Granola

For the past several weeks I have been playing around with granola recipes, trying to make the perfect one for me.  I think I am getting really really close!  I am loving this one.  I customized the nuts and added ones I like (and had on hand).

Granola

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup nuts/seeds (any combination of nuts and seeds - sliced almonds, sunflower seeds, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, pecans, whatever your favorites are)
1 cup cashews
3/4 cup shredded coconut
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
3/4 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup pure maple syrup
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. kosher salt
Dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, etc)(this is optional of course)

Directions:

Heat oven to 250 degrees.  Spray baking sheet with cooking spray.  (I use a sheet cake pan and it fits perfectly).  Mix oats, nuts, coconut and cinnamon in a large bowl.  In a blender, combine brown sugar, syrup, oil and salt.  Fold into the dry mixture until well combined.  Spread onto baking pan.  Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Add dried fruit in the last 5 minutes of baking.

Fruit and Seed Bars

These bars are delicious.  I love seeds and coconut so it just couldn't go wrong for me.



Fruit and Seed Bars
Recipe found at With Style & Grace

Ingredients:

1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
1/2 cup pepitas (pumpkin seeds)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons flaxseeds, whole or ground
1 cup dried fruit  (dried blueberry, cranberries, apricots, etc.)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
pinch of ground cinnamon
1/3 cup agave or honey
1/2 cup sun butter (sunflower seed butter)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Grease a 9×9-inch baking pan, then line it with parchment, allowing the parchment paper to come up two sides of the pan.  In a food processor, pulse the oats, pepitas, sunflowers seeds, flaxseeds, dried fruit, coconut and cinnamon until finely chopped.  Add the agave (or honey)(I actually used a combination of the two) and sunflower butter and pulse until the mixture is combined.  Pour the mixture into the pan and spread it out evenly.  Bake for 20-25 minutes or until firm to touch.  Let cool completely, then use a serrated knife to cut into the 2-inch bars.  The crumbly bits left over on the bottom of the pan are perfect over fruit or yogurt!!!

Kettle Corn

Recently on a trip to the zoo I was commenting on how easy and delicious this was homemade and WAY cheaper (they charge 7 bucks a bag at the zoo, I think you could make enough to last a couple of months for 7 bucks!!!)! Don't make this if you're only planning on eating a little bit, like say, if you're on a DIET or something!!! IT'S ADDICTING!!!!

Ingredients:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup unpopped popcorn kernels

Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot over medium heat. Once hot, stir in the sugar and popcorn. Cover, and shake the pot constantly to keep the sugar from burning. Once the popping has slowed to once every 2 to 3 seconds, remove the pot from the heat and continue to shake for a few minutes until the popping has stopped. Pour into a large bowl, and allow to cool, stirring occasionally to break up large clumps.

Recipe courtesty of Allrecipes.