Category: Granola

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

Alice’s Vanilla Tea-Infused Granola

Sarah

I’ve never been to New York City, but I know that when I do someday, Alice’s Tea Cup will be my first foodie stop. My mom owns about a zillion cookbooks, and one that I always love to browse when I’m home was created by the owners of the NYC area chain of tea shops. It’s aptly named Alice’s Tea Cup and it is full of recipes for fun teatime sweets, breakfast treats, and even good info about the proper way to brew tea. I’ve made a scone recipe from the cookbook that was just so-so [probably because I didn’t make the buttery glaze to go on top], but I wanted to give the cookbook another chance. I am so glad I did, because Alice’s Vanilla Tea-Infused Granola is simply magnificent.This phenomenal granola combines three types of nuts [almonds, pecans, walnuts] plus sesame seeds and coconut, as well as two types of dried fruit to make a nutty-sweet comination that is absolutely essentail in a good granola. It is a bit more museli-like than a traditional chunky granola, but that doesn’t detract from it’s crunch. But the real added bonus to this granola comes from its spices: the usual suspects of cinnamon and nutmeg… and vanilla tea! I’ve never used tea as a spice before, so I was a little unsure what it would be like, but it’s absolutely wonderful. The tea adds some delicate sophistication to the crunchy hippie treat [ha, ha].

Overall, this is a granola recipe that is perfect as is… but could definitely be improvised based on the contents of the cupboard. We enjoyed it served over yogurt or with milk, but as with any other granola recipe… the possibilities are endless. I can’t wait to make it to NYC to try the original version, but for now, I’m glad I can enjoy it at home when the mood strikes.

What’s your favorite granola fixings? Have you ever been to Alice’s Tea Cup in NYC? Wanna take me? 🙂

Alice’s Vanilla Tea-Infused Granola [from Alice’s Tea Cup]
click to print

Ingredients:

  • 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/2 cup chopped almonds
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans
  • 3/4 cup sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup sesame seeds
  • 2 heaping teaspoons vanilla tea leaves [I used a vanilla-cinnamon tea, and just cut open one tea bag]
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
  • 1/2 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and spray a large jelly roll pan with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients except honey and butter. Mix together thoroughly, then stir in honey and butter.

Spread the mixture on prepared baking sheet, and pack down with a spatula. Bake for 20 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark. Remove granola from oven when it is golden brown. It will harden as it cools.

Break granola into chunks and store in an airtight container. Serve with milk or yogurt.

Time: 30 minutes.

Yield: about 7 cups.

Linked up with…

Breakfast, Granola

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bars

Sarah

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bars–equally yummy for a snack or for a healthy dessert!
pumpkin chocolate chip energy bars via thepajamachef.com

Last spring, I was addicted to making homemade granola bars. I blogged about a couple recipes, but also had a some serious flops. Like the burnt cherry-almond granola bars or the pumpkin granola bars that were  a weird combination between crunchy granola bar and thick oatmeal. Not good. Not good at all, friends. Truth be told, I had sort of given up on the idea of pumpkin granola bars after that incident. But then I saw this recipe from Michelle at The Lively Kitchen, and I was smitten. I knew I had to try it. Her Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bars sounded incredible with two of my favorite flavors, and they also looked crisp instead of mushy.

On Sunday, the stars aligned.* I was at the grocery store picking up a few things for the week when I thought I should get some snacks for the trip to Florida. I’ll be flying on Wednesday during lunchtime and am anticipating the hunger of a really late and/or expensive lunch already. So I started looking at the granola and energy bar selection and was sorely disappointed. Everything was either sugar laden** or uber expensive. So I walked away from the cereal aisle and headed home to my kitchen, ready to get to work. I love how this recipe incorporates a bunch of pantry staples and was very impressed with how well the batter held together before baking. While the bars were baking, my kitchen was filled with a delicious spiced aroma. It took all of my will-power to let them cool completely before cutting, but once they were there, all bets were off. Though they are not as crisp as the quintessential granola bar, they are about a billion steps up from pumpkin granola bar attempt #1–a definite win in my book.

Ben and I both agreed that these bars are great. They are flavorful, filling, and portable–three essentials for snacks in our house. I have a feeling we’ll be fighting over every last one until the bitter end I make more. For now, I’ll just stare at this and enjoy… the kitchen is a little too far away right now…

pumpkin chocolate chip energy bars

*I don’t really know what it means when “the stars align” and I don’t really believe in that sort of thing anyway, but it sounded good so I went with it. 🙂

**I know this recipe has sugar in it, but I know what it is and where it came from. That’s loads better to me!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bars

  • Servings: 12 bars
  • Print

adapted slightly from The Lively Kitchen
Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons ground flaxseeds
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup almond butter
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree

Directions:

Preheat oven 375 degrees F. Grease an 8×8 inch pan with baking spray.

In a small bowl, stir together flaxseeds and water. The mixture will start to gel. In a large bowl, stir together all dry ingredients: oats, flour, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, sugar, and chocolate chips. Add maple syrup, almond butter [I microwaved mine for about 30 seconds to soften it up a bit first], and pumpkin to the gelled flaxseed mixture. Stir together well, then fold into dry ingredients until fully combined. The mixture will be thick, and to be honest, I used my hands to speed the process up.

Spoon batter into prepared pan and use the back of a spoon to even out the mixture. Bake for 14-16 minutes or until set. Do not overbake, bars will harden a bit as they cool. Cool completely before cutting.

 

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

Pumpkin Granola

Sarah

So, Labor Day has come and gone. Classes have begun. There’s a chill in the air and fall is definitely en route. I am so excited.  Summer is great and all, but I am just ready for a change. A change in weather, a change in clothing, and a change in food flavors.

One of my favorite flavors of fall is pumpkin. For longtime readers, that’s probably not a surprise, and for new readers–consider that a heads up for what you will experience over the coming months. 🙂 Though I hoarded stockpiled a dozen or so cans at the end of the holiday season last year just in case there was an unexpected pumpkin shortage, I’ve been a little reluctant to enjoy too much pumpkin over the summer months. It’s just not seasonally appropriate, you know? And there was just too many other fun seasonal treats to enjoy, like Roasted Tomato Sauce or Whole Wheat Zucchini Banana  Chocolate Chip Muffins.

But last week… I couldn’t wait any longer. I just had to crack open one of those lovely cans and fulfill my deepest craving and desire. I just couldn’t help it. It was inevitable. And guess what: I am not sorry.

Not sorry at all that this sweet, spicy Pumpkin Granola has been gracing my breakfast table over the past week or so.

Not sorry at all that while the granola was baking, my kitchen smelled like Yankee Candles–but naturally, not with the help of fragrances [delightful as they may be].

Not sorry at all that each crunchy bite incorporates hearty pumpkin, spicy cinnamon, sweet cranberries, and nutty almonds and pepitas.

Nope, I’m not sorry at all, and I’m pretty willing to bet that you won’t be either once you get a taste of this fantastic granola. So try it out, and welcome fall with a crunch!

So, what flavors are you most excited to experience this fall?

Pumpkin Granola [from The Sweets Life]
printable version

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup slivered almonds
  • 1/3 cup pepitas [pumpkin seeds]
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup dried cranberries

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil and grease with cooking spray.

In a large bowl, mix together oats, nuts, and spices. In a smaller bowl, whisk pumpkin, maple syrup, vanilla, and cranberries then fold into dry ingredients.

Spread mixture onto baking sheet. Bake for 30-40 minutes, stirring every ten minutes, until granola is golden brown and crisp. Granola will continue to harden as it cools, so be careful of overbaking.

Serve plain, in cookies, with yogurt, etc. and store in an air-tight container.

Yield: 5-6 cups.

Time: 40-50 minutes [30-40 minutes active].

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

Granola Bars, Take Two

Sarah

I’m at it again… making some delicious homemade granola bars! I can’t stop myself. Sorry. 🙂

granola barsWhat I love about these Fruit and Nut Granola Bars is that they are incredibly chewy and packed with raisins, dried cranberries, and dried apricots alongside nuts and chocolate.

While my first run through was of a crispy-on-the-outside, soft-on-the-inside variety, these fruit and nut bars almost have the consistency of cereal bars… soft but with enough substance to be filling and not crumbly. Where my last batch was incredibly sweet, these boast more natural sweetness and a variety of flavors in every bite.They are great for on the go snacking or a pre/post workout fuel. Hope you enjoy!

Fruit and Nut Granola Bars [inspired by this formula from the Brown Eyed Baker]

Ingredients:

  • 2 cups rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup wheat germ, toasted in a 350 degree oven for 5 minutes
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
  • 1/3 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup raisins, soaked in hot water for about 20 minutes and then patted dry
  • 1/3 cup chopped apricots
  • 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips
  • 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1/4 cup sunflower kernels
  • 1/4 cup chopped pecans
  • 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and grease an 8×8 baking dish with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together oats, wheat germ, apricots, chocolate chips, walnuts, sunflower kernels, pecans and pumpkin pie spice. In a small bowl, stir together pumpkin, peanut butter, honey, and maple syrup, then fold into dry ingredients until fully combined. Press into prepared pan, then bake for about 25-27 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely in pan on a wire rack, then cut into bars. Wrap individually in plastic wrap for easy transport, and store in the freezer to keep fresh.

Click here for the printable version: Fruit and Nut Granola Bars

Question of the Day: What snack are you loving lately?

Breakfast, Granola, Recipes

My Latest Obsession

Sarah

So, I love granola bars. I used to live on them in high school, for serious. I had a big box in my locker at school, another stash in my gym bag, random granola bars floating around in my purse just so I was never hungry… it was a bit ridiculous. Needless to say, I tired of granola bars by college, but in recent years they’ve made a comeback in my pantry because they make such a great, filling snack before a workout or during a day at school. I’m a big fan of Kashi’s all natural granola barsgranola bars, particularly their Chewy Dark Chocolate Cherry and Trail Mix varieties. What I’m not a big fan of is their hefty $4/box price tag. Sure, you can sometimes score a few boxes for $2.50 on a good sale, but still, that’s pretty pricey for 6 small granola bars.

One recent Sunday as I was avoiding homework seeking out some yummy snack recipes for school days, I happened across Megan’s recipe for Chewy Granola Bars. I couldn’t stop thinking about them, try as I might, so I dropped everything and whipped a batch up, much to the dismay of my husband [he had just finished cleaning up the kitchen and there I went, dirtying it up again]. All was forgiven though once he had a taste of the sweet, chewy granola bar that popped out of our oven bursting with tart cranberries, rich chocolate, and nutty goodness.

I did use corn syrup in these granola bars, per the instructions, mainly because I had some that I wanted to use up. I’m a little iffy on corn syrup but I basically believe that sugar is sugar and most anything is okay in moderation… especially if you’re making it from scratch at home! I think I might try these next time with honey, but regardless of the sticky sweetener, as Michelle calls it in her tutorial, these are some fabulous granola bars that are sure to become a regular portion of my baking repertoire. I look forward to customizing them more in the future, such as next week during spring break. Enjoy!

Chewy Granola Bars [from What Megan’s Making]

Ingredients:

  • 1/2 cup+ 1 tablespoon packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup creamy natural peanut butter
  • 5 tablespoons corn syrup
  • 5 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons Craisins
  • 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon sunflower seeds
  • 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ [toast in a baking dish in a 350°oven for about 5 minutes, tossing once]

Directions:

In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, peanut butter, corn syrup, butter and vanilla. Stir together oats, chocolate chips, Craisins, sunflower seeds; add to peanut butter mixture and stir to coat. Press into a greased 13×9 inch baking pan.

Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Don’t overbake or they will get crispy. I took them out when they still looked a little under baked, they firm up in the hot pan as they cool. Run a knife along the edges of the pan to loosen the bars up a little. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack before cutting into bars.

Store in an airtight container or wrap individually in plastic and store in the freezer in a freezer bag for easy grab and go breakfasts or snacks.

Click here for the printable version: Chewy Granola Bars

***Don’t forget to enter my giveaway by Sunday, March 13!

Question of the Day: What’s your latest food obsession?