I did not try rhubarb until I was an adult. Better late than never. That tart blasting rhubarb juice is the taste equivalent of a field of orange and pink tulips. Vibrant, real and transporting.

I bought rhubarb at the farmers' market. It looks like celery had a rendezvous with some beet juice. Chopped rhubarb combined with sweet bananas and a dash of cinnamon elevates the flavor zones with sweet, tart and earthy flavors. Enjoy!

Banana Rhubarb Cake

• 2-3 ripe bananas (the darker the peel, the healthier they are!)

• 1/2-3/4 cup chopped rhubarb (the redder the stalk, the sweeter)

• 1/4 cup refined coconut oil, vegan butter or vegetable oil

• 1 cup sugar

• 1 1/2 cups flour

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 1 egg replacer (1 T. powder, 3 T. water, combined) 

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350°F. Mash the bananas in a bowl. Add all the remaining ingredients and mix well with a wooden spoon. Bake in a buttered loaf pan until a toothpick stuck into the bread comes out clean, 55 to 60 minutes. Slice and serve.

Note: A cup of raw rhubarb contains 5.5 grams of carbohydrates, 2.2 grams of fiber, and 1.1 grams of protein. From a micronutrient perspective, rhubarb contains 45% of the recommended daily amount of required vitamin K. Rhubarb also contains good amounts of manganese, calcium, potassium, and vitamin C.