Strawberry-Rhubarb Balsamic Crumble

'tis the season for such things.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Balsamic Crumble.

things to be thankful for.

The transition from spring to summer can be a rough one. Almost overnight the once irresistible idea of leisurely days spent hanging out in back yards and on porches pales in comparison to spending said days in our underwear on the couch under an air conditioner.  But there is a brief moment in early New England summer where strawberry and rhubarb seasons align perfectly. I think it's Mother Nature's way of helping to ease the seasonal cross-over, gently reassuring us that everything will be ok. Yes, we'll be sweating through our clothes for the next two and a half months, but for now THERE ARE STRAWBERRIES. And rhubarb.
And those two things in combination are enough to make the whole "spring allergies become summer headaches coupled with unavoidable sunburn
and sweating profusely until fall" thing worth it.

So, we will gather rhubarb and we will stand in the sunshine, plucking ripe berries straight from strawberry plants until our fingers are stained red 

and we will remember that we are lucky. 

Even if we are a little bit overheated.

this is a good place to be standing.

Strawberry-Rhubarb Balsamic Crumble

(Serves 4-6)

 Filling:
2c washed and hulled strawberries, halved or quartered
1 1/2c rhubarb, sliced into 1/4" pieces
1Tbsp unrefined sugar
1Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/2tsp  lemon zest
2Tbsp balsamic vinegar

Topping:
1/2c whole wheat pastry flour
1/2c light brown sugar
1/4c vegan butter or slightly chilled coconut oil
1/2tsp ground sea salt
1/2tsp vanilla
1tsp cinnamon + extra for topping
fresh mint for garnish (optional)

Lentil-Walnut Burgers with Caramelized Sweet Onions and Mustard Greens

hyper-critical (and sometimes lazy) tiny voice VANQUISHED.

Lentil-Walnut Burgers with

Caramelized Sweet Onions & Mustard Greens.

'Cause everything's better with grainy mustard. Even the tiny voice knows that.

One of the (many)  little voices inside of my head used to have a lot to say on the subject of veggie burgers. At the grocery store it would be all naggy and judgmental. I'd stand in front of the display of veggie burgers contemplatively and then... "Shelling out five bucks for this frozen package of machine-made garbage is DUMB. We could make 'em better AND cheaper. Stop being so damn lazy. You're better than this." So I'd leave the freezer section empty handed but vaguely self-possessed and hit up the bulk bins. Triumphantly returning to my kitchen, I'd assemble the ingredients to DIY some veggie burgers like nobody's business. But, inevitably, the little voice would appear again, only this time cloaked in laziness and defeat. "Ugh. Why are we doing all of this work for? Homemade veggie burgers are never that good. You're just going to eat one and forget about the rest. Don't even bother. Let's watch some TV." 

This cycle repeated itself for years, so veggie burgers never happened 

and because of that I was sad for a very long time.

Notice the use of past tense? That's because things have changed, my friends.

And I am the one who has changed them.

I killed that naggy, judgemental, lazy, defeatist little voice. Killed it dead. 

Or at least knocked it into silent submission.

And I used this recipe to do it. 

Lentil-Walnut Burgers with

Caramelized Sweet Onions and Mustard Greens.

(makes 12 standard sized burgers)

1c brown lentils, rinsed and picked over

1/2c uncooked bulgur
1 1/4c raw walnut pieces

3Tbsp olive oil

1 large sweet onion, diced

4 garlic cloves, finely minced

1 1/2c rinsed, torn and tightly packed mustard greens

1Tbsp ground flax seed

3Tbsp boiling water

1Tbsp finely ground sea salt

2tsp ground black pepper

2tsp crushed red pepper

1tsp smoked paprika

extra salt & pepper to taste