Thursday, March 22, 2012

Homamade Granola - Cranberry Coconut




I posted my original granola earlier in the month - This is another version of the granola.

2 cups old fashioned oats
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup wheat germ
3/4 cup honey
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 ounce unsalted butter (about 1/4 of stick) (plus a little tad extra)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional)
6 1/2 ounces dried fruit (any combo)
1/2 cup puffed rice cereal
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Butter/Or "Pam" a 8x8 glass baking dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds and wheat germ onto a sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes - stirring every 5 minutes.
3. Combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a a small pan and place over medium heat. Cook until everything has completely dissolved.
4. Once the oat mixture is done - remove from oven and reduce heat to 300. In a large bowl add the oat mixture and the liquid mixture. Stir well. Add the dried fruit, chocolate & puffed rice cereal to the mixture, stir. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and press it firmly down (I use the bottom of a glass to make it all even). Bake 25 minutes.
5. Remove from oven and cool completely - about 2 hours. Cut into squares, chunk it, make bars - whatever you want. It firms up really hard in the fridge. Keep in an airtight container for a week or two.

For my fruit mixture I used coconut and cherry flavored cranberries.
This probably could fit in a 11x9 pan a lot better than the 8x8.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Homemade Granola - Coconut Date

Homemade Granola is so easy!! Your kids could make it! Lots of measuring and dumping... 2 cups old fashioned oats 
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds 
1 cup sliced almonds 
1/2 cup wheat germ 
1/2 cup honey (or agave to make it vegan) 
1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar 
1 ounce butter (about 1/4 of stick) (plus a little tad extra) We like Earth Balance
2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (optional) 
6 1/2 ounces dried fruit (any combo) 

1. Butter/Or "Pam" a 8x8 glass baking dish and set aside. Preheat oven to 350. 
2. Spread the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds and wheat germ onto a sheet pan. Place in the oven and toast for 15 minutes - stirring every 5 minutes. 
3. Combine the honey/agave, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a a small pan and place over medium heat. Cook until everything has completely dissolved. 
4. Once the oat mixture is done - remove from oven and reduce heat to 300. In a large bowl add the oat mixture and the liquid mixture. Stir well. Add the dried fruit to the mixture, stir. Pour mixture into the prepared baking dish and press it firmly down (I use the bottom of a glass to make it all even). Bake 25 minutes. 
5. Remove from oven and cool completely - about 2 hours. Cut into squares, chunk it, make bars - whatever you want. It firms up really hard in the fridge. Keep in an airtight container for a week or two. This went FAST at our house... For my fruit mixture I used a combo of dates and coconut :) It was really good. This recipe can be tweaked in SO MANY ways! Just think of the combos of different extracts and fruit...endless ideas!

Monday, March 5, 2012

My Yard Salad

So I started following Merriwether's Foraging Texas on Facebook and I've found so many yummy edible wild plants in my yard!!



Wood sorrel is a new favorite of mine.



Ingredients: Wood Sorrel, wild onion "chives", parsley, dill, cilantro, argula, cimmaron lettuce, pepper cress, asparagus - evoo and S&P