanted to get that checked out.) Unfortunately on the way there the doctor had to canceled.
Although I was frustrated at first it ended up working out because we were able to go to the St. Paul Farmers Market together — something we do maybe once a year because 1) it’s a hike and 2) my husband likes to sleep in.
This unplanned trip was just what the doctor ordered, for the soul at least. It was so wonderful to be around local vendors and learn about some of the things that they grow/make. Because we hadn’t planned on stopping at a farmers market that morning, we were short on cash. But we had just enough to get one bunch of fresh rhubarb.
And that’s when I knew I had to make strawberry rhubarb pie. Let me tell you just how delicious this pie is. The smell alone was so enticing that I wanted to take it out of the oven before it was finished just to dig in. But I decided that would be silly because then the crust wouldn’t be done and the fruit wouldn’t be as juicy … So I pushed my impatience aside and I waited.
If I thought the smell was good then that paled in comparison to the taste. I don’t know which was better: the gluten-free crust that was almost a disaster that turned out just fine, the juicy filling that is so sweet you can’t help but smile, or the cashew coconut crumble on top. But it was all good.
As I type this blog post up I am about to go savor my second slice. Who’s with me?
- 1 9-inch homemade or store-bought pie crust, unbaked
- [br][b]Filling[/b]
- 3 cups strawberries, hulled and quartered
- 2 cups rhubarb diced into 1/3-inch thick slices
- 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 3/4 cup sugar
- [br][b]Crumble Topping[/b]
- 3/4 cup oats
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons cashew pieces
- 3 tablespoons shredded sweetened coconut
- For the filling:
- Preheat the oven to 425˚ F. In a mixing bowl, use a large spoon to mix together strawberries, rhubarb, lime juice, cornstarch and sugar. Set aside.
- For the crumb topping:
- In a mixing bowl, combine oats, coconut oil, vanilla, cashew pieces and coconut and stir until oats are evenly coated with oil.
- To assemble pie:
- Press prepared pie crust into 9-inch pan. Pour strawberry rhubarb mixture into crust and sprinkle top evenly with cashew crumble mixture. Bake at 425˚ for 15 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350, tent pie with foil and continue to bake for another 45 minutes until crumble is golden brown and filling is bubbling. Remove from oven and let sit on a cooling rack for 30 minutes before serving.[i](Inspired by [url href=”http://www.cookingclassy.com/2014/07/strawberry-rhubarb-pie-almond-crumble/”]Cooking Classy[/url].)[/i]