Dried Fruit Trio Granola Bars
May 30, 2011 § 4 Comments
When it comes to grab-and-go snacks, I’m positively addicted to salted peanuts & brazil nuts plus a few banana chips. But after overdosing on a shockingly large freezer bag of the above blend on a recent road trip, I’ve decided to cool off on the ‘nana-crunch snack attacks and instead, create a fantastic bar that offers additional nutritional benefits.
Through my recipe tweaking I’ve learned the following: Substituting OJ for water does not yield good results. Honey can be used as a substitute for agave nectar; however, the agave makes a sweeter bar, which is a good thing in my book, and better chew. Have fun fiddling with the dried fruits. Everyone agrees, the dates are a MUST. Dried figs are also exceptionally good. I’ve tried a couple different kinds of nuts, but pecans (shelled from my aunt and uncle’s tree!) were the clear favorite.
Ingredients:
1 + 1/4 cups dried fruit (favorites: dried peach, date and orange-hinted cranberries)
3/4 cup pecans, chopped
1 + 1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 cup buckwheat groats
2 tablespoons flax meal
1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons teff flour
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
2 eggs
2 tablespoons orange juice
1/3 cup agave nectar
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 325 on convection (or 350 in a standard oven.) Grease a 9 x 13″ baking pan.
2. Chop dried fruit and pecans. Set aside. In a separate bowl, begin adding dry ingredients. (HELPFUL HINT: While doling out teff flour, sprinkle some of the measured amount directly onto the dried fruit and nuts and toss with hands. This will prevent the dates, peaches and cranberries from clumping and sticking into a large mass.)
3. Once all the dry ingredients are assembled, set aside. In a separate bowl, whisk wet ingredients. Combine with dry and stir until completely incorporated and all oats are coated. Spread in greased baking pan. (HELPFUL HINT: Dab the tips of fingers with water and press oats into pan; this will prevent stickage.)
4. Bake until golden and slightly browned on surface, about 18 minutes. Let cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before slicing and removing.
These granola bars stay chewy on the counter for several days, but also freeze and thaw very well.
Diet Notes: Gluten-free
Oaty, Banana-Hunk Muffins with Buttermilk
May 6, 2011 § Leave a Comment
You may raise an eyebrow, or roll an eyeball, when you see another gluten-free recipe coming from this bread-loving-carb-queen. I’ve been hesitant to write personal jibber-jabber, but I think I’ll address one bit of drama, to answer any Qs from the eyeball/brow-crowd:
About a year ago, when I studied in Xela, Guatemala, I got some stomach parasites (or as my teacher Lesvia took to calling them, my “mascotas y bebes” — my pets and babies — leaving a smattering of eavesdropping students with the impression that I was pregnant and had lots of stray dogs). Upon my return to the States, I took a rainbow of different medicines to try to get my stomach back in order. The long in short: I’m still popping antibiotic pills, but heavens I do feel much better. To help my stomach get “back on its feet,” my doc told me I might want to try to cut out gluten as well as sugar alcohols (found in boatloads of chocolate – sniff!). While I’m not feeling tip-top, I’m on the mend, I think, and getting stronger. I have rekindled my enthusiasm for baking (and eating!) and I’m mindful, perhaps borderline obsessive, about taking care of myself. This past year I spent a lot of months sipping soda under a blanket on the sofa and now, I like to think I’m making up for lost time.
So, for a while, you might see a new type of recipe — many recipes without gluten, but ones that also show off some kick-tush grains that are equally, if not more tasty than their gluten-toting counterparts. This muffin recipe has been tested by many (who didn’t know they were eating a muffin with an array of odd-ball flours). The verdict: They’re wholesome, slightly sweet and, incredibly, wonderfully fluffy with great flavor. My friend Regina (I’m not speaking of myself in the 3rd) says they’re enjoyed best with an afternoon coffee, sipped and chewed in the sun.
Ingredients:
3/4 cup buttermilk (low fat is fine)
1 cup rolled oats
1 large banana, mashed (about 2/3 cup)
1/3 cup agave nectar
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup olive oil
1/3 cup millet flour
1/3 cup oat flour
1/3 cup brown rice flour
1/4 cup teff flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. xanthan gum
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, nutmeg, all spice
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
Method:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease muffin tin.
2. Mix oats and buttermilk and set aside for a few minutes while preparing the rest of the liquid ingredients. In a separate bowl, mash banana, mix with beaten eggs, vanilla and olive oil. Combine with oats and stir until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, prepare dry ingredients. Toss with a fork. Slowly mix into liquids and stir until just incorporated. Scoop into muffin tins 3/4 of the way (they’ll rise slightly) and bake until the knife comes out clean (between 16-20 minutes). Note: If reserving some batter to bake the following day, like most muffin batters, the consistency will thicken. Reconstitute with two to three tablespoons of buttermilk (or another milk you have handy) before baking.
4. Once baked, leave muffins in tin for 5-7 minutes. With a dull knife, scrape along edges and carefully remove from the pan. They freeze and thaw wonderfully.
Diet Notes: Gluten-free
Sweet & Salty: A New Granola Favorite
December 28, 2010 § 1 Comment
For the past two weeks, I’ve slept through every sunrise, although I’ve been up late enough to nearly greet it. Every so often, I love puttering around my family’s house, late at night, while the rest of the world sleeps. I wear giant, green slippers and shuffle in and out of the empty rooms with a few soft lamps aglow. I read door-stopper books, watch addicting TV mini-series that take place in the 12th century or eat midnight bowls of minestrone soup. But as with all new habits that go against an old grain, the charm of 3-o’clock mornings is starting to fade. Tomorrow I’ll be breaking the cycle and, because I’ll likely be a zombie, I figured I’d entice myself into the early hours with my favorite breakfast.
For the past four weeks I’ve been tweaking an old, favorite clumpy granola recipe. Instead of aiming for just clumps, I wanted to create a granola with great crunch, too, and lots of texture. I also wanted a bowl of granola that had a hint of salt (tipping my hat to Molly‘s grey sea salt chocolate chip cookies); my first trial was salty-overload, but now I’ve settled upon a half-teaspoon (per batch) and the granola tastes great. Be warned though; this recipe is addictive. I want to give a bit of inspirational credit: For the past couple of years I’ve amassed dozens, if not hundreds of granola recipes, but this November I came across a new granola recipe, by Clotilde of Chocolate and Zucchini. I’ve been fiddling with her proportions of oats, nuts, coconut flakes and other add-in’s to create my own favorite blend, but I’ve stuck with her basic liquid ratio: six tablespoons of sweetener to two tablespoons oil. Each granola trial, stemming from that basic proportion, has been wonderful; this is my favorite combination of ingredients below:
Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup buckwheat groats
1/2 cup coconut flakes, unsweetened
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup pecans, chopped
1/2 cup almonds, chopped
6 tablespoons honey, high quality (this imparts the most flavor)
1 tablespoon pumpkin butter, optional
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
few pinches of favorite spices (cardamom, cinnamon, all spice, cloves, nutmeg, etc.)
2 teaspoons vanilla
Methods:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.
2. Mix dry oats, groats, coconut, seeds and nuts in a bowl and set a side.
3. In a small sauce pan, heat honey, pumpkin butter and olive oil until liquidy. Add spice and salt and stir until incorporated. Remove from heat and add vanilla.
4. Pour onto dry ingredients and stir until thoroughly coated.
5. Layer on a sheet pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Let cool for 2 hours, out of the oven or in the warm oven (once turned off) with the door ajar. Break apart and store in an air-tight container.
Diet Notes: gluten-free
(KILLAH!) CLUMPY Granola (Gluten-Free)
January 23, 2010 § 7 Comments
After dozens of granola trials – four of them bookmarked on this blog – this recipe has squeaked into the 1st Place slot. The flavor of each granola batch has been good – great even – but, up until this recipe, my ratio of honey + peanut butter to oats didn’t yield clumps! Three weeks ago I decided to go back to the basics: I wanted a simple granola with just oats and nuts (no sesame seeds, pepitas, dried apricots, dried blueberries or dates). I wanted a peanut flavor (no sesame) and I wanted CLUMPS.
Let’s cut to the chase: I’m sick of tasteless foods that tout low-cal, low-fat nutrition facts! In nutshell, I’m going for quality, not quantity. The solution to achieving good flavor & crunch was simple: scale back on the oats, add an extra dollop of peanut butter and honey. The only slight eyebrow-raiser on the ingredient list is the olive oil. Maybe I’m being a bit stuffy about this addition, but I still maintain that olive oil in granola is nine times more flavorful than vegetable oil. Give it a shot! And relish the CLUMPS!
Ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats*
1.5 cups mixed nuts, lightly salted (this is key!)
1/2 cup honey
heaping 1/3 cup chunky, natural peanut butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 – 1 tsp. sea salt, to taste
*For gluten-sensitive, purchase oats that have been produced in a wheat-free facility to avoid cross-contamination.
Methods:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop lightly-salted nuts into chunks. Combine with oats. In a small saucepan, melt peanut butter, honey and olive oil until honey has thinned and the mixture is liquidy. Pour liquid on top of oats + nuts. Stir and thoroughly coat. Layer on a baking sheet and bake 12-16 minutes until granola turns golden-brown. Remove from oven or, alternatively, turn heat off and open the oven door to let the granola dry-out. Let granola completely cool. Break into pieces and store in an air-tight container. Granola will keep over a month.
Diet Notes: Gluten-free
Comfort Food Granola
March 7, 2009 § 1 Comment
I haven’t posted all of my granola experiments, but I’ve been buzzing around the kitchen trying to create my favorite type. In the past I’ve made sesame granola, agave granola and peanut butter granola. But I keep coming back to this blend of ingredients.
Please tweak to taste. You might like it with other things: maple syrup instead of honey, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds instead of pepitas, more quick oats, less quick oats, chocolate (heck yeah!), cashew butter instead of peanut butter…
Ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats
1 cup quick oats
1/8 cup sesame seeds
1/4 cup raw pepitas (squash seeds)
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup chunky peanut butter, natural
1/3 cup honey*
pinch sea salt
*If following a strict vegan diet, substitute maple syrup.
Methods:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Chop nuts and mix all dry ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a saucepan on the stove, mix peanut butter, sea salt and honey. Heat on medium-low until melted. Pour liquid over dry ingredients and mix until incorporated.
3. Spread oats on two rimmed baking sheets. Put on two different levels in the oven and cook for 8-9 minutes. Swap sheets and cook for another 8-9 minutes until golden-brown. Leave on counter for at least an hour to crisp-up and cool down. Store in an air-tight container; will keep for up to a month.
Diet Notes: vegan (see asterisk), gluten-free
Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
March 2, 2009 § 1 Comment
I make loads of cookie batches and more often than not, my cookies never really stay chewy after the hot-out-of-the-oven phase. Well, this one is chewy-chewy, hot or cold. My roommates and I give them a seal of approval!
Ingredients:
3/4 cup white whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 + 1/2 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/3 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1/3 large-grain turbinado sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup dark chocolate chunks
Methods:
1. In a large bowl, mix butter at room temperature, egg, vanilla and sugars.
2. In a separate bowl, fork dry ingredients. Then mix into wet batter and stir just until just incorporated (don’t over mix).
3. Cut chocolate into small-ish chunks and shavings and fold into batter.
4. Freeze dough for 4+ hours.
5. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking sheet and scoop chilled dough into balls about 3/4 the size of a golf ball. These cookies do spread a little bit, so I recommend buffering each cookie with a few inches of free space. Bake 9-11 minutes, until slightly golden around the edges. Let sit for a few minutes before serving.
Diet Notes: Nut-free
Sesame Granola
January 17, 2009 § 2 Comments
This recipe was tweaked from and inspired by Vimala Rodger’s “Killer Granola” in her book, Vegetarian Meals for People-On-The-Go. My favorite way to eat this granola is with fresh berries + plain yogurt mixed with good maple syrup. I also eat it like cereal with a few splashes of rice milk.
Ingredients:
4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup unsweetened, organic coconut slivers
1/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/4 cup raw sesame seeds
1/4 cup raw pepitas
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup raw slivered almonds
1/4 cup raw pecan pieces
1/2 cup raw walnut pieces
2 tablespoons cinnamon
1/4 cup toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup honey*
2 tablespoons vanilla
After baking, add:
1 cup favorite dried fruit (Medjool dates are especially good)
*If following a strict vegan diet, use a low grade maple syrup instead.
Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Mix all dry ingredients together in a large bowl.
3. Combine liquid ingredients and whisk for a few seconds. Pour over dry ingredients. Mix with a large spoon until all the oats, seeds, and nuts get covered with the “sauce.”
4. Spread oats on two large pans all the way to the edges. The granola will cook faster if all the oats are nicely spaced out and not piled up.
5. Cook until oats become golden-brown. The oats may feel a little damp to the touch when you take them out of the oven. Leave them in the baking sheet for about 7 minutes and they will dry out. Top with your favorite dried fruit, eat for breakfast and store the rest! This recipe makes a large batch that lasts me a few weeks.
Diet Notes: Vegan (see asterisk)
