The Best Homemade Granola

I haven't always been the biggest granola fan - it's often too sweet for my taste or less healthy than it appears. This is until I made my own granola, and I have to tell you, it's one of the best things I've ever had and so incredibly easy to make. I've even given it recently as gifts, wrapped up in a mason jar. Homemade granola has a wonderful fresh, crunchy texture (but not too crunchy/hard like some storebought varieties) and I love that I can control what goes in mine. This recipe uses maple syrup (low glycemic) instead of brown sugar, and olive oil instead of canola oil or butter. I love the salty-sweet undertones and the combination of nuts, seeds, and coconut with the oats, but feel free to substitute and play around with whatever ingredients you like best in your granola. I love this granola over yogurt with banana or berries, or on its own with milk (it's a perfect pre-run breakfast). I keep the ingredients on hand in my pantry so that I can whip up a batch anytime. It's also gluten free for those of you who can't have wheat!

Homemade Granola
Makes about 7 cups

Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 5 minutes

3 c. rolled oats (not instant)
1 c. hulled pumpkin seeds
1 c. hulled sunflower seeds

1 c. sliced almonds

1 c. buckwheat groats
2 c. unsweetened coconut flakes (not shredded)
2 c. pecans
2/3 c. maple syrup (pure, not imitation)
1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil
1 t. Kosher salt

1 t. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. In a large bowl, combine the oats, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, buckwheat groats, coconut flakes, sliced almonds, and pecans, then add the maple syrup, olive oil, stir, and the kosher salt and cinnamon. Stir to combine, then transfer to a sheet pan (ideally lined with a silpat or parchment) and spread out in a relatively even layer. Bake for about 1 hour, stirring each 15 minutes (remove the pan from the oven to stir it and close the oven door, then put it back in so that the oven doesn't cool down too much), until the granola is a nicely toasted golden brown. Let the mixture cool, then transfer to an airtight container for up to 1-2 months.

Oatmeal Ranger Bars

I love oatmeal. I have it nearly every morning with milk, cinnamon, maple syrup, and either chia or flax seeds. I've made many oatmeal cookies in my day, but wanted to experiment with a cookie bar that could serve equally well as a dessert (I first made these for a dinner party and served them with vanilla bean ice cream), a mid-afternoon snack, or something to keep you going on a hike. Instead of your typical oatmeal-raisin variety, I wanted to incorporate some of my favorite flavors - chocolate, coconut, and nuts - to create something reminiscent of a "ranger" bar - basically a cookie or bar that contains a lot of good stuff!

These were so good that our guests asked for my recipe and are making them for their own dinner party, so I figured I had to share this creation with others. They don't require a mixer and they also freeze very well - pop them in the freezer after you've cooked and cut them apart and they can either be reheated for a quick fix in the microwave (about 30 seconds) or thawed on the counter.

Oatmeal Ranger Bars
Active Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

2 sticks butter, melted

3/4 c. packed brown sugar

1/2 c. honey

2 eggs

1/4 c. lowfat milk

1 t. vanilla

1 t. baking soda

1 t. kosher salt

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. nutmeg

2 c. whole wheat pastry flour (or 1 c. regular whole wheat flour and 1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour)

3 c. old fashioned (not quick) oats

1/2 c. unsweetened shredded coconut

1 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/2 c. walnuts, cut into small pieces

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Butter a 13x9x2 baking pan and line with parchment paper (the butter helps the parchment stick to the pan). 

In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and honey. Whisk in the eggs, milk, vanilla, and whisk together. Then whisk in the salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Stir in the flour and oats with a wooden spoon, then add the chocolate chips, coconut, and walnuts. Spread the mixture evenly in the pan and bake for about 25 minutes, or until golden brown on the edges. Let cool in the pan, then lift out using the parchment paper and cut into bars.

Whole-Wheat Oatmeal Pecan Cookies

Sometimes (ok, often) in the middle of the week I'm in the mood for a treat, but don't want something too heavy. I had some pecans in my cupboard along with some whole-wheat pastry flour but no butter, and thought I would experiment with making some cookies that are a little bit healthier using olive oil instead. The result was even better than I expected - cookies that are full of flavor, chewy yet relatively light in texture, and great for a little treat or snack.

These are also just about the easiest cookies I've made - since there's no butter, there is no mixer needed. You just stir the ingredients together!

I used a small ice cream scoop to form the cookies (my new favorite baking accessory for cookies - here's an example: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/kitchen-and-food/serving-utensils/stainless-steel-ice-cream-scoop/s283323) but you can certainly just drop them by the tablespoon onto the cookie sheets.

One more tip - this recipe makes about 30 cookies, but if you don't think you can polish them off in a week or so (these kept remarkably well in an airtight container), I also love to freeze almost any type of cookies before you bake them and then you can pop them out of the freezer for impromptu cookie cravings in the future right into the oven. To do this, drop the cookies as you normally would onto a cookie sheet, then put them in the freezer for about 15-30 minutes (it's ok if it's longer). Once they've started to freeze a little, you can transfer them to a ziplog bag or reusable container and freeze them for several months. When you're ready to bake them, take them out of the freezer, put them on a cookie sheet, and bake for 1-2 minutes longer than called for below.

Whole-Wheat Oatmeal Pecan Cookies
Makes ~ 30 cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes cooking time per batch

1 1/2 c. whole-wheat pastry flour
1 1/4 c. old-fashioned rolled oats (not instant)
3/4 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. fine grain sea salt
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 c. chopped pecans
1 egg
1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. maple syrup
2 T. molasses
1 t. vanilla
1/2 c. olive oil
Approx. 30 pecan halves

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, oats, baking powder, salt, cinnamonm and nuts. In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, vanilla, and olive oil. Stir in the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Drop by the tablespoon onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes. Immediately upon taking the cookies out of the oven, press a pecan half into each cookie. Transfer to a wire rack to cool, then enjoy!

Gluten-Free Energy Bars

I have been experimenting with creating new types of energy bars following up on my post last month (Peanut Butter, Oat, and Honey Power Bars). I've also received some requests from friends and family to incorporate some gluten-free recipes into my repertoire. It turns out that this isn't that difficult when it comes to energy bars. I still wanted to create a bar that had a nice balance of protein (almond butter, quinoa, and nuts), fiber (oats & flaxseed), and natural sweeteners that are relatively low glycemic (honey, agave nectar, and pure maple syrup) and therefore help keep you satiated for an afternoon snack or during a run or bike ride. I learned a lot about different sweeteners from Heidi Swanson's cookbook "Super Natural Cooking". For example, I had no idea that brown sugar, which I always used to sweeten my oatmeal with, is in most cases just white sugar colored with a little bit of molasses. Now I use maple syrup.

These bars are a great everyday snack for kids and adults alike. They also are perfect for those of you out there involved in long-distance or endurance sports, or just enjoy hiking or other activities where you need some sustenance. I brought one of these on my long run today (I'm training for the Skyline to the Sea trail marathon in April) and it gave me the energy I needed throughout the run without any stomach issues. I also found it much easier to eat and digest during the run than other bars which can feel more like a "brick" when you're trying to chew it and get it down (i.e. Clif Bars). It's difficult for me to find bars that I both actually enjoy eating and are good during exercise and I think these fit the bill.

Store the bars in an airtight container, between layers of parchment paper or foil, as they are chewy (although the quinoa gives them a great crunch!). They'll last for about 2 weeks this way. I also froze some of the bars by wrapping each of them in foil and then putting them in a plastic bag and placing them in the freezer. They should last in the freezer for up to 3 months and unthaw quickly.

Gluten-Free Energy Bars
Makes 16 bars

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes (plus a few hours to set)

2 c. old-fashioned (not instant) rolled oats
3/4 c. quinoa (uncooked)
1/4 c. ground flaxseed
1/2 c. slivered almonds
1/2 c. pecans, roughly chopped
1/4 c. hulled sunflower seeds
1 c. dried fruit (I used 1/2 c. cranberries & 1/2 c. cherries), chopped if the fruit is larger in size
1 c. almond butter
1/2 c. honey
1/4 c. agave nectar (I used raw dark agave nectar)
1/4 c. pure maple syrup (I like Grade B)
1/2 t. fine grain sea salt
1 t. vanilla
1/4 t. cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 13x9x2 baking pan with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, combine the dry ingredients - oats, quinoa, ground flaxseed, almonds, pecans, and sunflower seeds. Put the dry ingredients on a baking sheet or sheet pan and toast in the oven for 10 minutes.

After the dry ingredients have been in the oven for about 5 minutes, put the almond butter, honey, agave, and maple syrup in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Stirring often, bring to a low boil. Remove from heat and stir in the salt, vanilla, and cinnamon.

Remove the dry ingredients from the oven and put into the saucepan with the wet ingredients. Stir to combine well. Transfer the mixture to the 13x9x2 baking pan and using a small piece of parchment paper, press down to distribute the mixture evenly in the pan. Let the bars set for about 3 hours then cut into 16 bars.

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal and Honey Power Bars (Plus Dog Treats!)

Two things that I've always wanted to try making at home are granola bars and dog treats. Why? In our household, between myself, my husband, and our golden retriever Annie, we go through a lot of each. As much as I love Clif Mojo bars for us and Greenies for Annie, the cost adds up, and while these products are good, they both still have a lot of additives. I wanted to create recipes where I know exactly what is going into each and are easy to make with items that I generally have around the house. We really enjoyed these bars for an afternoon or mid-morning snack or sustenance on a hike or long run. They have good staying power given their combination of protein and fiber. And needless to say Annie loves the dog treats so your dog is sure to as well.

The best part about both of these is that they also keep for a while in airtight containers (at least 2 weeks for the power bars and longer for the dog treats) and they can both also be frozen. Also, feel free to experiment with different add-ins for the power bars - you could use any type of natural nut butter, substitute the coconut for dried fruit, and use any type of nuts/seeds that you want! These bars are chewy, not crunchy, which we like, and can also be individually wrapped in foil or parchment paper for easy portability. We just finished off our batch, so I'm going to experiment with more recipes as well, but these are certain to be a staple in our pantry...

Peanut Butter, Oatmeal and Honey Power Bars  
Makes 16 Bars
Time: 15 minutes, plus time to cool

2 1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick)
1/2 c. wheat germ
1/4 c. ground flaxseed
1/2 c. dried flaked unsweetened coconut (or chopped dried fruit of your choice)
1/2 c. nuts and seeds (I used 1/4 c. + 1 T. slivered almonds and 2 T. sesame seeds)
1 c. natural creamy peanut butter (or other nut butter of your choice - almond, sunflower seed, cashew, etc.)
3/4 c. honey
1/3 c. molasses (note: these do have a slight molasses flavor, which we like, but if you don't you could just use more nut butter & honey)
1 t. vanilla extract
1/4 t. cinnamon
1/4 t. fine grain sea salt

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a 9x13 inch pan with parchment paper.

Put the oats, wheat germ, flaxseed, nuts and seeds in a medium bowl, stir to combine, and then spread on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, after the oats/nuts have been toasting for anout 5 minutes, in a medium saucepan, combine the nut butter, honey, and molasses over medium heat until slightly bubbly and smooth, just a few minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Remove the dry ingredients from the oven and mix into the saucepan, stirring well to combine.

Put the mixture into the prepared 9x13 inch pan and, using a small piece of parchment paper to help you, press it down into the pan in an even layer. Cool completely in the pan (this takes about 2 hours) and cut into 16 bars or however big you'd like to make them.

Bonus: Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Treats
Makes varying amounts based on the size of your cookie cutter (the size shown here made about 20)

Active Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes

1 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
1/4 c. old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick)
1 t. baking powder
3/4 c. lowfat milk
1 c. natural creamy peanut butter
1 T. molasses

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Whisk the flour, oats, and baking powder together in a medium bowl. Stir in the milk, peanut butter, and molasses. (This dough is thick and a little tough to mix - don't worry if it isn't perfectly blended).

Turn out the dough onto a floured surface and knead a few times to better incorporate and soften the dough. Roll out to about 1/2'' thickness and cut with a dog bone cookie cutter or other shape of your choice.

Transfer to a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Remove from the oven, let treats cool a few minutes on the cookie sheet and then remove from the sheet and completely on a wire rack.

Healthy Quick Bread

I love fresh-made bread but usually can't be bothered to make something with yeast - waiting for it to rise, then kneading, etc. is usually not something that I have the time/skill for. This is precisely why I love quick breads - you just throw the ingredients together in a bowl, mix and bake. There is almost nothing easier. I particularly like this quick bread recipe because it can either be sweetened up toasted with jam for breakfast or served with butter at dinner. I was able to whip this up with pantry staples, making it a great recipe to throw together anytime.

Healthy Quick Bread
Makes 1 loaf

Active Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes

Dry ingredients:
1 1/3 c. whole wheat flour
1 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
(alternatively, use 2 1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour)
2 1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. baking soda
1 t. kosher salt
1/4 c. ground flaxseed meal

Wet ingredients:
8 oz. plain nonfat or low-fat plain yogurt
1 egg
1/4 c. honey
1/4 c. coconut oil (alternatively you could use olive or canola oil)
3/4 c. lowfat milk
1 c. old fashioned rolled oats (not instant) + 1-2 T. for the top

Grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan (or similar size) and preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl, stirring to combine with a whisk.

In a small bowl, combine the wet ingredients, also stirring to combine with a whisk. The oats are included in the wet ingredients to allow them to soften up for a minute.

Gently stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients with a wooden spoon, stirring just until combined (do not overbeat). Scrape the batter into the pan, smooth out the top with a spoon, and sprinke another 1-2 T. oats over the top.

Bake for approximately 45 minutes or until a toothpick comes out relatively clean. Allow to rest in the pan for approx. 15 minutes and then after running a knife around the edges, remove the loaf from the pan (it should come out easily) and let cool on a wire rack. Enjoy over the next 2-3 days (if it isn't gone before then!).