Coconut Granola Crunch

There are a lot of words people have used to describe me. I've heard silly, sassy, fickle, and frugal. On a good day, intelligent and attractive may also make the list. But never in my life have I been described as "granola". Oh sure, I rode horses and hiked trails at summer camp for eight years and a coworker once told me she thought I'd do well on Survivor, but the truth is, too much time away from my turbo-charged hairdryer and I start getting the shakes. Peeing in the woods is not my scene and mascara is a non-negotiable.  I am a city girl. Granola I am not.

But granola I love to eat. It's sweet and crunchy and earthy and filling. If you're a blog reader, you've likely noticed that tons of food bloggers are rolling out plenty of delicious recipes for of homemade granola. This is my contribution, and it is gooooooood. The coconut adds sweetness while ground flax and chia seeds add a smidge of protein. I like it with blueberries and soy milk, and can't wait to try it on top of vanilla frozen yogurt. Set aside some time on a Sunday morning to whip up a batch of this delicious stuff, unless of course, you're more granola than me and do your hiking on Sunday mornings. In that case, pick up a bag of trail mix and a Slim Jim and enjoy the day!

Coconut Granola Crunch
(adapted from Sur La Table cookbook)

2/3 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup honey

2 tsp pure vanilla extract

2 tsp kosher or sea salt

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

4 cups rolled oats

1 cup unsalted almonds

1/2 cup ground flax seeds

1/4 cup chia seeds

2 cups large-flake unsweetened coconut

Position one rack in the center of the oven, and another rack in the lower third. Preheat to 325.

1) In a large bowl, combine the sugar, oil, honey, vanilla extract, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir until combined (the oil will not blend into the paste--do not be alarmed). Add the oats to the mixture, using  your hands to massage ingredients together. Gently crush some of the oats with your fingers.

2) Divide the oat mixture between 2 large nonstick rimmed baking sheets and spread the small clumps of oats evenly with a silicone spatula. Bake for 15 minutes, then remove the pans from the oven. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of almonds over each pan of oats and stir to combine. Return the pans to the oven, switching the pans between the racks, and bake for 5 minutes more. 

3) Remove the pans from the oven and divide the flax and chia seeds equally between the pans. Stir. Return the pans to the oven, rotating them between the racks, and bake 10 minutes more.

4) Remove the pans from the oven and divide the coconut between the pans, stirring to mix. Return the pans to the oven, switching the pans one last time, and continue baking until coconut is golden brown, about 5 to 10 minutes. Let cool on the pans; don't worry if it's not crisp right away, it will dry out and crisp as it cools. Once cool, you can stir in dried fruits if you wish. 

On-the-Go Frittatas

I've heard that breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I haven't listened to that sage bit of advice, but I have heard it. Before work, I run around like a crazy person trying to get ready for the day, and breakfast doesn't always make the cut. As such, one of my New Year's resolutions is to make sure and eat a proper breakfast everyday. First up...

On-the-Go Frittatas!

Basically, I made a very simple egg mixture (5 eggs & 1/2 carton of Egg Beaters and less than 1/4 cup of milk) and mixed with a few yummy breakfast ingredients. For these, I used bacon, onion, garlic, baby spinach leaves, and Parmesan. I mixed it all in a bowl, then poured it into a muffin tin for an easy grab-and-go breakfast packed with protein. 

Baked at 350 degrees till they were puffy and golden brown. A good non-stick pan is a must or you'll be prying dried egg of the tin forever--I love mine from Sur La Table. These little egg muffins were so easy and so tasty, I immediately begin making a list of future combinations. I plan on making them Sunday nights and eating them throughout the week. 

Turkey sausage + red bell pepper + sauteed onions + cheddar

asparagus + tomato + basil + smoked mozzarella

bacon + cheddar + green onions

 leek + red bell pepper

prosciutto + Manchego cheese

What do you eat in the morning before heading to work? Taking all suggestions for healthy breakfasts!

Bake-a-palooza 2010!

Break out the butter and pull out the parchment paper...Christmas is next week and it's time to get your bake on! Know what's more fun than spending a Saturday mixing wet ingredients in a Kitchen Aid? Having someone else sift the dry ingredients!

Last year my friend Crystal and I decided to double-up on our baking efforts and spend a Saturday rolling out dough a deux. Let me tell you, baking with a buddy is so much more fun that solo sifting and we were able to churn out three different goodies in only a few hours.

 

 We called it "Bake-a-Palooza" and we just celebrated our 2nd annual tradition.

 

The Roster

I like to have everything set out before she comes over so I'm not fumbling through cabinets with flour-coated fingers. I always make sure to pull out the eggs and butter about an hour before we start baking so the butter will be softened and the eggs will be easier to crack open.

 

If you're going to be doing a lot of baking next week, I can't speak highly enough of Sur La Table's brand of bakeware. This was my first time using my new professional aluminum baking sheets (2 for $20!) and they are phenomenal. Everything baked incredibly evenly and you don't even need a spatula to lift cookies off the sheet. Get you one! (PS: No one paid me to say that. When I find something really great, I like to spread the word!)

 

I wrapped up all the cookies in tiny clear bags, then tied on a label and a bag of tea or hot chocolate. Stay tuned all week for Christmas cookie recipes!