Granola two ways: everything and maple pecan

 

 

 

Despite my non-resolutions, I will admit to having started a healthier, lighter eating regime this month, eschewing carbs and processed sugar as much as possible.

 

This new routine involves eating oats in as many forms possible in the morning rather than the five or ten two or three wholewheat cookies I normally hastily dunk into my caffe latte every morning at my office desk. It also involves thinking and preparing ahead but turns out to be less of a bother than I thought it would be. I just have to remember to boil and soak some steel cut oats in water about once a week or alternatively mix and bake my own granola, of which I have already made several batches.

 

 

 

 

 

I am aware that making your own granola is not the discovery of the century and that many of you are already doing it, but for those of you who don't, it is so easy and so much healthier than buying those (often) sugar, salt and fat-laden industrial ones, of which there is very little choice here to begin with. So I am indeed very excited, just as excited as I was about last week's lentils ... what can I say, I guess I am an enthusiastic kinda gal, although I promise to spare you Dr. Seuss this time round.

 

I have made a variety of combinations with very different ingredients and two different methods, both of which worked very well for me, and I cannot help patting myself on the shoulder everytime I take a bite: not only do I get to clean out my pantry and freezer (I cannot begin to tell you the amount of dried fruit and nuts I have stashed away), but I can choose from an endless combination of ingredients, I have control of what I am feeding my family, how sweet I want my breakfast cereal to be and also how much fat, sugar or salt I want or rather don't want to use. Not to mention I get to decide whether I want big clusters, small clusters or none at all.
 

 

 

 

We have been eating it with cold milk, warm milk or yogurt as breakfast and after-school snacks and we have yet to get bored of it. I am already thinking dried figs, medjool dates, apricots, pistachios, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, raisins. My kids are already dreaming of chocolate chips in all colors or sizes and peanut butter chips...

 

Quick note: I have been using instant oats because I had a large tin to use up and they worked well but normally granola recipes call for rolled oats. You can go either way. Also, play around with the ingredients you like by substituting, adding or taking any of them. Last but not least, I recently read some recipes that did not call for any kind of fat in the preparation, so I will be trying that next.*

*Six months later I am still making this weekly: I now use rolled oats or 6-grain mixes, I have cut the amount of maple syrup and add flax/linseed to the mix, and the maple granola is definitely my favorite although I sometimes swap pecans with a seed mix (sesame, sunflower, pumpkin, linseed etc.).

 

 

 

 

Everything granola (makes enough for one baking tray)
1/3 cup honey
1/3 cup butter
1tsp muscovado sugar
1 tsp poppy seeds
1/4 cup unsweetened, dried coconut
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup almonds, roughly chopped
3 cups rolled/instant oats 
a pinch of salt
1/2 cup mixed red berries

Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F.
Melt butter and honey (you can melt the honey using the bain marie method or in the microwave) and mix together in a large bowl. Add in all the other ingredients and mix well using a spatula.
Line a baking tray with parchment paper or aluminum foil and spread the mixture evenly. Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, mixing halfway through. Let cool, crumble and mix in the berries. Store in an airtight container.

Maple pecan granola clusters (makes enough for one baking tray) - with updates
3 1/2 cups instant oats (I have now switched to a 6-grain rolled mix) 
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup ground flax/linseed
1 tsp cinnamon, optional
1/2 to 1 cup pecans, roughly chopped
a pinch of salt
1/4 cup canola oil or other
2/3 cup pure maple syrup (I have since reduced the amount to 1/4 cup approximately)



Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F.
In a large bowl mix together all the dry ingredients. In a small bowl combine oil and syrup and then pour over the dry ingredients. Mix well with a spatula. Spread evenly onto a previously lined baking tray and bake without mixing for about 30 minutes . Let cool, break up in to pieces and store in an airtight container.

 

 

 

 

 

Marinated raw broccoli salad

Last night I had a really stange dream that involved hanging out with the Rancics.

???

For the entire dream, that believe it or not was interrupted by my son's crying and resumed after a visit to his room, I acted like a starstruck idiot and humiliated myself in front of husband and wife (no sign of baby Duke) acting like an overeager lab pup. They kept rolling their eyes with smug looks on their faces while I desperately tried, and greatly failed, to convince them I was totally cool and not at all impressed by fame. 

???

Something is telling me that the amount of food and alcoholic beverages consumed over a week-end filled with engagements is taking its toll. Although I will admit that the dream was probably triggered by one of Giuliana's retweets.

So whether you are spending your nights partying with the Kardashians or having coffee with the housewives of NY or OC, it is time to start making this salad.

Although I strongly suggest you make this in any case.

 

This salad has a lot of things going for it: it is packed with flavor and crunch; eating broccoli raw boosts its anti cancer properties; it is low in calories; you can pretty much use any combination of ingredients you like; it is vegetarian and vegan.

Use raisins or dried cherries instead of cranberries or skip the dried fruit altogether if you are not partial to it. Throw in some toasted pine nuts for added crunch and melt a few anchovy filets into the olive oil for that extra umami. Sprinkle over some bonito flakes, some grated parmigiano cheese or chili flakes. Perhaps add a tablespoon of light miso paste and substitute the balsamic vinegar with rice vinegar? Whatever way you decide to make this, just do it. Kardashians or not.
 

 

 

Oh, before you read the recipe, just wanted to inform you that Nuts about Food has moved to a new Facebook page, so if you are a follower or have liked my page, please move over with me. I am in the process of moving over my content as I write.

Peanut & toasted sesame dressing, design and more awards

Sunday was the last day of the Salone del Mobile, the international design fair, which is a very interesting event indeed, but overcrowded and not a place to go with children and strollers. The atmosphere is totally different at the Fuori Salone, events and locations open to the public all over the town, many of which in the more artsy and emerging areas of the city.

(The pictures were all taken with my cell phone).

  

In good weather, it is a great way to take a stroll and let the kids run around and wonder at all the colorful and bizzarre creations while parents get an idea of the creative juices flowing outside nurseries and a whiff of their distant life of exhibits, cocktails and designer objects.

It is exciting to discover yet another facet of the place you live, new buildings (finally!) being constructed in abandoned industrial areas and sites of a city that, despite being one of the design capitals of the world, has shown little urbanistic innovation in the past decades. As always, food was present too, in one way or the other.

And since it is spring and we are talking of ideas and creations from all over the world, here is a very simple yet fabulous idea I got from Design, Wine & Dine. It is a peanut sesame dressing you can use on salads or any other kind of vegetable and it is delicious. I think I would like it on just about anything, even my bare fingers.