Mocha Granola

Yes that's right...it's another granola recipe. You would think that by now I would have stopped posting such recipes because really they're all quite the same. The concept is simple: mix some oats with desired nuts, add some sort of binding sweetner, bake in the oven (mixing often), and then mix in any dried fruit at the end. Easy, right?

Well the truth of the matter is that there are actually many flavor combinations out there, some on the healthier side and others more like a dessert. This particular granola is more of a dessert granola due to the mini chocolate chips that get mixed in the end. It also uses quite a bit of coffee so I wouldn't recommend it as a late night snack, though it's a great pick-me-up in the morning. Of course the chocolate chips can be omitted all together...but then again, who would want to do that?

Mocha Granola

• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• ¼ cup ground flax seed
• ½ cup sliced almonds
• ½ cup sunflower seeds
• ¼ tsp salt
• 3 tbsp dry instant coffee granules
• 3 tbsp hot water
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ cup canola oil
• ½ cup honey
• ½ cup mini chocolate chips 

1. Dissolve the instant coffee granules in the hot water. Add in the vanilla and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine the oats, ground flax seed, almonds, sunflower seeds, and salt. 
3. Add the oil to the dissolved coffee mixture and combine with the oats. Mix well.
4. Add the honey to the oats and stir until everything is evenly coated.
5. Spread the oats in an even layer onto a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 30-45 minutes at 300 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until the oats are golden.
6. Allow the granola to cool completely before mixing in the mini chocolate chips and breaking into clumps. Store in an airtight container. 

Peanut Butter and Quinoa Granola

Yes I know...another granola recipe. You're probably thinking to yourself: "How can she have yet another granola recipe...didn't she already figure it out?" The truth is yes...for the most part I figured out two different base recipes that I alter with different mix-ins to create various flavors. However this granola is not like the others because it also uses quinoa, a new favorite ingredient of mine. The quinoa isn't cooked before being added to the oats, rather it gets baked right into the granola itself.

Personally I think that this is my new favorite granola. Granted I may say that about the next one I make but for now this is it. Being the texture snob that I am, I love how the quinoa provided an extra crunch to the granola. Also, the base recipe had a good ratio of wet to dry ingredients making for a crunchy granola to start with that was full of peanut flavor. Of course that could easily be changed to some other type of nut with the appropriate substitution. That being said I would still recommend using a nut butter of some sort, such as almond or cashew, because without it there will not be enough wet binder for the granola to stick together in clumps.

As for the mix-ins, I'm not a coconut lover myself but I know that coconut flakes are a common and popular granola addition. Other things include various dried fruits, banana chips, or chocolate chips. Ultimately, I highly recommend trying this granola because it's probably unlike any you have tasted before with the great addition of quinoa.

Peanut Butter and Quinoa Granola

• 2 cups large-flake (old-fashioned) rolled oats
• ¾ cup quinoa, rinsed
• ¾ cup lightly salted roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
• ½ tsp fine sea salt
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ cup natural cane sugar or packed light brown sugar
• ¼ cup honey
• ½ cup unsweetened natural peanut butter
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup dried cranberries

1. In a large bowl, combine the oats, quinoa, peanuts, salt and cinnamon.  
2. In a small saucepan, combine the sugar and honey. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, stirring constantly. Turn off heat and stir in peanut butter, oil, and vanilla until blended.
3. Pour the peanut butter mixture over the oats and stir until evenly coated. Spread the mixture in a single layer on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
4. Bake for 30-45 minutes (time will vary based on size of baking sheet) at 325 degrees Fahrenheit or until the granola becomes golden brown. Stir every 10-15 minutes to ensure even baking.
5. Remove from the oven and allow the granola to cool completely on the tray before mixing in the dried cranberries and transferring to an airtight container.

Caramel Apple Pie Bars

I find it interesting how having time off of school actually leads to me being busier rather than actually taking time off. Somehow my mind plays tricks on me and convinces me that it's a good idea to try to get every little thing crossed off of my to do list that I have been putting off for one reason or another. The result is that I have set way too many goals of things I would like to accomplish by the end of the week, which is not a good thing considering that the weekend is about to start and then I'm back to school on Monday.

Regardless, today my friend came over and we spent time doing research for a big project we are working on. I know how much my friend loves my baked goodies, as does my family, and I thought I would use the occasion to bake these caramel apple pie bars which I first saw on my favorite food blog Annie's Eats about a month ago. The dessert seemed appropriate for fall with the lovely undertones of cinnamon, sweetness of the caramel, and the crunch provided by the nuts on top.

Although making the bars originally detracted from my research, once they were in the oven I got to work. Later on they provided the perfect little pick me up and boost of sugar we needed to keep ourselves going. I have to admit that we were a little impatient to wait for them to cool and slice, so we spooned them out of the pan and ate them as more of a crumble rather than a composed bar. My family enjoyed it too and my brother even said it was "glorious". By the end of the evening only a quarter of the pan was left. My conclusion: this recipe is definitely a keeper.

Caramel Apple Pie Bars

For the filling:

• 4 large apples, peeled and sliced
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 tbsp sugar
• ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
• 9 oz (252 g) caramel soft chews
• 2 tbsp milk

For the dough:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ⅓ cup brown sugar, lightly packed
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• 12 tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Optional: ½ cup chopped nuts, such as pecans or walnuts

1. To prepare the filling, melt the putter in a large pan over medium heat. Stir in the apples, sugar, and cinnamon and mix to coat evenly. Continue to cook for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, and remove from the heat once the apples start to brown and the sugar caramelizes.
2. To prepare the dough, combine the flour, oats, sugars, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl. Stir everything to blend then add the butter pieces. Use a pastry cutter or two knives (I actually used my hands) to cut the butter into the oat mixture until it resembles a course meal.
3. Add the egg yolk and vanilla and knead just until a crumbly dough starts to come together. Press ⅔ of the dough into a 9" x 9" baking pan lined with aluminum foil or parchment paper. Bake for 12-14 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or until the dough is lightly golden.
4. Meanwhile, while the dough is baking, finish preparing the filling by combining the caramel soft chews and the milk in a small saucepan over medium heat until completely melted and smooth.
5. Once the dough is ready, pour the melted caramel and spread evenly over the surface. Strain the apple filling and spread over top the caramel layer. Crumble the remaining dough mixture evenly over the surface and sprinkle with chopped nuts if using. Return to the oven to bake for another 22-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Cool completely before slicing and serving (or spoon and serve if impatient like me ;)

Chocolate Fudge Oatmeal Cookies

Last week was the first week of school and I officially went to my last first day of undergraduate classes. I can't believe that in eight months I will have graduated from university and be on my way to working as a nurse! In the midst of all the first week excitement our nursing undergrad society had our first meeting since going on break. Obviously I did not pass up on the opportunity to bring a yummy treat and decided to bake these chocolate fudge oatmeal cookies.

Needless to say my mother and brother were disappointed when they learned the cookies were not for them, though I did save a few and gave them some. The cookies were extremely chocolatey as one would imagine with almost a cup of cocoa powder. Although highly sticky and hard to handle I think the end result was worth it. I'll probably make them again soon, no doubt for one of the upcoming bake sales I have agreed to participate in.

Chocolate Fudge Oatmeal Cookies
Note: This recipe makes about 40 small 2" cookies.

• 2 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup sugar
• ¾ cup cocoa powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup olive oil
• 4 egg whites

1. In a large bowl combine the oats, sugar, cocoa powder, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl combine the vanilla, olive oil, and egg whites.
3. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix well to combine. Refrigerate the mixture for at least 30 minutes, though longer is better, to make it easier to handle.
4. Plop mounds of dough onto a baking tray covered with parchment paper. The cookies should be about 2" in size and you can use your hands to flatten them out. The cookies will not spread so don't worry about spacing them too far apart.
5. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-14 minutes or until the edges are crisp and the centers look set. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes on the tray before moving to a wire rack to finish cooling. The cookies will continue to harden on the tray and as they cool.

Strawberry Oat Muffins

I hate wasting food! It is one of my biggest pet peeves. Therefore there often comes a time when I look into the fridge and I see various items that are about to expire and I feel obligated to use them up in some way. Usually that involves making some sort of omelet or frittata because it's easy to throw virtually any ingredient in them and have it turn out. However this time I needed to use up strawberries and Greek yogurt...not exactly omelet ingredients. So I decided I would bake them into muffins and see how it turned out.

Wouldn't you know it the muffins actually turned out great! I'm quite proud of them because they tasted good and I realized later that they were pretty healthy too. The muffins were almost completely sugar and fat free. I managed this by substituting unsweetened applesauce for butter and relying only on the natural sugars contained in the strawberries and the yogurt itself. I also substituted half the flour with oats. As a result the muffins turned out quite dense and not sweet at all, but the missing sweetness was actually nice. It made the muffin feel more substantial and less like a dessert, fitting of a breakfast snack. The only unfortunate part was that the muffins stuck completely to the paper liners and it was very difficult to peel the paper off. Next time I think I will make sure to grease the muffin tin well and just bake them straight in the tin without the use of any liners.

Strawberry Oat Muffins
Note: These muffins could be made using other fruit instead such as blueberries or raspberries. I used strawberries because that's what I had on hand.

• 1 1/4 cup flour
• 1 1/4 cup old-fashioned oats 
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup Greek yogurt (I used nonfat strawberry flavored but regular works too)
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp oil
• 3/4 cup strawberries, cut into pieces

1. In a large bowl sift together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
2. In a separate bowl combine the applesauce, Greek yogurt, egg, and oil. 
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix just until the dry ingredients are incorporated. The batter will be fairly thick.
4. Gently fold in half of the strawberries.
5. Distribute the batter evenly in a well-greased 12 cup muffin tin. Top the muffins with the remaining strawberry pieces.
6. Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit or until a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out clean. Cool for five minutes in the pan before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Nutty Granola

It's no secret that I'm crazy about granola. Every single weekday morning I have the exact same thing for breakfast...two hard boiled eggs and Greek yogurt mixed with granola. The variation comes from the flavor of the yogurt or the granola, but it's generally the same and I rotate through different combinations. On the weekends, when I have more time, I like to make some sort of an omelet but I still eat the yogurt with granola at some point during the day.

Ever since the new year I have really gotten into making my own granola. Back in February I posted about fruit, yogurt, and granola parfaits and in it I included a great granola recipe. Since then I have tried to come up with a few different variations but that recipe is still the one I make most frequently. Usually my new flavor combinations come from pre-existing granolas that I see on grocery store aisles. Often times I will buy one box to sample and see if I like the flavor; if I do I then try to recreate it at home. One of the combinations that I have come to love most is the maple/almond combo and honey/peanut. I find that both have a nice flavor that goes well with any variety of yogurt I choose, be it fruit flavored, coffee, plain, etc.

Even though I came up with a few good flavor combos, I was still having problems with the texture. Part of the reason I love granola so much is because of the great crunch it has. I've said it before and I'll say it again...I'm a texture snob, so obviously eating something that stays crunchy even when mixed with liquidy yogurt really appeals to me. That being said you can only imagine my frustration when my homemade granola was failing to achieve the same great crunch of the store-bought variety.

Well I am happy to report that I have finally solved the puzzle and made super crunchy, flavorful granola. The key to my success was to use the biggest sheet pan possible (I think it was 17" x 13" but that's just my rough measurements with a ruler) so that I could spread out the granola in a thin layer. That way it was able to properly dry out in the oven and become nice and crispy.

The recipe posted below can be used as a base and have different substitutions added to it in order to make it how you want it. I recently bought a box of hazelnut and chocolate granola and I liked how it tasted, so I may try making that next. Another popular combo is mocha/almond or mocha/chocolate, but I have yet to try it. One time I made a sort of dessert-type granola with honey roasted peanuts, dried bananas, and mini chocolate chips. Really the possibilities are endless so I suggest getting creative and seeing what you come up with.

Nutty Granola

• 4 cups rolled oats (not instant)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup ground flax seed
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
• 1 cup applesauce
• 1/2 cup nut butter (peanut, almond, hazelnut...)
• 1/2 cup chopped or sliced nuts (any variety)
• 1/4 cup honey (increase to 1/2 cup if making honey flavored)
• 1/4 cup flavored syrup (maple, fruit syrup, agave nectar....)

1. In a large bowl combine the oats, salt, ground flax seed, cinnamon (if using), and the chopped nuts. Note: if adding any "dry" flavors, such as espresso powder, nutmeg, etc do so at this step.
2. In a separate bowl combine the applesauce, nut butter, honey, and syrup. Mix well so that it becomes a homogenous liquid.
3. Pour the liquid into the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly until the oats are evenly coated.
4. Spread the oats onto a large (very large) baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit for 35-40 minutes, or until the oats become golden and crispy. Stir the oats every 10-15 minutes so that they do not become burned.
5. Remove from the oven and leave to cool on the baking sheet. Once cool store in an airtight container for up to a week.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies

I am part of a council within my undergraduate class and we have regularly scheduled bimonthly meetings. As a person who always looks for opportunities to bake I take advantage of this by always bringing some sort of treat with me, usually in the form of cookies. Seeing as how I'm currently on an "oats" and "granola" kick I thought to make some sort of cookies using my new favorite ingredient.

Unfortunately for me, my morning lecture was cancelled but by the time I found out I had already driven to class and was about to set foot in the building. Because the announcement was posted so late, this actually happened to everyone else as well. My friend and I decided to be studious and use the time to catch up on some readings. I set out all of my things in front of me, cookie tin included, and invited my friend to help herself while we studied. Little did I know that during our study time she would help herself to six cookies! Luckily I had made a lot and there were plenty to go around during the meeting, where she managed to grab another two. She claimed that the white chocolate and cranberry were an award-winning combination and the cookies were highly addictive. At the rate she was eating them I had no choice but believe her.

White Chocolate and Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies
Note: Makes about 45 two inch sized cookies.

• 1/2 cup (4 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup oats
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup dried cranberries

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
2. In a separate bowl, cream the two sugars and butter on medium speed until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
4. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour mixture until a cookie dough forms.
5. Use a spatula or large wooden spoon to mix in the oats, white chocolate chips, and dried cranberries. It might actually be easier to mix it in by hand so that everything is evenly distributed.
6. Roll the cookie dough into 2" sized balls and place on a greased or parchment-lined baking tray about 2" apart. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden.
7. Cool for two minutes on the tray then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Fruit, Yogurt, and Granola Parfaits

Lately I've been really into granola. I start off pretty much every day with some fruity yogurt mixed with granola and some eggs, be it hard boiled, scrambled, or an omelet if I have the time. Since my family regularly shops at Costco, and they frequently stock the same items, I usually end up alternating between the same two varieties of granola. One day I decided that I wanted to try and make my own granola but somehow this idea got postponed for a really long time, partially due to the fact that I was too lazy to go and buy old-fashioned rolled oats.

After finally going to the grocery store and picking up a bag of oats I no longer had any excuses and set upon making the granola. There are so many different "recipes" although after looking through them I realized a recipe is not really needed. Basically you just need to mix the oats with some sort of binder, be it honey or peanut butter or maple syrup, and add in any mix-ins, such as coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, nuts, etc. After it's done baking you can add in any dried fruits as well. The only annoying part is that while its baking, the granola needs to be stirred periodically which means that you can't just stick it in the oven and pull it out once a timer goes off.

I still ended up following a recipe I found on my favorite blog Annie's Eats for a healthy omega-3 granola. Of course I didn't have all of the ingredients so I kind of took some liberties with it. Since the recipe called for sunflower seeds and canola oil, but I didn't have it, I substituted pumpkin seeds and sunflower oil. In the end the sunflower taste was a little too strong for my liking, making it a very savory granola, but my whole family loved it, especially my brothers. Both said that the savory taste was great and different compared to the usual granola from the store. Next time I think I will try sticking to a neutral oil and see if that lets the sweetness of the honey come through more.

As for the parfaits, I've been making those quite frequently for my family as they continue to request them over and over. The concept is very simple: I layer fruits with Greek yogurt and then sprinkle granola on top. I know that some people put a layer of granola in the middle as well but unless the parfait is eaten right away the granola gets soggy and I can't stand that. I usually make six or seven of these parfaits (leaving out the granola) and leave them, covered, in the fridge. Then once someone wants to eat it, for breakfast or dessert, they take one out and put the granola topping on themselves. Everyone in my family loves them because they're a sweet little treat but also healthy.

Fruit, Yogurt, and Granola Parfaits

For the parfaits:
Note: These are all rough measurements in order to make 6-7 parfaits in 4 oz. ramekins.

• 3-4 cups fresh or frozen fruit (thawed if frozen)
• 1 large container (650-750 mL) Greek yogurt (I used honey flavored but plain or vanilla works too)
• Granola

To assemble: Put a layer of fruit in the bottom of each ramekin so that it is completely covered. Spoon enough yogurt over top to cover the surface of the fruit. Repeat the layering process with the fruit and yogurt then top with granola. Optional: Put a layer of granola on top of first yogurt layer before repeating fruit layer.

For the Omega-3 Granola:

• 1/3 cup slivered almonds
• 1/3 cup walnuts, roughly chopped 
• 3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 3 tablespoons canola oil
• 1/4 cup sunflower seeds
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds
• 1/2 cup honey
• 2 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup raisins (I used 1/4 cup raisins, 1/4 cups dried cranberries)

1. Toast the almonds and walnuts in a large skillet over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to darken, about 3 minutes.
2. Stir in the oats and oil and continue to toast, stirring often, until the oats begin to turn golden, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir in the sunflower and sesame seeds and continue to toast until the mixture turns golden, about 2 minutes.
4. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the honey, flaxseeds, and salt until evenly combined.
5. Spread the granola over a large rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, stirring every 3 minutes, for 15 minutes until the granola is a light golden brown.
6. Stir in the raisins (or whatever other variety of dried fruit) and use a spatula to gently push the granola to one side and press into a slab about 1/2" thick.
7. Allow the granola to cool to room temperature, about 30 minutes, then use your hands to gently break it into small clusters. 

Note: The granola can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.

Oat Fudge Bars

This past week was my last week at my current clinical placement and our group decided to do something nice for the staff on the unit by writing out a thank you card and providing some treats. Some of the girls purchased cookies and such but I of course took advantage of the opportunity to get in the kitchen and bake. Over the weekend I had bought a large bag of old-fashioned rolled oats because I have decided to try and make my own granola (though I haven't had a chance to do that yet). However I thought I would use the oats in some dessert-type capacity and bring the treats onto the unit.

The thing is...I don't like oats, or rather I don't like oatmeal. Apart from granola, I tend to stay away from any oat-related goods including muffins and cookies. But seeing as how one of my New Year's resolutions involves losing weight and coming up with healthier desserts I figured I should try to embrace oats a little more. Now I'm not going to lie...this recipe is definitely not the healthiest option as it contains a great deal of butter, chocolate, sugar, and a whole can of sweetened condensed milk. That being said, it also makes a large 9" x 13" pan and the bars can be cut into very manageable portions.

The recipe that I found online claimed that these oat fudge bars are supposed to replicate the ones sold by Starbucks. I've never actually tried the Starbucks version so I don't know if this claim is actually true, but they tasted pretty good in my opinion. After cutting and packaging the bars into boxes I had some pieces left over which I gave to my family. My brother said he liked the bars though they would have tasted better if they had a crunchy elements to them. I totally agreed with him because I love to have nuts in my dessert and I'm a bit of a texture snob. Unfortunately I have come to the realization by now that when baking for general events and parties where you don't know everyone, it's best to leave out the nuts in case of any allergies. But if I make these in the future for a more intimate gathering where I know everyone I will definitely include the nuts. My mom tried one too and said she would have just preferred straight dough with chocolate and skip the oats; she claimed they just got in the way of the fudginess of the chocolate. Everyone is entitle to their own opinion of course but sometimes a little bit of variety is nice too.

As for the staff on the unit, they were very thankful of our treats and card. It has been a wonderful six weeks and I really enjoyed working on the unit. I learned so many new things and was able to practice a lot of techniques related to surgical nursing. I'm looking forward to my next rotation but I will definitely miss the unit I was on and my current clinical group and instructor.

Oat Fudge Bars

For the oatmeal layer:

• 1 cup (8 tbsp) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3 cups old-fashioned oats
• Optional: 1 cup chopped nuts (any variety)

For the chocolate layer:

• 1 14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 cups chocolate chips

1. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a large bowl and whisk to blend.
2. Beat the butter on medium speed until soft and creamy, about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
3. Add the sugar and continue to beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla, scraping the bowl as necessary.
5. With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated.
6. Mix in the oats and nuts, if using, by hand until evenly combined.
7. To make the chocolate layer, set a heatproof bowl over a pan of simmering water to create a double-broiler. Combine the sweetened condensed milk, butter, salt, and chocolate chips and warm, stirring occasionally, until the chocolate chips and butter are completely melted.
8. Press three quarters of the oatmeal dough into a 9" x 13" pan lined with parchment or wax paper. Pour the chocolate mixture over top and spread evenly using a spatula. Crumble the remaining oatmeal dough and scatter evenly over top of the chocolate.
9. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes or until the chocolate starts pull away slightly from the sides.
10. Allow the bars to cool completely before slicing into desired sized bars.