Maple Granola with Coconut and Cinnamon

"Mom... can you make granola??  And when you pack my lunch tomorrow can you pack a little bag for Ellie too?  She's been asking for it."

Music to my ears.  I love then the kids ask for something healthy when they don't even know it's healthy.  And better yet, I'm getting special requests from high school girlfriends.

Years ago the kids turned up their noses at the thought of granola, but with a little tweaking they've discovered a new love.

Always working to get "healthy stuff" into the kids, granola makes it easy.  Starting with fiber-rich oats (gluten-free if desired) we add flax and hemp.  Maple syrup brings sweetness and a depth to the mix, and nuts and dried fruit more protein as well as additional vitamins.  A touch of coconut oil give the concoction that much desired crunch and shredded coconut even adds a little touch of the tropics.

So easy to mix together and versatile to your tastes, give it a go and maybe you'll have special requests too.

Peanut Buter Banana Cluster Kind Cookies

Food Blogging is indeed a strange and exciting world... It's one where key connections and amazing friendships grow through online relationships.  It's a world where sometimes boxes of treats arrive at my doorstep having my whole family curiously peering inside anticipating what treasure will emerge.  Much of the time they casually comment, "Oh... cool..." as I extract a jar of mustard or fill a bowl with fresh fava beans and peaches or crack the spine of a freshly printed cookbook.

Our last box, however, elicited a much different response.  Cutting the tape and removing the packaging, hands flew as bags of Kind Clusters along with a few Kind bars were called "this one's totally mine!!" as each family member claimed their favorite.

You're familiar with the Kind line of whole grain products, aren't you??  A favorite in my family for years, Kind products use ingredients you are familiar with... real food (you'll recognize ingredients as something you would have in your home pantry) that packs perfectly for our on-the-go lifestyle.  Liv always carries either a bar or bag of clusters in her dance bag, and my son tosses their dairy-free bars into his backpack on his way to school or work.

Tweeting a simple comment of:
 

"Have you tried @KINDSnacks Vanilla Blueberry Clusters???!! Bought a bag for a recipe and Liv and I ate the whole thing before we got home!!" 

led to our Kind connection, and one we couldn't be more thankful for.  And... one that elicited similar results as my Twitter comment (I think the Vanilla Blueberry is still my personal favorite).

For the first time in my blog history, I actually had to go and repurchase the samples that we received in the mail to write a post.  Leaving the samples in the box with a comment of "Don't eat these... I need to take pictures and make a recipe", I will admit I didn't actually hear any comments of agreement, and sure enough, when I returned to the box I found empty  bags and wrappers - and Liv wanting to know why I had never bought her the "Dark Chocolate Chewy with a Crunch" Healthy Grain Bars in the past, and would I go buy more because she really liked them??

After yet another trip to the store I returned with clusters in hand and finally the recipe I had been planning came to be.  Frequently using granola in my baking, I love the texture it brings to softer cookies, and the granola-like Kind Banana Nut Clusters made a perfect replacement to the rolled oats in one of our favorite snacks, Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Bites.

Packed with protein, banana and whole grains, these cookies are a treat perfect for any time of day.  They curb mid-afternoon hunger pangs, lend a little energy on the way to dance class or the gym, and make a nice midnight snack without guilt.  Adding Kind's Banana Nut Clusters to this batch, I found the texture to be irresistible.  A nice soft cookie, now with a bit of a bite, we've made three batches over the last few weeks and no one seems to be tiring of them yet.

A big thanks to Kind for our Kind Care Package!  With school just around the corner we're stocking up on the kid's favorites and making a care package of our own as we send our son off to college.  Nearly every day is a Kind day for us, and we hope it is for you too.

Super Coconut Quinoa Granola with Hemp and Goldenberries

I'll admit it... I can't live without granola!!  If you had asked me three years ago to even try granola, you'd have been met with a big, "Um... no thanks. I don't do granola."  Fast forward those three years and I can't get enough of the crunchy, oaty goodness.

As we've all read, making granola at home is so much cheaper (and better!) than many you will find in stores, but my main fascination is with the ingredients I can put in it.

Filling our versions with all sorts of healthy ingredients while maintaining an aura of sweetness has sometimes been a challenge.  Not so with this Coconut version though, first try and it was good to go.

Oats and ground flax have been staples for my granolas, but lately I've been seeing granola versions with quinoa.  Quinoa in granola?  Oh, my yes!!  Personally, I love a good crunchy granola, and toasted quinoa adds just that.  Bringing me to my next thought, "What about Hemp Seed?"

Hemp is new on my nutritional radar, but being an easily digestible high protein seed containing all nine of the essential amino acids (just like flax), it's quickly rising on my favorite ingredient list.  A source rich in phytonutrients, hemp is thought to bring disease-protective elements including boosting and protecting the immune system, bloodstream, tissues, cells and organs.

But is hemp safe??  My husband's first question wondered why I was bringing marijuana into our pantry, but my prior research put his mind immediately at ease when I explained that hemp is THC-free, and while it is indeed part of the cannabis family, it is safe and drug free (I found this article from The Nourishing Gourmet to be great source of information with links to even more info).

But back to our granola... now filled with oats, flax, quinoa and hemp, we needed sweetness, or what I call "the goodies".  The goodies are sometimes my favorite part of the granola as they lend a burst of flavor and sweetness to each bite.  Another new to me ingredients, the superfood Goldenberries, made its bursting with flavor way into this concoction.  Filled with vital nutrients including beta-carotene, protein, bioflavinoids and vitamin A, Goldenberries are my new "grab and go snack".  With their sweet/tart flavor, the chewy dried berries became the perfect finishing touch to our mixture.

Super in taste as well as nutrition, granola is here to stay.

Coconut Mango Granola... it's for Muffin.

Angels really do walk among us, but sometimes even they need a little help.

Are you familiar with photographer extraordinaire, Kita of Pass the Sushi and Girl Carnivore??  If not, you should be.  Miss Kita is truly one of those angels.

If my son were a food blog reader I know he'd have a huge crush on Kita as her recipes bring mouthwatering responses to all who view her stunning photos, and her writing will have you smiling as you read along.  But her blogs, fabulous as they are, aren't what make her an angel.

Photo Credit: Kita, Pass the Sushi

You see, Kita is adopting a beautiful pup named Muffin.  Muffin (she's about 5), like many pups, craves belly rubs and really wants to be a lap dog even though she's a tad too big.  She has bright, smiling eyes and is working on loving humans again.

Not too long ago, Muffin was found neglected and abused.  How someone can hurt helpless animals is beyond me, but the pain inflicted on this sweet girl is unbelievable.  I'm not in on the whole story, but I know the raw sores on her face were caused by chemicals thrown on her, and her road to recovery is a long one.  Along with that road comes a mountain of medical bills, and our Angel, Kita, is holding a bake sale to help defray some of the costs.

Muffin is all smiles!  Photo Credit: Kita, Pass the Sushi

Won't you help??

Some of the biggest names in food blogging are participating in this bake sale and you can be the recipient of some of their incredible baked goods.  For example... did you ever want the esteemed Chef Dennis to bake for you?? Here's your chance.  He's bringing Triple Chocolate Fudge Brownies (yes... triple chocolate!) and they can be all yours.  Or have you ever wanted to be In Katrina's Kitchen??  I have, and she's got some fabulous S'more Cereal Treat Bars that I'm not sure I'd want to share.  Care to stay Gluten Free??  Not a problem... Carolyn from All Day I Dream About Food has a divine GF Chocolate Orange Swirl Bread.  And that's just the tip of the iceberg.  Check out this link for a sneak peak to see what's coming to the auction block and be ready swoon.

Here are the details:

At 8AM (EST) July 17th the Muffins for Muffin Bake Sale will start on PasstheSushi.com. A list of all donated baked goods and cook books will be shown with information next to them. To bid on an item, you will send an email to kita {at} passthesushi.com with the item you are bidding on in the subject line. Minimum bids will start at $15 and all bids after must be $5 higher. Bids will be updated next the item throughout the day, so check back if there is something you are really hoping to win! At the end of bidding, I will email the winning bidders to confirm instructions for payment, and also to retrieve their mailing address for their winnings. Payment will be made via paypal within 24 hours of confirmation (so that I can get your info to the baker asap!). Baked goods will be mailed to winners within one week unless other special arrangements are made or noted.

While Liv Life doesn't have an item up for bid, we did make a granola in Muffin's honor... a wonderfully sweet (just like her) Coconut Mango Granola that Liv dubbed Muffin's Mango Madness - Granola with a Tropical Twist (see below).

Filled with wholesome rolled oats and ground flax meal, the grains are bound together with a brown sugar/coconut oil mixture enhanced with sweet Mango Nectar.  Finished off with a dose of dried mango, slivered almonds and toasted coconut, this granola has the ability to transport you to your favorite tropical place - just imagine those swaying palms and light ocean breezes...

Will we see you at Muffin's Bakesale on July 17th??  I wouldn't miss it!  Help Muffin get the medicine she needs to regain her life with her angel.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola Clusters

Shhh... don't tell Liv and her friends, but I made them chocolate clusters from their favorite Peanut Butter Granola for last weekend's dance competition.  Protein packed with peanut butter and filled with rolled oats, these crunchy clusters were the perfect snack to fuel them during those quick changes before they had to run back on stage.

Well, let me rephrase.  They would have been the perfect snack... if I hadn't eaten them all in the days before the event.

I had good intentions, really I did.  I prepped on Friday making the Peanut Butter Granola.  Low in fat and nutritionally boosted with egg whites and ground flax meal, the girls never really know that it's good for them and always ask for more.

Going for something special, I coated the granola with melted dark chocolate and the spread it out to set.

Unfortunately (or fortunately?)  Liv was at dance rehearsals, and I thought I should try one of the clusters.  You know, just to make sure it tasted OK.  So I did.  And then I did again, and then I did almost every time I walked by.

Saturday came, and luckily I still had plenty of the clusters to pack for our dance event on Sunday.  But, as the day wore on, I may have eaten more than my fair share.

Come Sunday morning  as I packed our food for the day, I realized I really didn't have enough of the clusters left to share, so I left the few remaining pieces home.  On Monday I finished them off realizing I hadn't shared them with anyone.

Hence, I have no recommendations from any of the dance girls or my fellow dance moms.  No one in my family had a try, and there's none left for for anyone to taste.  I'm thinking I might make more for them.  I only hope they actually get some this time...

Cranberry Pomegranate Almond Granola with Orange Essence

Pulling together the last of our holiday gifts, I've reluctantly packaged up the end of my batch of Cranberry Granola.  Filled with toasted almonds and pepitas, this granola seems to brightly shine with the addition of freshly grated orange peel.

2012 was my granola discovery year.  Even though I am a child of the 60's, I always looked at granola as "hippie food" (not that there is anything wrong with that...) and life took me through some 45 years before I gave granola a try.  Now that I have a number of recipes under my belt, I can't seem to get enough of the crunchy goodness, and I'm thrilled to make it cheaper and healthier at home.

On the forefront of the natural food revolution, granola made a name for itself in the 1960's as young adults took a stand against processed food.  Adding fruit and nuts to a mixture of baked grains, hippies of the 60's revived the crunchy cereal and soon had others referring to them as "Crunchy" or "Granola Heads".

Lately granola has again made a resurgence of sorts, and recipes for all kinds of flavors can be found across the internet.  Often thought of as "health food", one does have to be careful though, as the cereal can be sugar and fat laden, becoming more of a crunchy dessert than a healthy breakfast.

Enter the homemade version.  Inexpensive, lower in fat and sugar, and tailored to your exact preference, what's not to like?  Filled with the whole grain goodness of oats, flax, rye or wheat germ, you choose the grains.  Bound with oils, eggs, fruit purees or nut butters, you choose the fat content.  Sweetened with brown sugar, maple syrup, agave or even apple sauce, you choose the sweetener.  And so on.  Add in your favorite nuts and dried fruits and you have an ideal crunchy topping for yogurt, a delightful bowl with milk or a tasty, energy providing snack eaten out of hand.

Placed in a cute jar or simply tied in a cellophane gift bag, granola is easy to package and works wonderfully as a homemade gift.  With a decent shelf life, granola can be made ahead of time, or tossed together at the last minute when a quick gift is needed.

Celebrating the season, Liv and I tossed together this simple Cranberry Pomegranate Almond Granola and added freshly grated orange peel bringing a beautiful, bright, and healthy treat that is sure to be appreciated.  Our recipe is below, but now that I can claim to be a real Granola Head, I've got a few additional recipes that just might pique your interest:

Peanut Butter Granola
Slightly higher in fat, but I think this one is my all time favorite!

Tahitian Vanilla Granola

Lower in fat, this granola brings a tropical twist.

Maple Granola

Pure Maple Syrup brings you a sweet breakfast in a bowl

 

Pumpkin Granola

Filled with heart healthy ingredients, this granola also brings flavors of Pumpkin Pie

And now we bring your our latest version.... Cranberry Pom Granola with Almonds and Orange Essence.  Package some up for a neighbor today!

Peanut Butter Granola

"Peanut Butter Granola... what do you think??"  That was the message I sent to one of Liv's dance friends a week or two ago, and almost immediately I received a response in all caps, "I THINK YES!".

Ellie, one of the girls in our dance carpool last year, discovered she does indeed love granola, and became one of my main taste testers as we set about creating our own granola recipes.  Trying to bring the girls healthy snacks between school and dance rehearsals, I didn't think granola would fly, but the sweetened, crunchy goodness became a favored treat.  While our opinions varied on the correct amount of sweetness, we all came to look forward to a little bag of granola in the car.

Ellie and Liv are frequently matched up as dance partners, and have danced as everything from hillbillies, baseball players to the characters from West Side Story.  Right - Ellie hip hops her way to Nationals.

Usually filled with a base of rolled oats, we've added everything from dried mangoes and macadamia nuts, raisins and pepitas, slivered almonds and apricots, and beyond.  Usually the mixture benefited from the sweet addition (the fruits) and some sort of salty addition (the nuts and seeds) to bring depth.  But this Peanut Butter Granola... well, this one can stand alone.

Simply filled with oats, flax, peanut butter, brown sugar, vanilla and an egg white, the mixture still meets my approval for a healthy snack, but the with no added fruits for sweetness, the amount of sugar for the girl's taste for sweetness goes a bit above my happy point.  None-the-less, with the delicate peanut buttery goodness, I too found the granola to be nearly irresistible.

As Ellie's birthday happened to coincide with our granola prep, she became the happy recipient of a freshly prepared jar of Peanut Butter Granola.  How many teenagers do you know whose eyes light up at the sight of sweetened oats??

Happy Birthday Ellie!

Tahitian Vanilla Granola

Settling into our more leisurely summer routine, the phrase, "Mom... I'm hungry.  Is there anything good to eat?" has met my ears more than once in the last few days.  As I gaze at my overflowing pantry, I can't help but think, "Yes... there is plenty of good things to eat."  That being said, one can never have too many snacks around.  And if I orchestrate the snack, more than likely it will be a healthier choice than some of the chips and salsa alternatives.

Enter granola.  Earlier this year Liv, my son and my husband all turned up their noses at the thought of granola.  The kids more out of a "I don't eat that kind of stuff" kind of thought, and my husband with a "Have you seen the fat count in granola?" kind of thought.

Our first granola attempt, a pure maple syrup version, put an end to all of their prior thoughts and now has them asking, "When are you making more granola?".  Trying different versions we've come to love Coconut Mango Granola, Pumpkin Granola, and Peanut Butter Granola Bars since our first explorations.

As my thoughts of summer turn to swaying palms and have me reminiscing about my days sailing around the South Pacific, I grabbed the last little bottle of Tahitian Vanilla from my trip a year and a half ago.

Huahine - 2010

A stop in tropical Huahine had us settling into vacation mode almost immediately.  As our ship, the Paul Gauguin, entered the bay, low clouds hung over the lush volcanic peaks as we made our way on deck the first morning following our long flight from Los Angeles.

Coffee in hand, we took in the view of the vibrant waters and swaying palms from the back of the ship.  The February humidity was a treat to our winter-chilled bones, and we grew even more excited about our upcoming tour of the island.

Vanilla Pods

Boarding a vehicle with 8 passengers, Joelle, an American living on Huahine, took us around the island and filled our heads with lore, history, and stunning sights.  High on my list was a stop at a local vanilla bean "farm", where we not only had the opportunity to see how vanilla beans are grown and dried (a labor intensive job done by hand), but also purchase.  With Joelle's recommendation that these were some of the best beans in the South Pacific (a sales pitch?  Perhaps... but they lived up to their reputation) I jumped at the chance to load up on the fairly inexpensive pods in addition to some extract, and sure enough, wished I had purchased even more as I returned home.

Today, a year and a half later, my last bottle now held just one teaspoon of the floral scented liquid gold, and with Vanilla Granola on our minds I couldn't think of a better way to finish up the bottle.  Supplementing with pure vanilla seeds that a friend brought me from Paris, our Vanilla Granola took shape and soon had an aroma swirling about the house bringing memories of Huahine flooding back to my mind.

Now about that empty bottle... here's hoping my husband is reading and realizing that we really need to make a shopping expedition to the South Pacific sometime soon.

Peanut Butter Granola Bars - for National Peanut Butter Lover's Day

Happy National Peanut Butter Lover's Day!!

With today, March 1st, being a day of ultimate celebration - National Peanut Butter Lover's Day - thoughts of the luscious, creamy butter were with me as the sun broke through the night sky.  Right up there with Christmas and birthdays on my important days of the year list, peanut butter holds an honored place of high esteem in my life.

As a peanut butter lover since birth, my reverence for Dr. John Kellogg (of the cereal fame), remains high for the simple task of taking the humble peanut and turning it into the luscious, creamy composite that has become an American way of life.  Turning the peanuts into an easily digestible protein for his patients with no teeth, he most likely had little idea that the product would one day sell some 90 million jars a year.

According to the National Peanut Board, it takes about 540 peanuts to make one 12-ounce jar of peanut butter, with a one acre field producing enough peanuts for about 30,000 peanut butter sandwiches.  Statistics show that men prefer the crunchy version while women's tastes tend towards the creamy.  Geographically, the crunchy version remains more popular in the western regions of the US as the East leans towards creamy.

Can you name the two American Presidents who had careers as peanut farmers (see answer below)?  And did you know that peanut butter was the secret behind Mr. Ed, TV's talking horse?  And who knew that Arachibutyrophobia actually stops some people from eating peanut butter with their intense fear of getting peanut butter suck to the roof of their mouth?

1928, another very important date in history, earns kudos with the introduction of the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup by matching "two great tastes that taste great together".  Definitely a match made in heaven and a marriage that will indeed last into eternity, chocolate and peanut butter remain my personal favorite combo as evidenced by some of our most popular Liv Life creations:

Layered Triple Peanut Butter Krispie Treats

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip and Banana Muffins

Peanut Butter Chocolate Shortbread Bars

Chocolate Peanut Butter Surprise Cookies

While peanut butter and chocolate may be my favorite combo, I'm certainly not opposed to peanut butter on its own...

Peanut Butter Cookies

Peanut Butter Cupcakes

Apple Rings with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Krispies

Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce

On this most special of celebratory days, Liv Life wishes you a

Happy National Peanut Butter Lover's Day

as we bring you the newest addition to our Peanut Butter Collection:

Peanut Butter Granola Bars (with chocolate chips, of course...)

 

PS... Thomas Jefferson and Jimmy Carter are the two American Presidents who were also Peanut Farmers.

Yogurt Granola Parfait

Every once in a while we stumble upon something so simple we almost don't want to admit that we didn't know about it.  Such is the case with the Yogurt Granola Parfait.  The height of simplicity with a few layers of ingredients taking only moments to put together, it wasn't something that I learned I loved until I was on vacation in Italy last October.

European Yogurt Parfait... creamy and delicious!

Breakfast on the Seabourn Legend was indeed a daily treat and became one of the favorite parts of my days on the ship.  Dining most mornings outside, in The Cafe, my husband and I took in the views of the approaching ports as the golden hues of the rising sun set the landscape aglow.

With servers taking care of our daily cappuccinos and cooked to order items, we would wander into the buffet area for choices of fresh breads, fruits and yes, yogurt parfaits.  Admittedly not a buffet girl, I chose to skip the bufet offerings the first few days, and turned up my nose at my husband's parfaits thinking that the granola would me mushy and the yogurt full of fat.  I could not have been more incorrect, sort of.

Prepared ahead of time, the yogurt was layered with granola, and yes, the granola did lose most of it's crunch, but in such a delicious texturiffic sort of way that I found myself craving it as the day went on.  In addition, something about the fresh, European yogurt had me ready to pack my bags and move to Europe.  Creamy, and yes with some fat, it was like something I've never tasted here in the USA.

Breakfast on the Legend... Legendary indeed!

Coming home there was no way to recreate the luscious treat we had on the ship, but as my memory fades, the Trader Joe's Greek Yogurt has become a decent substitute, and when layered with one of our homemade granolas it has also become a treat.  Our most recent Apple Cinnamon Granola blended nicely with a dose of vanilla yogurt for a delightful parfait.  The Orange Almond or Maple versions from a few weeks ago have worked their own magic with the vanilla or plain yogurts.  Frankly, any granola layered with any sort of yogurt and optionally topped with fresh fruit can become this wonderful yogurt parfait treat.

As I find myself yearning for my breakfast without responsibility on the ship, the yogurt parfait takes me back, if only just for a moment.  Simple, tasty and a good start to your day, yogurt and granola make a wonderful pairing.

Orange Almond Granola

Inhaling as I wander past my blooming orange tree, visions of spring flash through my mind.  The white blossoms cover the tree from head to foot, well... from top to bottom anyway, and lend their scent to the entire side yard.  Little, baby oranges make their way out of the center of the blossoms and in a few months, they will be the juice on my table.  Or perhaps they will be the peel in my granola as I'm certain that this last batch of Orange Granola won't last long.  

This year I'm lucky to have my Dad's tree supplement my orange crop, as my crop totaled 3.   Yep, 3 whole oranges.  Unfortunately, our usually prolific tree received a cut from the gardener last year just as it was blooming.  I didn't think it was possible to be moved to tears over a mere tree, but as I walked outside and saw the leaves and blossoms lying on the ground I could hardly hold it in.

Next year's orange peel...

The guy was new and in my broken Spanish I begged him to stop cutting, but the damage was done.  He was only trying to shape the tree in a "pretty" way, but... well... but.   Words can not describe my disappointment at seeing my entire orange crop on the ground, however, a year later the tree has regenerated, and is, I might add, thicker and even more prolific than ever due to its untimely trimming.

With a bowl of Dad's oranges on our counter and the granola bin empty, inspiration hit late this afternoon.  Granola has been popular around our house as of late, as well as at the dance studio where one of my daughter's friends has been gushing about our flavorful Maple version.

Taking that maple version, adding a little of this and deleting a little of that, today's Orange Granola took on a delightfully light orange flavor.  Keeping the crunch brought by the baked egg white, this granola truly hit the spot.

Low in fat, yet filled with whole grain oats and nutrient-rich almonds, the granola has been my snack of choice each time I've passed the overflowing jar.  Tomorrow we'll share some with Liv's Maple Granola-addicted dance friend, Ellie, and see what she thinks.

I'm thinking it's a good thing next years crop is looking to be bigger than this year's...