This protein-rich rhubarb crisp pairs a tangy rhubarb and chia filling with a lightly spiced topping made from hemp hearts, pecans, and almond flour. Rhubarb is an often-overlooked option for keto fruit desserts, with only about 2.7g net carbs per 100g. Its naturally tart flavor works especially well here, balanced with sweetener and a topping flavored with cinnamon and nutmeg.

Rhubarb is also one of those foods that immediately reminds me of summer and childhood. We always had rhubarb growing in our garden, and my mom used it to make desserts like rhubarb crisps and pies. They were some of my childhood favorites, so every summer I seem to get a hankering for rhubarb again. This version is my way of fitting that familiar sweet-tart flavor into how I eat now, while adding plenty of protein and nutritional variety through the hemp hearts, nuts, seeds, and chia.

The topping isn’t quite the same as a traditional oat, butter, and sugar crisp. You don’t get that particular crunchy yet melt-in-your-mouth texture, but it still provides a satisfying contrast to the soft rhubarb filling. I like the crisp tangy rather than overly sweet so the rhubarb flavor comes through, but you can increase the sweetener if you prefer. It works as a dessert, coffee-break snack, or part of breakfast, and the pecans and almond flour can be replaced with pumpkin seeds and sunflower seed flour for a nut-free version. Find more ideas in my Fruit Treats collection.