it's finally rhubarb season, at least at the markets. although, i know if we were back home in new york, in my mom's garden, the rhubarb stalks wouldn't be quite able to harvest yet. maybe a couple more weeks and we could make strawberry rhubarb crumble, or this maple blue-barb jam with lemon verbena that would be shooting up just about everywhere. every year, around mid-march, we would anxiously anticipate any and every little green spout shooting out of the soil. it didn't matter whether is was a weed or an asparagus shoot - we honored it all the same. this is the time of year where the nightly frost would subside, and it would be safe to plant more delicate flowers, plants, and vegetables. it's quite the shift planting in here in los angeles though. it seems as if growing season starts a lot earlier, of which i'm not prepared for! we have a small garden space now that i can't wait to literally get my hands into, so hopefully i will bring you an update from on garden on this coast one day ;)

in the meantime, let's talk about these rhubarb bars, and the lovely book they hail from!

because rhubarb is such a fibrous, stalk i had always been wary of eating rhubarb sliced and baked like this. i never thought rhubarb would taste that great prepared like that, but it so does! in fact, i think you really get an appreciation for rhubarb's bright, tart flavor in these simple, delicious bars. the crust is made from a short list of 4 ingredients, and same goes for the almond-rhubarb, just 4 ingredients, plus the rhubarb. there's little that i love more when a little desert comes together in quickly.

this recipe comes from the beautiful pages of more with less, by jodi moreno. i've been a fan of jodi's site for years. her creative ways of paring flavors with mostly plant-based dishes, has always caught my attention. and her photographs have always served to shine on a light on her beautiful work. i've come back to jodi's book so many times since receiving it. it serves as such a lovely guide, giving you the tools like sauces, dressings, toppings, and other condiments to use throughout the recipes in her (visually stunning) book. more with less is a book to constantly turn to for simple, flavorful recipes, and cooking inspiration.

for the giveaway:

to enter: leave a comment below sharing your favorite thing about spring!
giveaway closes monday, may, 14th at 5pm PST
one winner will be chosen at random to recieve a copy of more with less
open to US residents only (sorry international friends)

good luck! XO

**UPDATE: giveaway now closed**

Rhubarb Bars from "More With Less" | dolly and oatmeal

rhubarb bars | v & gf

jodi notes that you can use a variety of fruits here if rhubarb isn't your thing, or if you can't find it. notably, she mentions fruit such as berries or apples which sound great. i could also imagine peaches or nectarines being wonderful as well.

recipe from more with less by jodi moreno

print the recipe!

| makes nine 3-inch bars |

crust

1 cup oat flour
1 cup brown rice flour
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt

almond rhubarb filling

2 cups almond slivers
2 tablespoons oat flour
2/3 cup palm sugar
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 pound (6 large stalks) rhubarb, cut in half lengthwise

method

preheat oven to 350°F. line the baking pan with two pieces of parchment paper, going in different directions, enough to come up and over each side (this will make them easy to remove).
crust. in a large mixing bowl, add the oat flour, brown rice flour, maple syrup, olive oil, and salt, and stir to combine. transfer the mixture to the parchment-lines pan and press evenly on all sides. bake for 10 minutes, remove, and allow to cool slightly while you prepare the filling.
almond rhubarb filling. put the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for 5 to 10 minutes, until golden. transfer the almonds to food processor and add the oat flour, sugar, and olive oil, and pulse several times until you have a course but consistent mixture. spread the mixture evenly on top of the crust. arrange the rhubarb on top, any way you like.
return the pan to the oven and bake for another 30 to 35 minutes, until the rhubarb is soft and cooked through. let the pan cool for at least 15 minutes before attempting to remove the bars and cutting into them. once ready, lift the parchment out of the pan and transfer to a flat surface to cut the bars into squares. the bars will keep for several days on the countertop in an airtight container.