Chocolate Walnut Coconut Granola

I've mentioned this before, but I love making granola, though I wish I thought to make it more often! Weekly would be ideal. It's way cheaper than buying cereal and you have total control over what goes in it! There's not much I can say about this granola other then it's probably one of the best I've made, and my friend Erin seemed to love it as well! 

The technique is a bit more involved then granola I have made in the past, but well worth the extra effort. See, you actually toast nearly all the ingredients on the stove first. Then, only bake for 15 minutes! I much prefer this method as opposed to baking all the ingredients, especially when there is coconut in the granola. By toasting the coconut separately, then adding it at the end, you can ensure there is no burnt coconut. Trust me, if the coconut burns, the whole batch is trash. I still have a batch from this fall where I slightly overbaked the coconut. Have I touched it? Nope. It's going in the garbage real soon.

As with all granola recipes, make it work with what you have! I know I can't afford dried cherries like the original recipe (would love to try it though!), and I only had walnuts on hand. It was still awesome, especially with a sliced banana on top. Get creative, and enjoy your homemade cereal!

Chocolate Walnut Coconut Granola

Ingredients

1 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/8 cup ground flaxseed

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon salt

4 ounces dark chocolate, coarsely chopped (I love the Trader Joe's 72%!)

Directions 

Preheat oven to 325F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a large bowl, combine honey, brown sugar, flaxseed, cinnamon, and salt. Mixture will be thick, but will thin a lot once the hot oat mixture is added later on.

Place a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the coconut to the pan in an even layer and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned and toasted.  Transfer to a small bowl and wipe out the pan.  Return the pan to the heat and add the chopped walnuts. Cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 3-4 minutes.  Stir in the oats and olive oil and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the oats are lightly toasted, about 3 minutes.

Add the toasted oat mixture to honey mixture, and stir until evenly coated. Spread out onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.  Bake, stirring every few minutes, until the granola is light golden brown, about 15 minutes. 

Remove from oven and stir in the toasted coconut.  Move the granola to one side of the baking sheet and press gently into a thick slab.  Let cool to room temperature.  Break the dried and cooled granola into small clusters, mix in the chopped chocolate, and store in an airtight container.

Inspired by: Annie's Eats who got the original recipe from The America's Test Kitchen Healthy Family Cookbook

Leek Fritters with Garlic Lemon Cream

 

It is no secret that I love leeks, and think they should be used as a main ingredient as often as possible. I adore the flavor and love how creamy they become when cooked.

I received the new Smitten Kitchen cookbook as a Christmas gift from my mom, and it was probably my favorite gift. I couldn't stop looking at it. Brimming with beautiful pictures of delicious food, it's a gorgeous book. Before cracking it open, I already knew the first recipe I would make: the leek fritters. I saw a picture floating around on pinterest, but the recipe was not available to me yet, as the book had not been published.

I am so happy I finally got around to making them. They were awesome, and the lemon garlic sour cream compliments them perfectly. I can't wait to cook more from Deb's book. Maybe I'll make every recipe!

Leek Fritters with Garlic Lemon Cream

Ingredients

Fritters:

2 lbs. leeks (about 3 very large)

1/2 teaspoon table salt, plus more for pot

2 scallions, trimmed, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

Freshly ground black pepper

Pinch of cayenne pepper

1 large egg

Olive or vegetable oil for frying

Garlic lemon cream:

1/4 cup sour cream

1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

Few gratings of fresh lemon zest

Pinch or two of salt

1 small garlic clove, minced or crushed

Directions

Trim the leeks, leaving only the white and pale-green parts. Halve them lengthwise, and if they look gritty or dirty, plunge them into cold water and fan the layers about to remove any dirt and grit. On a cutting board, slice the leeks crosswise into 1/4-inch strips.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, and cook them for 3-4 minutes, until they are slightly softened, but not limp. Drain, and wring them out in a dish towel or piece of cheesecloth. Transfer to a large bowl, and stir in scallions. In a small dish, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Stir the dry ingredients into the leek mixture, then stir in the egg until the mixture is evenly coated.

Preheat your oven to 250F, and place a baking sheet covered in foil inside. Stack a few paper towels on a large plate. In a large heavy skillet (cast iron is best) heat 2 tablespoons oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Drop small bunches of the leek mixture onto the skillet and slightly nudge them flatter with the back of your spatula. Cook the fritters until they are golden, about 3 minutes per side.

Drain fritters on paper towels, then transfer to the oven to keep warm while you make the remaining fritters. Let all the fritters rest in the oven for at least 10 minutes after the last one is cooked. Meanwhile, prepare the garlic lemon cream by whisking the ingredients together until smooth. Dollop on each fritter before serving.

Recipe Source: The Smitten Kitchen Cookbook

Lentil Soup with Sausage, Chard, and Garlic

There is just something so wonderful about a piping hot bowl of soup in the winter. I feel like I've really missed out on soup this past month, which is a shame because it's my very favorite thing. I've been eyeing this soup on Smitten Kitchen since it was first posted, and am so excited that I got around to making it. It. Was. So. Good. Simple, yet incredibly flavorful, this soup is a winner. It was also my first time trying swiss chard, and I really liked it. It's hearty like kale, though the flavor is more mild.

I agree with Deb about leftover greens in soup, and only added mine to the bowl instead of the pot, and let the hot soup wilt the greens. Leftover greens = blech. Add them when you need them, and they'll always be fresh! NUM!

Lentil Soup with Sausage, Chard, and Garlic

Ingredients

1/2 cup olive oil, divided

2 large links of sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 medium onion, diced

2 medium carrots, diced

2 celery stalks, diced

4 cloves garlic, sliced (save half for later in the recipe)

Salt, to taste

A pinch of crushed red pepper

1 cup brown lentils, sorted and rinsed

1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes

6 cups water

Freshly ground black pepper

3-4 cups Swiss chard, shredded or thinly ribboned (you could also use kale)

Grated cheese to finish (she used Pecorino Romano, I used an Italian blend I had in the fridge..Num!)

Directions

Heat 1/4 cup olive oil (enough to coat bottom of pot) in a large pot on medium heat. When hot, add the sausage, breaking it up with a wooden spoon until it starts to brown, about five minutes. Add the onion, celery, carrots, first two garlic cloves, a pinch of salt, and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Cook with the sausage until the vegetables soften a bit, another 5 minutes. Add the lentils, bay leaves, tomatoes, water (6 cups is, conveniently, 2 empty 28-ounce cans, so you can get any tomato pulp you missed), more salt and black pepper to taste. Bring to a simmer and allow to cook until the lentils are tender, about 40 minutes.

When the lentils are cooked, add the chard and cook until the leaves are tender, just a few minutes more. Discard the bay leaves.

To finish, divide soup among bowls, then add the remaining 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 garlic cloves to a small skillet and heat over medium until the garlic softens and hisses. Drizzle this over soup bowls, and top with cheese.

Recipe source: adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it from this book.

Hearty Oatmeal Banana Breakfast Cookies

I know I know...I have been MIA since December, but it was not without reason. I'm having some problems with my neck and arms (the right one especially), so I haven't been doing much of anything these days. Thankfully, Chris has been around to help me, but I found myself alone this week while he's in Colorado. Forced to fend for myself, I decided this week would be about getting back on track with easy healthy food. I've been juicing, and eating lots of hearty salads. I *tried* to eliminate sweets (Valentines Day fail), so this morning I decided to make a compromise with myself, and made cookies...for breakfast! I know right, how exactly is that a compromise? Well, these hearty cookies are full of good things, that's how. Oats, bananas, peanut butter, honey, and the chocolate was a happy for me. I don't usually like having chocolate in breakfast food, though my favorite granola may have forever changed that for me. Actually, these are the cookie form of that granola. Mmm...delicious. Super quick and easy, these cookies make a great snack too! 

Yay for cookies for breakfast!!

Hearty Oatmeal Banana Breakfast Cookies

Ingredients

2 ripe bananas, mashed

1/4 cup peanut butter (I used natural, therefore it was less sweet. I think regular may be too sweet for me!)

1/4 cup honey 

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 1/2 cups quick cooking oats

1/2 cup rice crispies cereal

1/4 cup chocolate chips, or dried fruit, or both!

Directions

Preheat oven to 350F. Place all ingredients in a large bowl, and stir until well incorporated. Line a cookies sheet with parchment or a silpat. Place rounded spoonfuls of dough onto the cookie sheet, then flatten with a spoon. Bake in preheated oven for 25 minutes. Remove from oven, and let cookies rest on the cookie sheet for 3 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Recipe Source: Dine and Dish