Paleo Rhubarb Coconut Cookies

One of our favourite spring baking combinations is rhubarb and coconut. Since we can't eat my other cookie recipe here due to dietary restrictions, I have created a new awesome grain, sugar and dairy free cookie! This recipe is based on this one here but I changed it since we can't have chocolate chips.

1/2 cup coconut oil (butter if you can have dairy), room temp
1/2 cup xylitol, powdered
2 free range eggs
3 cups almond flour
1 tsp pure vanilla extract or 1/2 tsp ground vanilla beans
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
3/4 cup diced rhubarb

Cream xylitol and coconut oil, beat in eggs and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add rhubarb and coconut, stir to combine. Spoon about a tbsp of dough onto the cookie pan (I use a small scoop to get uniform cookies), slightly flatten with your fingers. Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes.

Frosted Rhubarb Coconut Cookies

Cookie:
1 cup margarine
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups diced rhubarb
3/4 cup flaked coconut

Cream shortening and sugar till fluffy, beat in eggs. Combine flour, soda and salt. Gradually add this to creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in rhubarb and coconut. Drop by tbsp. full onto greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-14 minutes. Let cool on pan for a minute before removing from the pan. Makes 3 - 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

Frosting:
3 oz. package cream cheese
1 tbsp. butter
1 1/2 cup icing sugar
3 tsp. vanilla

Mix frosting in order given and ice cooled cookies.

Rhubarb Slush

8 cups chopped rhubarb
2 cups sugar
8 cups water
4 oz strawberry jello

Boil rhubarb, sugar, and water for 10 - 15 min. Strain and discard pulp. Add jello. Cool first on counter, then freeze. Serve partially thawed with equal portion 7-Up or Ginger Ale.

Makes about 10 cups of slush.

Rhubarb Pudding Cake

3-4 cups diced fresh or frozen rhubarb
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons milk
3 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
TOPPING:
3/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place rhubarb in a greased 8-in. square baking pan. In a small bowl, mix flour, sugar, milk, butter, baking powder, salt and vanilla (mixture will be stiff). Spread over rhubarb. For topping, combine sugar and cornstarch. Sprinkle over dough. Pour water over all; do not stir. Sprinkle cinnamon on top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 55-65 minutes or until pudding tests done.

The pudding forms a nice crispy top with a moist flavourful bottom! This can be served with ice cream but it tastes delicious on it's own! I think that this would also taste great as a strawberry-rhubarb pudding. I'll have to try it out come strawberry season.

Rhubarb Crunch Cake

This is my husband's all time favorite rhubarb dessert!

3-4 cups rhubarb pieces
1 small package (3 oz.) red jello (we like strawberry)
1 cup margarine
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 cup sour cream
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt

Mix rhubarb and jello together and set aside. Mix margarine and sugar in separate bowl. Add eggs to sugar mixture and beat well. Stir in sour cream, and remaining dry ingredients. Fold rhubarb mixture into batter. Put into 9x13" pan. Mix together and sprinkle on top of the cake:

1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp. white sugar
1-2 tsp. cinnamon depending on taste (our family loves cinnamon)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional - this tastes just fine without nuts)

Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes or until done.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie Filling

4 cups diced rhubarb
4 cups diced strawberries
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 tbsp. Minute Tapioca
Just under 1/2 cup water

Boil sugar, tapioca and water together. Add fruit. Let cool before putting into pie shell. Mixture or pies can be frozen. Makes about 2 pies worth of filling depending on size of pie pan.