Coconut Honey Granola

February 26, 2013 By 12 Comments

Just recently I started to make my own granola more regularly.
Besides being delicious, there are a few other reasons for this:

  1. I wanted a wheat free option for us for breakfast.
  2. Granola is SO dang expensive in the grocery store.  I just don’t get this.  The ingredients are so cheap, yet a box of granola can set you back almost $8 for a teensy weensy box.  What’s up with that?!
  3. Granola is so versatile:  it’s great as a breakfast cereal, a topping for yogurt or just alone as a snack.
  4. Oh, can’t forget that it’s yummy too.  What’s the point if it doesn’t taste good?  ;)

 

So for the last while I’ve made a couple of different recipes, and this one is the winner!
It’s sweet and crunchy.  And simple.
One of the criteria with granola in our house is that it can’t have nuts or little bitties like raisins or cranberries or any dried fruit for that matter.  The kids like their granola simple (actually me too).  But what’s great about this recipe is that if you do love those things you can add them.  Add what ever you like whenever you like.  My favourite way to eat it is sprinkled over some Greek yogurt with honey & cinnamon!

 

It makes the perfect hearty breakfast!
Just keep the granola in a handy, easy to grab container on your counter,
and everyone can just help themselves.
I use a large glass container to store it (you may remember it from my kitchen organizing post),
and it sits looking all scrumptious on my counter.

So here goes.  It’s a great recipe, and will take you less than an hour to make!

Print
Coconut Honey Granola
Serves: Makes about 6 cups.
 

Ingredients
  • 4 cups rolled oats
  • ½ cup packed brown sugar
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • 2 tbsp Chia seeds
  • 1 cup shredded coconut (divided in ½ – ½ for baking, ½ to add later)
  • ½ cup butter
  • ½ cup honey

Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  3. In a bowl combine the oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, Chia seeds and ½ cup of coconut. Toss to mix.
  4. In a saucepan over low heat melt the butter, then add the honey. Stir to blend. You don’t need to boil it, just mix it.
  5. Pour the honey mix over the oat mixture and mix well.
  6. Spread the granola mix out onto the baking sheet and bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, until crunchy and golden.
  7. Cool. The granola will harden as it cools, so don’t be worried if it seems soft when you take it out of the oven!
  8. Once the granola has cooled, add the remaining coconut.
  9. Enjoy!

Notes
If you want, you can add nuts or raisins or any dried fruit to your granola. Just add the nuts before you bake the granola, and add any dried fruit after the granola has been baked and cooled.

Recipe adapted from Williams Sonoma

 

So if you like granola, I hope you try this recipe!  Homemade granola is packed full of flavour and nutrition, without all the added chemicals of store bought cereal.

My little guy says it tastes like a cookie!  Winning!

 

Have a delicious day!

Sharing with the DIY Dreamer, Savvy Southern Style, Gingersnap Crafts, SNAP, Delightful Order, The Frugal Girls, Whipperberry, Your Homebased Mom, Under the Table and Dreaming

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Wheat Free Quinoa Pancakes

January 22, 2013 By 15 Comments

Oh pancakes, how much do I love and need thee in my life?
Ok, maybe a little dramatic.  But really, I do need them.

Especially soft, fluffy, flavour explosions like these.
You won’t even miss the wheat.

What about you?
Do you need another pancake recipe in your life?  Why yes, yes you do.
These are different from the usual.  But a good different.  They’re full of healthy goodness.
And you’ll love them.  Every last sweet scrumptious bite of ‘em!

Print
Wheat Free Quinoa Pancakes
Serves: Makes 12 medium-large pancakes. Enough to feed a family of 5.
 

Ingredients
  • 1¼ cup oat flour (see notes)
  • ¼ cup rice flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • ⅛ tsp salt
  • 2 eggs
  • 1½ cups buttermilk
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 3 tbsp canola oil
  • 1 cup cooked quinoa

Instructions
  1. Combine the oat and rice flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt and sugar. Set aside.
  2. In a separate bowl, mix together eggs, buttermilk, vanilla and oil.
  3. Add the egg/milk mixture to the flour mix. Stir until just combined.
  4. Fold in quinoa.
  5. Cook on a medium-high heat griddle, about 2-3 minutes each side, or until you see the bubbles popping.

Notes
Things to Note:
* Leftover quinoa is perfect for this recipe. If you are making quinoa for dinner the night before, just make a little extra, and it will be ready for you to use in the morning!
* You can make your own oat flour (I do). Using a food processor, just grind down old fashioned rolled oats until they are a course flour like consistency.
* These pancakes can be completely gluten free if you use gluten free oats.

 

Pour on some maple syrup, and you are in breakfast heaven.  Amen.

Oh, and on a completely way off tangent…I have to mention that I’m going to see Oprah speak tonight!  I can barely contain myself honestly.  This will be a bucket list check off fo’ sho’!  Great start to 2013 already!  Yay!

Have a delicious day!

Yummy Linking:  33 Shades of Green, Momnivore’s Dilemma, Craftberry Bush, Whipperberry, Chef-in-Training, Your Homebased Mom

 

Filed Under: breakfast, In The Kitchen Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Fresh Raspberry Greek Yogurt

November 20, 2012 By 3 Comments

This little treat is delectable.

Creamy.  Smooth.  Rich.  And healthy.

Bursting with the fresh flavour of raspberries.

Just real fruit and Greek yogurt.  So simple.  SO good.

And the new way we’re eating yogurt around here.  Oh yes.

The flavour takes me back to my childhood when we used to pick raspberries at my Grandparents farm, then dipped them in the sugar drawer, and ate them with cream.  Yum.

I just really love simple, real food.  You should try this…you won’t be sorry!  ;)

Print
Fresh Raspberry Greek Yogurt
 

Ingredients
  • 2 cups raspberries (fresh or frozen)
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tsp lemon juice
  • Plain Greek yogurt (no sugar or flavour added)

Instructions
  1. In a saucepan, combine the raspberries, sugar and lemon juice. Stir and mash the raspberries until they are completely broken down.
  2. Cook on low-medium heat for about 3-4 minutes. The mixture shouldn’t be runny, it should be the consistency of a sauce.
  3. Let cool.
  4. After the mixture has cooled completely, stir the desired amount into some Greek yogurt and enjoy!

Notes

You could use any kind of berry or fruit for this recipe!
This sauce would be great over ice cream or pancakes too! Yum.

 

The flavour possibilites for this are endless!

I’ve got frozen bags of blueberries and mangoes just calling my name!  So yum.

Have a delicious day!

Yummy Linking:  Chef-in-Training, 33 Shades of Green, Little Inspiration, Kitchen Fun with My 3 Sons, Funky Junk Interiors, Positively Splendid

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