EDITED FEBRUARY 26, 2013: recipe is now here on my blog as the original blog is defunct.
They’re sweet. They’re salty. They’re crunchy. They’re the best new addition to your lunchbox. Check out my post on Today’s Housewife for the recipe!
Tag: oats
Alice’s Vanilla Tea-Infused Granola
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.
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Camp Tecumseh Baked Oatmeal
For two summers in college, I was a camp counselor at Camp Tecumseh, a fabulous YMCA camp in Brookston, Indiana. It was a tough job–hot days, late nights, kids everywhere, no privacy, little time off, an hourly pay rate of pennies [no joke–but not counting room and board :)], but it was also well worth it because it was one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I worked with 12-14 year old girls and absolutely loved getting into my girls’ lives–being part of their summer fun and also teaching them about faith and the role of God in life.
Every week and even every day at Camp T was different, and little was predictable short of the overall camp routine–and a big part of that routine was certain meals that we would eat every. single. week. Some, like mass-produced grilled cheese and hamburgers got old pretty quickly. Other things, like oreo pudding [that my co-counselor and I would smuggle outside onto the porch every Sunday night with our 8-10 campers, to eat with our hands. Mmmhmm. This was the first night of camp, mind you, so this was a great way to get the girls to bond run off in terror.] and baked oatmeal, served every Wednesday morning with regularity, were more welcome to us counselors.
I found this recipe on Camp T’s website after I came home from week 10 and was detoxing from camp food/ and getting back into the swing of normal life, where I was somewhat shocked to learn that tye dye and bandanas were, once again, not fashionable. Who knew?
But this recipe was my saving grace and allowed me little glimpses back into the days where I dressed up for Friday theme dinners and spent mornings teaching beading and basket weaving. Now, seven years later, I am still transported back to my summers at camp whenever I pull a batch of this simple, steaming baked oatmeal out of the oven. I love topping my baked oatmeal with brown sugar and raisins, because, you guessed it, that’s how the Camp T cooks served it.
And truth–it would be blasphemous to serve it any other way. But you can enjoy your sweet, filling, comforting dish of baked oatmeal with whatever toppings your little heart desires… walnuts? bananas? pecans? blueberries? … but as for me, I’ll take each bite nostalgically holding to tradition, reflecting on my days of camp and wishing I could be there for just one more campfire, one more night in our cozy cabins, one more night with my amazing counselor friends… one more, one more, one more… I’m so grateful that I had the summers at Camp T that I did, and am equally grateful that I have this recipe today as a reminder of my time!
Did you go to summer camp as a kid? What was your favorite part? Your favorite meal?
Camp Tecumseh Baked Oatmeal
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 3 cups old-fashioned oats
- 3/4 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 1/4 cups skim milk
- raisins, for serving
- brown sugar, for serving
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, whisk together oil and sugar until well combined. Add egg and mix well. Fold in oats and baking powder, then stir in milk, being aware that all milk may not be necessary. The batter should resemble runny cake batter. Pour batter into a greased 9×9 cake pan or a 9 inch pie pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until firm and golden brown. Serve with raisins and brown sugar.
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bars
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Energy Bars–equally yummy for a snack or for a healthy dessert!
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…
*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
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.
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Granola Bars, Take Two
I’m at it again… making some delicious homemade granola bars! I can’t stop myself. Sorry. 🙂
What 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?
The Pajama Chef 