Rhubarb Mini-Muffins

Spring has always had a special place in my heart, and after chilly, dreary winters, there's something magical about sunny days and warm breezes. But now that I'm living on a farm, I'm experiencing a whole new dimension to the season. I walk through the gardens and see evidence of life that has been dormant all winter, finally flourishing in the milder temperatures. In the greenhouse and cold frames are burgeoning little plants, many of which I started from nothing more but a tiny speck of a seed. I have pots of chard, kale, and broccoli on my deck, and already there are strong leaves and bright colors, indications of health. What a truly awesome sight!

For the past two years, I have been eating more seasonally, in a way, but not very intentionally. I've been buying the produce that looks good, and I know that fresh raspberries in January are not the best choice to make. But I haven't been paying much attention to which vegetables are growing each month, and when the best time for them are. However, I recently saw two beds in the garden that were lush with leafy looking greens, though I had no idea what lived there. When I looked closer, I saw that these glorious plants were rhubarb. I had never really known when rhubarb was in season, and I've only been cooking with it for the past year or so. But here, steps from my home, was rhubarb, ready to pick and eat (although, do not eat the leaves of a rhubarb plant - they are toxic to humans).

I saw very clearly how the rhubarb is in season, and so I picked some stalks and thought about what I would do with them. I found an interesting idea for rhubarb muffins, and so I put together a batch of these seasonal mini-muffins for my Kindergarten class. Although they were not quite as excited as I was about the idea of rhubarb muffins, everyone still enjoyed them. The rhubarb is not too strong, and there is enough sweetness in the muffins to give them a balanced taste, perfect for snack time or breakfast time.

Rhubarb Muffins

Yield 1 dozen muffins or 2 dozen mini-muffins

Ingredients:
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup whole-wheat flour
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 cup buttermilk
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups finely chopped rhubarb
Topping:
2 Tbsp. whole cane sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 ° F
2. In a large bowl, combine flours, brown sugar, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine egg, buttermilk, oil and vanilla.
3. Stir the buttermilk mixture into the dry ingredients until moistened. Fold in rhubarb. Fill paper-lined muffins cups about half full. Combine topping ingredients and sprinkle over each muffin. Bake for 15-18 minutes.