All Natural Homemade Granola

This granola is SO YUMMY AND SO EASY TO MAKE! It has become an absolute staple in our house. Pete just dominates a bowl of greek yogurt if I top it with some of this crunchy granola. In fact, I don't think I could ever even get him to eat a plain bowl of nonfat, unsweetened, greek yogurt at all if it weren't for this granola.
This recipe makes enough to fill 3 large mason jars. The first time I made it, I thought 'Oh my this is way too much, I need to give away a jar or two. We will never finish all of this.' But we wound up going through all 3 of them in just a month!
It is super nutritious- packed full of fiber, vitamins, and protein ...and flavor! Flavor is an important part of nutritious food too -if it doesn't taste good, people won't eat it; if people won't eat it, what good is it! This granola shows that nuts, seeds, and whole grains are not just bird food anymore :) They're definitely nutrition worth eating.

I originally got this recipe from one of my dear friends- and college roommate- Dana. She got the recipe from her neighbor, but Dana tweaked it a bit to make it her own. Now that I've been making it for awhile, I've tweaked it a bit. That's the best kind of recipe; one that's been passed around and versatile enough to be tweaked to your own liking. Feel free to make changes to this granola to make it your own. Share any changes with me...I would have fun with your ideas to mix it up a bit next time I make it :)

This is ironic timing to share the recipe because I first tried this granola when Dana gave me a big mason jar full of this yummy granola for Christmas a few years ago. I think I just might fill a few jars to give away this Christmas as well. Tie a ribbon around the lid with a little handwritten tag and it makes a great gift for teachers, neighbors, co-workers, acquaintances, ...even a possible stocking stuffer?

RECIPE (about 12 cups or fills 3 Large Mason Jars plus a little extra) :

• 5 cups Rolled Oats
• 1 1/2 cups Shredded Coconut
• 1 cup Ground Flaxseed (or Wheat Germ)
• 1 cup Sunflower Seeds, shelled
• 2 cups Cashews, halved
• 1/2 cup Canola Oil
• 1/2 cup Honey
• 1/3 cup Water (or 1/3 cup Maple Syrup)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Salt
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla
• 1 cup dried fruit (I like to use craisins. Dana used orange scented golden raisins from Sprouts Market and they were super awesome in this granola)

This makes A LOT, so before you start making this, make sure you have two jelly roll pans, OR a HUGE baking dish with like 5 inch tall walls like the one I have pictured here. I actually think two pans would be better because it will toast more evenly. I have to stir my granola often in the deep dish pan that I use. 

Then preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

In a bowl, mix together the oil, honey, water, salt, and vanilla. (The original recipe from Dana's neighbor gave the option of 1/3 cup water OR 1/3 cup maple syrup. I opt for the water in order to cut down on the sugar, but you can try it either way and see which you like best)

**Helpful tip: warm the honey slightly and it will combine easier with the other ingredients. 

Then, into your honey mixture dump the: oats, coconut, flaxseed (or wheat germ), sunflower seeds, and cashews. Stir well and make sure it is all mixed together and coated completely with the liquid/honey mixture. 

Spread your raw granola mixture evenly in your baking pan/pans, and bake for about 40 minutes or so (stirring every 10 minutes) until it is all golden brown. It will not be all crisp and crunchy until you pull it out of the oven and let it cool for a few minutes. So don't worry if it's golden brown but feels slightly soft -you can continue to bake it longer if you want, but as soon as it turns toasty brown colored just pull it and let it cool to a crisp.

However, BEFORE it cools, add in the one cup of dried fruit. Stir into the hot granola.

Allow to cool, and store in an airtight container. I love using the old fashioned mason jars.

We enjoy this granola in a yummy yogurt parfait with fresh strawberries during the summer. I use plain, nonfat Greek yogurt, with NO sweetener. All you need is the natural sweetness from the fruit and the granola and you'd never know that it's plain yogurt!
Good strawberries are hard to find at this time of year, so you can use any fruit that's in season, OR don't forget about frozen fruit! Just because it's frozen doesn't mean it's any less good for you... just make sure you choose frozen fruit with no sugar added.

Magic Cookie Bars

This is the golden oldie, the classic, the 'magic cookie bar'. It's the recipe that we all grew up with from the back of the sweetened condensed milk can. It has been years since I've had these, so I don't know what made me think of making them now, but they were even better than I remembered! Or maybe they were just so good because they fueled us for a full weekend of skiing. I took these snacks with us on our last ski trip of the season this year. Closing weekend was in April, and we were definitely there to say sayonara to ski season 2012.


Peter is a BIG snowboarder. His family took wintertime snow trips to the mountains, whereas my family was more of a summer beach vacation kind of fam. So when Peter and I started dating, I recognized that his snow sportiness was definitely one thing we did not share in common... yet. We loved playing soccer together in college, and volleyball and softball during our first summer dating, but snowboarding was something I was yet to learn. My time had come to learn when our first winter came around that we were dating. I so badly wanted to learn to snowboard because I knew he loved it so much. But learning to snowboard with Peter was like baptism by fire; I got thrown right into solid 4 day ski trips with him and his buddies. I pictured a few hours of learning each afternoon, but with this group it was first chair in the morning to last run of the evening. Like I said, baptism by fire. That first trip, I came home and had lost 5 lbs! Long hard days on the mountain burns some serious calories!


But Peter was such a patient teacher, and soon enough I had picked  up snowboarding and fallen in love... with snowboarding too :) Now, I have been snowboarding with him (and our friends) for 4 years already. Snowboarding has definitely become another fun activity that we share together. However, I also now know to pack some much needed calorie dense treats for our long days on the slopes. Most recently, I made these magic cookie bars and everyone in our group LOVED them. They made for a perfect mountain treat. I think they may become a new ski trip tradition for us :) 


Shopping List (makes a 9x13 casserole dish): 

• 1/2 cup Butter (1 stick)
• 1 1/2 cups Graham Cracker Crumbs (1 wrapped sleeve out of a box)
• 1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 2 cups Semisweet Chocolate Chips
• 1 1/3 cups flaked Coconut
• 1 cup chopped Walnuts

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. 

In a microwavable bowl, melt your butter:

Once the butter is melted, add the graham cracker crumbs into the bowl and combine well with the melted butter:

Press this crumb mixture firmly into a 9x13 casserole dish to make the bottom layer of your magic bars:

Then pour the can sweetened condensed milk over the crumb layer: 

Evenly sprinkle the chocolate chips, the coconut flakes, and the walnuts over the condensed milk layer. Press these top ingredients gently down into the condensed milk:

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the coconut flakes look golden and toasty on top:

Allow it to cool slightly before cutting into squares:

And box these bad boys up for a road trip to the slopes :)

But be sure to taste test one while it's still a little warm :)

Egg 'McMuffin'

I call these Egg 'McMuffins', but they're really more like omelette muffins, or a crustless quiche, or maybe even more like mini frittatas. 


I made these one morning for Pete and a few of his buddies a while ago when they came down for a Saturday morning in Laguna. That morning, Pete and I took an early Saturday morning stroll and walked down to the market to get some groceries for breakfast. Peter got a call on his cell phone and the next thing I heard, he was saying, "Sure, Meg's about to make breakfast- come on down!" Suddenly, my menu changed and I had to get back and throw a feast together fast! I had never made these before, but it was the easiest way to throw together a bunch of breakfasts for a bunch of boys with about NO times notice. They were such a hit that I have loved making them ever since then. This week, these little egg muffins made their debut as our St Patricks Day pots of gold :) 


Besides the fact that they are fun and fast for breakfast, they are also great because you can use ANY ingredients that you would normally like in an omelette or quiche. PLUS, they are awesome to keep in the fridge and reheat for an instant breakfast on a work morning. That's what we have been doing all week; Pete has just been loving these quick healthy little 'omelettes'. 


Recipe (for a large (6 muffin) sized muffin pan): 

• 10 Eggs
• 1 cup Skim Milk, or fat free Half & Half
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheese (I use low moisture part skim Mozzarella, but Cheddar, Gruyere, or Swish would be good too)
• Toppings (I use 2 Bell Peppers- 1 red & 1 green, 1 diced Yellow Onion, for the boys I added 8 oz. lean Sausage, I just used the veggies for Peter and I and it was great too!)
• *Optional 1/2 teaspoon Salt

Directions: 

1. (*If using sausage or bacon, cook that in your pan first.)
2. Heat some Canola oil in a sautee pan and cook your diced onion and bell peppers for a few minutes. 
3. Whisk your eggs and milk together (you can add a little salt here too. If you are using a breakfast meat though, those are usually pretty salty already; also cheese adds a little salt to it as well)
4. Spray your muffin tins with nonstick spray.
5. Divide your sauteed veggies and/or meat evenly between the muffin tins. 
6. Ladle the eggs into each muffin tin over the fillings
7. Sprinkle a little cheese on top of the egg
8. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 20 minutes. 

Bake until they puff and golden on top:

Look at how beautiful and golden they get!

However, they do deflate within minutes of pulling them out of the oven. I've tried using a little baking powder whisked into the egg mixture to make them stay puffed... but that just leaves a funny taste to them. 

Nevertheless, these deflated little omelette muffins are still SO SO yummy and convenient just the way they are. 

I let these cool, then store them in the fridge in a giant ziplock bag. I've been SUPER busy with work and have had a lot of early mornings, so these are great for Pete. He just pulls one out heats it in the microwave and dabs a little tapatio on it. Instant homemade breakfast to go!

Other Ideas: 

• If you have guests staying the night, you can make these ahead of time and cover them in the fridge until the morning when you can bake them off fresh.
• You can toast a whole grain English Muffin and put one of these little egg muffins between it to make a breakfast sandwich.

Jalapeno Cream Cheese-&-Crackers

This is another AWESOME appetizer.... and just in time for Super Bowl parties! 
Don't be deceived by the jalapeno, this appetizer is hardly spicy at all. You can control the heat by using mild jalapeno jelly. Plus, jelly has enough sugar in it that it mellows out the spiciness, and the cream cheese definitely calms down any spiciness as well. The first time I had this was at my Aunt's house like 15 years ago! She served this appetizer before dinner and I think I ate most of it! I LOVED it. As a little girl, I didn't like jalapenos or spicy foods at all (what kid does?), but this is an unusually tantalizing combination of flavors that you must try- even if you don't like spicy flavors. 


Now, there are not a lot of companies that make jalapeno jelly- so my only option is this one company that makes a mild jalapeno jelly in bright green, and a hot jalapeno jelly in bright red. I would prefer to serve the red color since it is more appetizing looking, but since appetizers are to serve a wide variety of people I usually opt for the mild version. Unfortunately, that leaves me with this alien-like bright green one. I'm going to have to start making my own homemade jalapeno jelly because this neon green isn't the most appetizing looking color to serve on a platter. Regardless if it makes people look twice, they will love it! I've had lots of 'spicy-food-haters' who are shocked at how much they love this simple snack and they end up being the ones who eat the most of it. 


It's simple; you can just pick up the 3 ingredients at the store on your way to an event and assemble it in 2 seconds when you get there. This is a great secret to keep in your back pocket for when you find yourself short on time!


This appetizer has all the makings of a beautifully addictive treat: the crackers make it crunchy and salty, the cheese makes it creamy and smooth, the jelly makes it sweet and spicy. This one's got it all :)


Shopping List:

• 1 box Wheat Thins (reduced fat works fine also)
• 1 (8 oz) box of Cream Cheese (light versions work well too)
• 1 jar of Jalapeno Jelly (your choice of mild or hot)

Simply pour the jelly over the top of the cream cheese and serve with the crackers on the side. Don't forget a little cheese spreader knife as well :)

Pastry Pinwheel Appetizers

So this post is going to be a 2-for-1 deal because I'm going to share TWO different versions of the same appetizer: Spinach Asiago pinwheels, AND Garlic Cheddar Pinwheels. Well, really it's like an infinite amount of different appetizers from one recipe since you can take this idea and recreate it a million different ways with all kinds of different ingredients and flavors rolled up inside of them (lots of ideas listed at the bottom of this post too).


This recipe uses puff pastry; I just use the frozen kind at the market, because it is so much easier than making it at home and doesn't taste any less than homemade. Plus you get TWO sheets of puff pastry in one box- so you can either double the recipe of your favorite flavor below, or you can make each one.


I made these for a New Year's Eve Party. Now, it's a great time to share them, though, because the Super Bowl is nearing and I think these will make a great super bowl party snack! This is one that both guys and girls like :)


Spinach-Cheese Pinwheels:

• 1 sheet Puff Pastry, THAWED (buy the frozen kind at the supermarket. They usually come in a box with 2 puff pastry sheets. But BE SURE to let yours thaw before starting this)
• 1 large Egg + 1 Tbsp Water
• 1 package Spinach (again, just buy the frozen box at the supermarket), thawed and WELL DRAINED (really squeeze all the liquid out of it)
• 3/4 cup shredded Cheese- you can use any type you like, but I used Asiago here! Some other yummy options are: Mozzarella, Gruyere, or Muenster.
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• 1/8 tsp Garlic Powder
• AP Flour for work surface

Garlic-Cheddar Pinwheels:

• 1 sheet Puff Pastry, THAWED (buy the frozen kind at the supermarket. They usually come in a box with 2 puff pastry sheets. But BE SURE to let yours thaw before starting this)
• 1 large Egg + 1 Tbsp Water
• 2 Tablespoons minced Garlic
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar Cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• AP Flour for work surface

Spinach-Cheese Pinwheels:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Lay one sheet of pastry dough on a well-floured surface, and roll out using a rolling pin into a large rectangle. 

Beat together egg and water in one bowl or cup. Mix shredded cheese, grated parmesan, and garlic powder in a separate bowl. 

1. Paint egg wash onto rolled out pastry sheet. (reserve a little for later use)
2. Squeeze all liquid out of defrosted spinach. Spread evenly across the pastry sheet. 
3. Sprinkle cheese mix evenly over top of spinach layer. 

Starting at a short side of the rectangle, roll up. Seal well (use a little egg wash if you need to, in order to seal up the seam.)

Slice into 1/2 inch pinwheels (makes about 22)

*HELPFUL HINT: when I make cinnamon rolls I like to use floss to slice through the dough-y roll. HOWEVER, that does NOT work with these because the floss doesn't slice through the spinach, so it grabs it and pulls out the spinach instead. Unfortunately you have to use a sharp serrated knife and saw gently for each pinwheel. Use more back and forth motion and less pressing down motion to preserve the best shape & swirl of your pinwheels.

Lay them out onto a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Brush tops lightly with remaining egg wash (this help them maintain a glossy appearance after they've cooked)

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until they turn golden brown. 

Transfer to wire rack and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Garlic-Cheddar Pinwheels:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Lay one sheet of pastry dough on a well-floured surface, and roll out using a rolling pin into a large rectangle. 

Beat together egg and water in one bowl or cup. 

1. Paint egg wash on rolled out pastry sheet. (reserve a little for later use)
2. Spread minced garlic evenly across the pastry sheet. 
3. Sprinkle cheddar & parmesan evenly over top of garlic layer. 

Starting at a short side of the rectangle, roll up. Seal well (use a little egg wash if you need to, in order to seal up the seam.)

Slice into 1/2 inch pinwheels (makes about 22)

*HELPFUL HINT: when I make cinnamon rolls I like to use floss to slice through the dough-y roll. That DOES work like magic with these too! It doesn't work with spinach (as stated earlier) but 

using floss to slice the pinwheels works GREAT here.

Lay them out onto a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Brush tops lightly with remaining egg wash (this help them maintain a glossy appearance after they've cooked)

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until they golden.

Transfer to wire rack and allow to cool slightly before serving.

Enjoy!

. 

Other flavor ideas: 

Savory: 

-Pesto Sauce & Cheese

-Tomato sauce & Mozzarella

-Ham & Swiss

-Caramelized Onions and Gruyere

-Roasted Red Peppers & Fontina

-Sun dried Tomato, Basil, & Mozzarella

Sweet:

-Melted Chocolate

-Cinnamon & Sugar

-Honey & Walnuts

-Cream Cheese & Jam

Sweet & Savory: 

-Maple & Bacon

LEAVE A COMMENT WITH YOUR FUN IDEAS :)

Muddy Buddies!!!

I get so excited about Muddy Buddies because it means it's Christmas time!!! The first time I had these little treats was when my mom was teaching jr. high. I was in third grade at the time, and my mom came home from her classroom with tons of fun teacher gifts from her 7th grade students before Christmas break.... one of them was a big mason jar full of these muddy buddies! They were gone almost as soon as we cracked the jar open! My brother and sister and I all begged my mom to get the recipe from her student when she got back to school after break. 
13 years later, I still make these every Christmas and give them as gifts :) Sometimes I fill mason jars and tie them with a big Christmas ribbon, but this year I found some super cute ziplock bags that look like stockings! Whichever way you choose to wrap them up, make sure that it is sealed in an airtight package so that they keep their crunchy deliciousness.


These are easy, delicious, and addictive (beware!)


Recipe:

• 1 cup choc chips
• 1 cup peanut butter
• 1/4 cup butter
• 9 cups Chex cereal
• 1 1/2 cups Powdered Sugar

Melt the chocolate chips, peanut butter, and butter in a large microwave safe bowl:

Once well melted, gently fold in the chex cereal until completely coated: 

Toss the coated chex with powdered sugar in a large (2 gallon) ziplock back and shake well. 

**Helpful hint #1: fold down the top of the baggie (as seen in picture) when filling it so that the ziplock remains clean. Otherwise, chocolate and sugar cover the ziplock and it is difficult to seal closed. 

**Helpful hint #2: put 1/2 the powdered sugar in the bag, then the chex, then the other half of powdered sugar and shake well until all the little chex get a white winter coat.

Spread 'snowy' muddy buddies out onto wax paper:

Mmmmmmm... these sweet, salty, crunchy goodies are SO addictive:

 Store or package in airtight baggies/jars/containers. 

Look at these perfect little stocking ziplock baggies for gifting Christmas goodies!

Baked-goodie boxes full of assorted homemade cookies, and stockings full of muddy buddies:

Roasted Garlic Hummus

Hummus is a super healthy snack. I don't have a lot of 'snacky' stuff in my house- I just keep a lot of ingredients stocked up in my kitchen, so if you get snacky you better be willing to wait for something to get made. I know, "poor Peter". But HUMMUS- now this is something I don't mind having on hand for snacking! Peter has loved having this homemade hummus in the house. It even helps me to get him to eat carrots and celery :)


Hummus is so healthy because it is high in iron, vitamins, & fiber... but most uniquely, it is a good source of a 'complete' protein. Our body uses over 20 amino acids to make protein and perform various functions in our body. Our bodies can actually make most of these amino acids on their own. However there are 9 that our body cannot make sufficiently for growth, so it is essential that we get them from the foods we eat. This is why they are called 'essential amino acids'. 
Certain foods compliment each other to create a complete protein. For example: 

• Chickpeas have sufficient amounts of all the essential amino acids EXCEPT tryptophan and methionine. 
• HOWEVER, seeds and grains happen to be rich in tryptophan and methionine, and low in some of the other ess. amino acids that the chickpeas do have. 
• THEREFORE, when we combine the chickpeas with tahini (sesame seed paste) and serve it with grains (from the pita bread) you have sufficiently rich levels of ALL the essential amino acids.

i.e. you have a complete protein!





Recipe (makes about 2-3 cups):
1 can Chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans), drained
3 heaping Tablespoons of Tahini
Juice of one small Lemon (1/4 cup)
1/4-1/2 teaspoon Cumin (depending on your liking)
a few dashes of Paprika
1/8 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
1/4 cup Water (as needed)
1 small head Roasted Garlic (about 12 cloves)
1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil

It is super easy to make your own roasted garlic. Just slice your head of garlic in half, cross wise, then drizzle with EVOO and sprinkle lightly with salt. Wrap each half in a square of foil and roast at 400 degrees F for about 40 minutes. 

Place all ingredients, except olive oil, in food processor and blend until it becomes a thick paste.

Then AS THE PROCESSOR IS RUNNING drizzle in the olive oil until you get the desired consistency, though it should be thick.

Serve with pita bread, carrots, bell pepper slices, and/or celery sticks.

Garnishing options:

Drizzle with olive oil

Sprinkle with Paprika

Sprinkle with Cayenne

Top with chopped Parsley