Rhubarb, with its distinctive tartness, is often used in desserts and other sweet treats. But is rhubarb keto-friendly? If you're following a ketogenic diet, you're likely carefully monitoring your carbohydrate intake. Let's explore the place of rhubarb in a keto lifestyle, exploring its nutritional profile and how you can enjoy it in low-carb recipes.
Rhubarb: A Low-Carb Champion
Rhubarb is indeed low in carbohydrates, making it a potentially suitable choice for those adhering to a keto diet. What we love about this tangy fruit is that it's ultra low in carbs. In fact, rhubarb contains less carbs than berries! This tart vegetable's stalks, whether cooked or raw, can be incorporated into various keto-friendly recipes.
Keto Rhubarb Recipes
The key to enjoying rhubarb on keto is to pair it with low-carb sweeteners and other keto-friendly ingredients. Here are a few ideas to get you started:
Keto Rhubarb Cake: This keto rhubarb cake offers three layers of gorgeousness: a moist yet light and fluffy vanilla crumb, a sugar-free rhubarb filling, and a delicious cinnamon streusel topping. It's a cake recipe the entire family will enjoy, whether they are on a low-carb diet or not! Granulated sweetener, almond flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, and cinnamon for the streusel are key ingredients. For a dairy-free version, replace the butter with coconut oil and the cream cheese with coconut cream.
Keto Rhubarb Muffins: These muffins are light, fluffy, and sweet with a tart twist from the rhubarb filling. These keto rhubarb muffins are easy to make and can be enjoyed as breakfast or an afternoon snack on a keto diet. Made with almond flour, coconut flour, eggs, and tangy fresh rhubarb, they taste just like the original but are low carb.
Read also: Delicious Rhubarb Recipes
Keto Rhubarb Crumble: Keto Rhubarb Berry Crumble is one of those heart-warming desserts that make me think of home. Berries are the perfect replacement for apples in this keto rhubarb berry crumble. They add a little bit of sweetness and the flavors go wonderfully with rhubarb. To keep this recipe low carb I have replaced these foods with low carb friendly almonds, coconut and low carb sweeteners.
Roasted Rhubarb: Just bake it until tender, with some ginger, vanilla, and low-carb sweetener.
Keto Rhubarb Crumble Bars: Keto Rhubarb Crumble Bars are the cure to your sweet tooth. I mixed it with strawberries and made a simple jam-like filling to go on a buttery almond flour crust.
Tips for Preparing Keto Rhubarb Treats
- Macerate the Rhubarb: Chop the rhubarb into circa 3-5 cm long, finger-thick pieces. Large rhubarb stalks may benefit from peeling first. Mix the chopped rhubarb with the sweetener. Let it sit for 30 minutes to macerate. This process draws out excess liquid and prevents the cake from becoming soggy.
- Choose Keto-Friendly Sweeteners: Granulated sweetener - I used a golden erythritol monk fruit blend, but a granulated white sweetener will work just as well.
- Consider Texture: Almond flour and other low-carb ingredients have quite a bit of moisture. They also tend to absorb a lot of moisture when subjected to other ingredients with a high water content.
- Add a Crunch: Adding your favorite nut will give the keto crumble bars a nice subtle crunch.
Variations and Substitutions
- No Coconut Flour: To make this cake without coconut flour, replace it with 3x the amount of almond flour.
- Dairy-Free: For a dairy-free keto coffee cake, replace the butter with coconut oil and the cream cheese with coconut cream.
- Different Fruits: This cake would work well with berries. Try using my Easy No-Cook Sugar Free Raspberry Jam as a filling! Or add a few strawberries for a keto strawberry rhubarb cake.
Serving Suggestions
- Sugar-Free Icing: Want to go the extra mile? Top the crumbles with a vanilla-flavored sugar-free drizzle! Simply mix 2 tablespoons almond milk with 4 tablespoons powdered sweetener and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract until you have a thick, but pourable consistency. Fill into a Ziploc bag, cut off a little corner, and drizzle the icing over the cooled cake.
- Whipped Cream or Ice Cream: Alternatively, serve with a dollop of Sugar-Free Keto Whipped Cream or a scoop of Sugar-Free Low Carb Ice Cream.
- Serve hot or cold with whipped cream, sour cream, crème fraiche, yogurt, coconut yogurt, or some keto ice cream.
Storing Keto Rhubarb Treats
If not all the muffins are eaten right away, it's best to keep them in the refrigerator or freezer. They will keep in an airtight container or zipper bag for up to a week in the fridge. You can let the muffin sit out a while to thaw, or if you're in a hurry use the microwave.
Read also: The Ultimate Guide to Rhubarb and Keto
Read also: Easy Low-Carb Cheese Crackers