Crunchy Granola

This recipe goes along with unprocessing foods.  I'm always looking for breakfast replacements.  My sister always makes this recipe & we love it.  It comes from The New York Times blog Diner's Journal with a few comments of my own.

Crunchy Granola

Yield: About 8 cups

6 cups old-fashioned oats

2 cups mixed nuts & seeds

1 cup dried unsweetened coconut

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Dash salt

1/2 cup to 1 cup honey or maple syrup

1 cup dried raisins or other dried fruit

Preheat oven to 350 F.  Combine all but the dried fruit.  Place on a sheet pan & put in oven.  Bake 30 minutes, stirring about every 10 minutes.  Mixture should brown evenly.

Brown = Crunchy

(Dark brown = Burnt, watch out!)

Remove from oven & stir in dried fruit.  Cool on rack, stirring occasionally while the mixture reaches room temperature.  Store in a sealed container & store in refrigerator (I left mine on the counter because I ate it too fast--ask Freddie!!)  The recipe says it will keep indefinitely -- not in my house!

NOTES: I used walnuts, almonds & sunflower seeds.  Next time I want to add flax seed.  I also used dried blueberries because I had some supreme ones on hand -- yummy!  You know we are fans of dried cherries so they will likely make another mixture.  I only used 1/2 cup of maple syrup.  It was sweet enough for us but likely most people would like it a little sweeter.

Sauteed Brussels Sprouts

Please allow me one more post on Brussels Sprouts!  These 'little cabbages' have won a spot on our dinner table.  I posted earlier about roasting them.  We have another way that we enjoy them.



Our daily view!

Prepare fresh Brussels sprouts by chopping off the stem edge.  Peel back the outer layers of each little sprout until it looks fresh (a bit like cleaning green cabbage).  Rinse under water. Slice the sprouts by hand or run them through the shredder blade on a food processor.  Place about a tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet.  Heat to medium & add sprouts.  Toss & cook until tender, a few minutes.  Remove from heat & pour honey mustard dressing (to taste) over sprouts.  Toss & eat.  We of course use Freddie's Favorite Salad Dressing, which we usually have a flask of in the refrigerator.

Cherry & Sunflower Seed Kale Salad -- #3 Kale Salad

Confession:

I am definitely slowing down on this final stretch to Baby Boy's arrival so bear with me.

I do not plan to forsake our blog but likely the posts will be farther between.

I apologize!

We did enjoy this salad very much.  We have a soft spot for dried cherries as my sister's family lives in Michigan so we get access to the BEST cherries.  The northerners can buy them at Meijer & us southerners (if lucky) can buy them on-line here.  We buy the 4 lb box & you have to buy them in season -- June or July.  However, you can find dried cherries in our groceries stores, too!

Cherry & Sunflower Seed Kale Salad

Dressing:

1-1/2 Tablespoons cider vinegar

1 Tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 teaspoon honey

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Combine dressing & toss with 5 ounces kale, 1/4 cup dried cherries, 1/4 cup sliced red onion and 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds.

(Another Cooking Light recipe.)