Grand Granola... Your new favorite snack!

I LOVE granola but am very picky when it comes to its composition... I want it crunchy without feeling dry and chalky; flavorful but not sticky sweet; and, most of all, I like to have variety. A few years back, I started making my own and can't believe that I hadn't started sooner. It is quick, easy and absolutely delicious while satisfying my criteria. The best part is that you can make it with whatever you have on hand or whatever you are in the mood for.

This recipe is perfect for breakfast, as part of a trail mix, topping for cereal... the options are endless! I also like this recipe because the egg whites help to bind it together to create crunchy clusters, which makes it easier to snack on. Feel free to adjust any of the ingredients to suit your fancy. Just remember that adjusting the sugar content effects the cooking time (more sugar = less cooking time) and may need to be stirred sooner to avoid scorching. However, it is perfectly normal to have variations on color for a batch.

Seriously... Doesn't this look delicious!

Preheat oven to 300ºF
Mix together in a large bowl:
3c old fashioned rolled oats
1.5c nuts (I did a combination of almonds, pistachios, hemp, Chia seeds - all not salted)
1.5c of coconut (I only had sweetened but I would use toasted next time)
1/2c dried fruit (You will want to choose with more moisture or it will become too chewy)
Mix together.

In a small bowl:
1 egg white
1/4c olive/coconut oil
2TB of brown sugar
1/4c maple syrup
1.5tsp of vanilla
Beat very well.

Fold the wet and dry ingredients until well coated then let sit for 10 minutes. Then spread out on a jelly roll pan lined with parchment paper in an even layer. Sprinkle lightly with coarser sea salt (I actually used lava salt).
Start by baking 45 minutes, turn in oven and add another 5-10. You want it to be toasted. Let cool completely (it will get crunchy as it cools). You can also sprinkle with chocolate chips that will incorporate while it cools. If you bake them with the granola, you risk burning the morsels (Yuck!). Last time I made some, I added a little cinnamon and used pumpkin spice chips and it was pure heaven!

Stuff your face and enjoy! Makes a little more than 2 one quart Mason jars. Keep in a cool, dry place for up to 2 weeks (if it lasts that long!) 

Burgers aren't just for cows... Salmon Burgers

Summer time means long days, warm nights and summer foods! However, I am not a big fan of the grill and standard burgers can get old. Salmon burgers are an excellent alternative and the they are surprisingly easy to make. The best parts about this recipe is that it is quick and versatile.

Salmon Burgers

2# Salmon, skin removed and cut into 1" pieces

1/4 c cilantro chopped

1 egg

1/4 c onion, diced

1/2 c panko crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 352 degrees.
2. Place half of the salmon into a food processor and pulse about 7 times. Place aside in a bowl;
3. Place remaining salmon in the processor, pulse for 4 times, and add to the other salmon;
4. Mix in remaining ingredients and let sit for 5 minutes;
5. Form into patties (will be looser than hamburgers). I use a boiling pan to reduce excess oils. 
6. Bake for 18-22 minutes. 

Siracha Mayo

1/2 c mayo

1 squirt of siracha

1 garlic scape and/or green scallion

Mix all ingredients into a bowl and let sit for a couple minutes to meld. Assemble on buns with favorite vegetables and enjoy! Other variations include adding or substituting lemon/lime zest, chili/cumin powder. 

Chocolate Chip-Apple-Raspberry Quick Bread for a Busy 2013

So, 2013 has already given me a run for my money. With trying to plan family celebrations and parties, our wedding and meetings at work, it is nor surprise that January is a half over. Though I did not make actual resolutions this year, I am taking strides to better myself... which is basically the same. Part of that is trying to return to a healthier life style and eating habits. We did really well last year but ended up returning to our bad habits when my husband was told that he did not have a gluten allergy.

However, after returning to our casual eating style, may of his problems returned, which was all the convincing I needed to go back. Not to mention, I also noticed that I felt "slower" when we eating crap laden foods. So, it is back to homemade foods with few ingredients and even fewer preservatives and I happy to say that this includes juicing, but at the end of the week I sometimes have a few produce items left behind that really should be used up in order to maximize their nutrient potential.

I took my family's banana bread recipe and threw together this fabulous quick bread. It is the perfect balance of decadence and healthy yumminess.

Chocolate Chip-Apple-Raspberry Quick Bread
2c Flour
3/4c Turbinado Sugar
1tsp Baking Powder
1 1/2tsp Baking Soda
1/2tsp Salt
2TB Coconut Oil
1 Egg or 1/2c Apple Sauce
3/4c Coconut Kefir
2tsp Orange Zest
2 Granny Smith Apples (peeled, cored and chopped)
1/2c Frozen Raspberries
1/2c Mini Chocolate Chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease two 9x13 loaf pans. 
2. Mix together dry ingredients and wet ingredients (coconut oil, egg/apple sauce, kefir and orange zest) separately.
3. Make a well in dry ingredient and mix in wet ingredients until just combined. 
4. Fold in apples and chocolate chips and then add raspberries until just combined. 
5. Divide the batter into two loaf pans and bake 50-60 minutes, until knife comes out clean when inserted in the center.
6. Enjoy warm or cooled

This bread is so moist and decadent that it can even be served as a dessert with a little ice cream.

 

Addition by Substitution: Learning how to bake for food allergies

After hearing that you or a loved on has food allergies, it can feel like a death sentence to some of your favorite foods and recipes. However, that does snot have to be the case. Today, there are many options available in order to substitute for these culprit ingredients. In our house, the biggest contributors to stomach upset are dairy and gluten, but I've learned a few quick substitutions to help me get around them.

In preparation for the holidays, I have been trying to figure out what I want to make for the 13 members of my family that I am expecting this Thanksgiving. On top of pouring through some time tested recipes, I am also hoping to bring a few more to the table, but I want make them friendly to everyone.

In December, 2012 edition of Food & Wine Magazine, they had an awesome looking caramelized pear custard that I wanted to try but needed to tweek first. Anyone who does substitutions knows that there is no universal replacement and it is all about application. In this case, I replaced the dairy by either omitting it completely or replacing it with Maypo's canned coconut milk (I get mine at my local Asian market). I chose canned because I needed it to replace evaporated milk and needed it to be thicker than every day milk. You can use carton alternatives but you will need 3x's the volume of liquid than required and patience to SLOWLY reduce it down. I also adapted sugar sources but be warned, changing too much of the recipe can cause it to be a major flop. That is why I recommend testing it in advance, rather than the day of you big event.

Caramelized Pear Custard Pie
9" Crust
Pears:
4 bosc pears, peeled and halved with stem and seeds removed (you want then ripe but firm)
3 TB water
1/2c honey
1/2tsp cinnamon
1 TB vanilla
Filling:
3 TB Turbinado sugar
2 TB instant tapioca pearls (such as Minute brand)
1 TB vanilla
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 eggs
3/4c + 3 TB canned coconut milk

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and bake weighted crust for 10 minutes then reduce oven temp to 350.
2. Place remaining pear ingredients in skillet, except for pears, over medium heat. Add pears round side down once mixture starts to bubble. Continue to cook, continuously swirling and basting pears until bottom gets caramelized and starts to soften (10-12 minutes).
3. Flip pears to flat side and continue to baste until bottom has done the same (5-7 minutes).
4. Transfer pears (flat side down and stem-end in to make a flower pattern) to pre-baked crust and reserve sauce to the side.
5. Mix together all filling ingedients, reserving the 3TB of coconut milk for caramel) and pour over pears.
6. Bake for 35-40 minutes until almost set. Pie will firm upon standing. Let cool completely.
7. For caramel, place reserved sauce over medium heat. As it softens, add coconut milk and continue to heat until almost to a boil. Remove from heat and use to drizzle over cooled pie slices. 

Completed pie. If I had been paying more attention,
I would have made sure that my pears were more evenly spaced.

Though this pie will not be exactly as the standard recipe would have tasted, it is still very good and it will not disappoint. Enjoy!

 

Eliminating the Processed and Getting Back to Basics

I cannot believe how quickly this year has gone by. I feel like we were just watching the last of the ice melt away and, within a blink of the eye, we are awaiting the first winter flakes to fall. One of my cold weather preparations is to keep my eating habits in check, which is hard with the upcoming holidays.

My "bat family" all dolled up for Halloween

As you may have noticed in my earlier posts, I was making it my goal to eat fresh and unprocessed foods. However, we got busy this summer with moving, unpacking, meetings and summer fun. As a result, more of our meals were from restaurants or prepackaged foods; the consequence was the 20 lbs that I quickly lost came back even faster and I went from feeling bright and "fluid" to bulky and
 slow.

So, I made a resolution that, after Halloween, we were going back to eating nutrient rich, fresh foods. Our biggest problem is not liking these foods, because my three year old daughter will wolf-down broccoli and other veggies without a second thought, but more the foods' shelf life and the time to transform the food. I don't have the time to make several trips to the farmers market and salads get old quick. The way I get around this is by creating my own dressings and eating the salads in wraps- nothing amazing but it manages to trick my brain into thinking that I am getting variety.

The other night we had fresh kale with apples, tofu, cucumbers, and a quick cilantro-lime dressing and it was a big hit. The best part was it was FAST. I literally squeezed a lime into a bowl with a couple tablespoons of olive oil and chopped cilantro and let my kale marinate in it while I chopped up the other vegetables. We eat have our own preference of nuts... I like flax and pinenuts; my husband likes raw sunnies; and my daughter likes hers with all other above and sliced almonds.

 

The hardest meal for me to eat, although very important, is breakfast. I am an early riser, and I am usually a get-up-and-get-out-of-the-house sort of person or I lounge around until it is lunch time. I always make sure that my daughter is eating the appropriate number of meals, but have always missed the mark with myself, which is one of the primary reasons that I struggle with my weight. The way I get around this is by making foods that last several days or taste a bit more fulfilling than traditional breakfast foods, such as cereal. One of my favorites is quiche because I can eat it anytime of the day, they are filling and taste delicious. 

The below recipe is a goat cheese quiche with sauted vegetables, homemade pesto, and fresh eggs. It takes about an hour, start to finish, to make but it can be refrigerated and eaten over a week (if it makes it that long). 

Sauted Veggie Quiche with Pesto and Goat Cheese

1c basil leaves, loosely packed

1/4c EVOO

1 clove of garlic

9" Crust (keep refrigerated in pie pan until needed)

1/4c goat cheese

1Tb Coconut Oil

1 zucchini, chopped

1 carrot, diced

1/2 medium onion, diced

6 eggs

1c veggie cheese shreds

1/2 cup almonds, sliced

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a blender, place the first 3 ingredients in order, liquify and set aside.
3. Break up goat cheese and place along the bottom of pie crust and keep cold while preparing remaining ingredients.
4. Saute veggies in coconut oil (feel free to add salt and pepper to taste) until soft. Coat with pesto and add to pie pan over the goat cheese.
5. Whisk eggs until they are uniform and pour over the veggies and cheese. 
6. Bake on the bottom rack for 15 minutes to cook the crust then add the cheese and almonds and move to the top rack and continue cooking for another 20-25 minutes until no longer "giggly." 
7. Let sit for 5-10 minutes to continue setting and serve warm. 

Can be eaten with salad, cottage cheese or toast. You can also switch up the vegetables (such as broccoli, asparagus...etc) or even add salsa for an extra kick!
Enjoy!

Make your own vanilla...

I love vanilla. So it should come to no surprise how much I use. On top of storing vanilla beans in my sugar, I also figured out how to make my own because I am cheap... LOL.

It is so simple and versatile that it's almost ridiculous.

• Medium Mason Jar with lid
• Alcohol (minimum of 80 proof)
• 3 vanilla beans per ever cup of alcohol used

Place vanilla beans in a clean Mason Jar. Add alcohol, shake and place in a cool dark place that you'll remember to shake every couple of days. Extract will be ready to use in four weeks. I make mine in 2c batches and favorites alcohols to use are spiced rum, vodka and ginger whiskey. :-)

Vanilla made with spiced rum (left) and vanilla vodka (right)