Spring Cleaning Granola

Please excuse my splotchy spoon…

Man oh man is this stuff tasty. I have had a craving for some good, healthy granola ever since returning from Florida. I have had some early mornings lately and my breakfasts have been, well… sad. An afterthought. Something to hold me over until lunch. After a day off, I decided that I couldn’t continue to neglect my favorite meal for much longer! Since oatmeal takes too much time in the morning and hot breakfasts on increasingly warmer mornings are sounding less appealing, the thoughts of granola came to my mind.

Now I may have mentioned this in other posts before, but homemade granola simply cannot be beaten… once you get it right. It is harder than you’d think to get the wet to dry ratio to give you just enough crumbles and clusters! Too far one way and the granola is dry and lifeless, and too far the other and the result is tacky and hard to store! Once that problem is solved, the combinations of granola goodness become endless. Even better, you can control the amount of sugar you add so you can avoid the cloying sweetness that plaques many store-bought varieties. This batch of granola essentially served as a spring cleaning for my pantry, using up bits of bulk good items bought for other purposes and since forgotten. I will post how I made it below, and then write out what I think is a pretty good bare-bones builder for a make-your own granola!

Question: What are your favorite fruit & nut combos for granola?

Spring Cleaning Granola

based on a friend’s favorite granola recipe

(note: makes a very large batch, recipe can easily be halved)

dry ingredients:

6 cups oats

1/2 cup lightly salted sunflower seeds (if using unsalted, add a pinch of salt to the wet ingredients)

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

3 cups chopped peanuts

wet ingredients:

3/4 cup maple syrup, 1/2 cup mixed in and 1/4 cup reserved

1/2 cup canola oil

1 tbsp cinnamon

3/4 tsp nutmeg

3/4 tsp ground ginger

1 tsp vanilla

1/4 cup brown sugar

mix-ins:

1 cup dried fruit (I used a combo of dried blueberries and chocolate-covered pomegranate seeds)

Mix together all wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls. Next, mix the wet into the dry ingredients until small clumps form. Spread evenly on a lightly-greased rimmed baking sheet. Place in a 325F oven and bake for 15 minutes. Stir the granola, and bake for 15 more minutes. Add the remaining 1/4 cup of maple syrup over the granola, stir, and bake for 5 final minutes. Remove and allow to cool on the tray. Once room temperature, stir in desired dried fruit.

Bare-Bones Granola Builder

dry ingredients: 

3 cups oats

1/2 cup seeds (sunflower, pumpkin, sesame, chia)

1 1/2 cups chopped nuts (peanuts, almonds, pecans, macadamia, walnut)

wet ingredients:

1/4 cup oil (canola, vegetable, olive, grapeseed, coconut)

1/4 cup + 2 tbsp liquid sweetener (maple syrup, honey, agave nectar)

2 tbsp brown sugar

Spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, cloves)

Pinch of salt (if nuts not salted)

1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or almond or anise, if you want to try something fancy!)

mix-ins:

1/2-1 cup dried fruit (cranberries, blueberries, raisins, cherries)

Mix together all wet and dry ingredients in separate bowls. Next, mix the wet into the dry ingredients until small clumps form. Spread evenly on a lightly-greased rimmed baking sheet. Place in a 325F oven and bake for 15 minutes. Stir the granola, and bake for 15 more minutes. Add the remaining maple syrup over the granola, stir, and bake for 5 final minutes. Remove and allow to cool on the tray. Once room temperature, stir in desired dried fruit.

It’s Fall Y’all: Oats

To me, oats scream fall. There is nothing better on a chilly, fall morning than a big bowl of hot oatmeal. Oats are also essential to great apple crisps and crumbles, or fresh oatmeal cookies. I love oats so much that I have earned the reputation amongst my friends as “Oatmeal Queen.” I will gladly wear that title. If oatmeal isn’t your thing, than maybe granola is. My goal has been to perfect the granola making process, and I think I am finally getting there! I like making granola better than buying it because you have so much more control over the amount of sugar that goes into your cereal. These two recipes really fit the bill!

Almond Butter Granola is a great option for a fast, no-fuss weekday granola. It takes seconds to prep, minutes to bake, and is so delicious! It is not overly sweet and is a great addition to trail mix or over yogurt!

Like I said last week, this Coconut Ginger Granola is possibly my new favorite treat! I used Smart Balance butter instead of coconut oil, omitted the Brazil nuts, and added a bit of ginger syrup, otherwise following the recipe pretty closely! This recipe makes me never want to buy granola from a store again.

In case those aren’t enough ideas, here are some links to my favorite oatmeal recipes…

30 Days of Oatmeal

Caramelized Banana Baked Oatmeal

Oatmeal Greek Yogurt Pancakes

Cinnamon Oat Lace Cookies

…and some more that I have yet to try!

No-Sugar Oat Drops

Oatmeal Sandwich Bread

Question: Are you an oatmeal fan?

Going, Going, Gone Bananas

Time is flying faster than I can keep track of! I feel like I just started my third year clerkships, yet I am already 1 week away from finishing my first rotation. The weeks have been busy, so I am backlogged on a few things that have been coming out of my kitchen lately. Like these to-go oatmeal muffins – they have been sitting on my camera almost as long as the bananas were sitting on my counter top. I have a short window of ripeness during which I enjoy bananas, and so I often end up making banana bread if my bunch ripens too fast. I wanted something more substantial for breakfast than my typical quick bread, however, so I tried making mini baked oatmeal muffins. (They aren’t exactly muffins since they are rather dense, but I am at a loss for what else to call them…) They turned out well first shot, so I have been enjoying them over the past week for breakfast! They are whole grain and filled with protein, and low in calories at about 150 calories per muffin. I have been taking two each morning, eating one before rounds and one during mid-morning to keep me going. (Anyone else have insatiable morning hunger problems? No? Just me?) They could also be a great afternoon snack, and are good cold or hot. Suits my oatmeal, peanut butter, and wholesome food craving all in one bite!

Peanut Butter and Banana Oatmeal, To Go!

makes 10-12 muffins

2 cups rolled oats

2 medium bananas, overripe and mashed

2 cups milk of your choice

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

2 tbsp ground flax seed

2 tbsp agave nectar

2 tbsp vanilla extract

2 tsp baking powder

11 tsp peanut butter

Preheat oven to 375F. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except the peanut butter. Coat a muffin tray with cooking spray. Fill 10 muffin tins halfway with oatmeal mixture. Spoon in 1 tsp peanut butter to each muffin. Fill the tins the rest of the way with oatmeal. If there is leftovers, fill 1-2 more muffins in the same fashion. Bake for 25 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Immediately upon removing from oven, take a knife to loosen the edges of the muffins. Allow to cool for several minutes and then remove to rack to cool completely. Enjoy one for a snack or two for an on the run breakfast.

WIAW On the Wards

It has been a while since I have posted, and even longer since I have joined a WIAW party! Forgive me, friends, but sometimes life is just really busy! My day-to-day routine is dramatically different from what it was just a short few months ago, so I thought it would be fun to give you a peek into my new life as a 3rd year medical student. (It is official now since I found out today that I PASSED MY BOARDS!) My days are long and busy, and there is not always as much time for cooking, running, and relaxing as I would like, but I would not trade this experience for anything. Enough with the chatter, let’s get to the food! (Forgive the phone pictures – I forgot my camera!)

5:30am

2-year-old picture from my white coat ceremony, so add a few inches of hair, some pens, note cards, a bunch of paper and random items into those pockets, and maybe a stain or two. I still feel like a kid playing dress up, but am feeling more comfortable in the coat and with my role each day.

I am a morning person by nature, but let’s be real. This is an awful hour of the morning to wake up! I am awake, showered, and out the door by 6am, 6 days a week. Thank God for coffee!

I am on an “away rotation” right now, so I have a 45 minute commute out of the city every morning. The good thing is that I drive opposite of the traffic patterns, leave before rush hour starts and come home at the tail end of it, and carpool with 2 classmates so that I have good car conversation.

6:50am

Yesterday’s breakfast: Peanut butter and banana burrito.

Today’s breakfast: Peanut butter and banana overnight oats

I eat my breakfast as I am grabbing my white coat and stethoscope before rounds. I try to eat as close to rounds as possible, since they can often mean hours on your feet with little break. Breakfast lately has either been peanut butter and jelly roll-ups or peanut butter and banana overnight oatmeal. The protein from the peanut butter helps keep me going through a busy morning! I always have a granola bar in my white coat pocket just in case, since it would be pretty embarrassing to pass out in a patient’s room on rounds… Not like that almost happened to me on my first day or anything… My oatmeal kept me full until lunch today, so I squirreled the granola bar away for later.

12:30pm

Each day, we have our lectures over lunch break, or noon conference. (Ironically, noon conference starts at 12:30, but I just show up as told ;)) Lunch is provided on occasion, but most days I bring my own food. Hummus wraps and leftover dinners are my standard items, and I have started eating my bigger meal during the lunch hour so I have enough energy for a busy afternoon. Today, I had some leftover whole wheat pasta with homemade tomato-basil sauce and zucchini. It was filling and delicious, even though the carbs left me pretty sleepy. (Whoever decided a lunch conference is a good idea promptly forgot their days as an overly tired student/resident…)

2pm

I am trying to stick to one cup of coffee a day, so have switched to black tea when I need an afternoon boost. Today was just one of those days. I picked at some cherries while I did some research and wrote my progress notes.

5:30pm

The workday ends around 5pm, unless you are admitting patients or haven’t finished your notes for the day. After letting the overnight resident know about my patients, I am on the road. Most days, I am too hungry to survive the commute back home, so I keep fruit or a granola bar on hand. Today was a  granola bar day since I knew I wanted to run when I got home.

7pm

It has been harder for me to find time to exercise with 12 hour days and commuting, but I have been trying to run 2-3 days a week. My runs are short, between 2 or 3 miles, and are unfortunately less of a priority than they used to be. On days that I don’t exercise, I get some studying done or catch up with friends or chores. I appreciate any time I have to clear my head and my lungs, though, so even today’s short 1.5 miles was satisfying. I followed that up with some ballet barre exercises and light weights at home.

8pm

I am starving most nights, and so gourmet dinners are currently infrequent on my menu. Most nights, I have a salad or pasta. Breakfast for dinner is always a good option, too. Tonight, I made Chelsey’s Over Easy Savory Oats With Kale, topped with some red chili flakes and extra nutritional yeast. I had a handful of unpictured almonds and raisins to cap off the night.

After a little more reading, packing my breakfast and lunch for the following day, and catching up with friends, I try to maintain a reasonable bed time of 10:30. No matter what time I fall asleep the night before, though, the next morning alarm still comes too early! Life is busy, but life is good. Happy Wednesday!

Greek Yogurt and Oatmeal Pancakes

Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and arguably one of the most important. Starting your day with wholesome grains and fruits sets the tone for your day’s meals, and wakes up your metabolism. I am never one to skip a meal, but it looks like hot breakfasts might be a luxury for me over the upcoming months! I am starting a new chapter in my medical school career: clinical rotations. This means I get to don my white coat and stethoscope, follow around the interns, residents and attending, and learn how to take care of patients. This also means that I have to be at the hospital at ungodly hours for rounds, at least for my first few rotations. Even this oatmeal loving girl might have to find some on-the-go options for the next few months!

Forgive the blurry picture, but I wanted to show off my fancy flower spatula!

In the meantime, I hope you all at least get to enjoy this pancake recipe! I made it for brunch last weekend, and despite a few cooking time and temperature problems, I think it turned out well! I adapted the recipe from How Sweet Eats to incorporate oats, since they are my breakfast staple. The pancakes are dense, but are hearty and filling and go great with fresh fruit toppings. If you are looking for a healthy pancake alternative, give this a shot!

Question: What is your favorite grab-and-go breakfast?

No need for syrup!

Oatmeal Greek Yogurt Pancakes

adapted from this recipe, serves 4-6

1 cup oats, processed roughly into flour in food processor

1 cup whole wheat flour

2 tsp baking powder

1 1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1 can light coconut milk

1/2 cup soy milk

3/4 cup Greek yogurt

1 tbsp vanilla

1 1/2 tbsp honey

Mix together dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another. Pour wet into dry ingredients and stir until well combined. On a very hot griddle coated in cooking spray, drop 1/4-1/3 cup batter per pancake. Once bubbles form, flip. (Note: these pancakes take slightly longer to cook per side than traditional pancakes.) Serve warm with jam and fresh fruit.

Lessons Learned

This past month has taught me a lot. Sure, I put in a lot of hours learning microbiology, physiology, pharmacology, pathology… but beyond the medical science, I also learned a lot about myself.

I learned that it is okay to realize you have worn nothing but leggings and yoga pants for 6 days straight when you sort your laundry.

I tested my attention span and sedentary capacity to their limits, and then broke up study blocks with jumping jacks and sit ups to stay awake and sane.

I realized how important it is to get out of the house each day, even if it is just for a quick one mile jog.

I learned how much I love to run.

I remembered how much I love to walk on days when I just can’t muster the energy to run.

I appreciated just how much I learned in the past two years, and how much there is that I still don’t know.

The human body is an amazing machine.

I learned that it is okay to cry on a friend’s shoulder when you are overwhelmed and feel inadequate for the task at hand.

I was and am constantly reminded that God is faithful. Starting the day with a Psalm helped refocus my priorities on some really tough days.

I am amazed at the supportive and loving community that has surrounded me and carried me through to where I am now.

I learned that colored pens make everything more fun.

I released my post-exam anxiety and jitters by recycling two years of notes and scrap paper.

I learned how important home cooked meals are to me. I only ordered take out twice. And both times were worth it.

I survived by being okay with having breakfast for dinner. And lunch. And breakfast. Because what would life be without home fries and eggs?

I made more variations of home fries and eggs than I knew possible before this past month. Breakfast for dinner meals were great because they still gave me the break I desperately desired in the kitchen without any intensive prep or clean up. I never measured, so these are loose instructions for some of my favorite and unexpected combos rather than strict recipes.

The first is a Turnip Hash that was inspired by the plethora of turnips I received in my Boston Organics box. I cut up a large turnip (peeled) and a large potato (unpeeled) into bite sized pieces and steamed them until they were fork tender. I then sautéed them in a large skillet with a pad of Smart Balance Light butter, a pinch of salt and rosemary. On a whim, I threw in a small handful of raisins and a dash of cinnamon, because it makes everything better. And it did. I was surprised how much I liked this! The classic rosemary with potatoes kept it homey, while the turnips added an interesting flavor and stronger texture. The raisins were a nice sweet addition, though I did make it without and liked it both ways. A whole turnip and potato made at least 3 if not more meals for me served alongside a fried egg and piece of toast. Breakfast for dinner success number 1!

The second is a Curried Egg Omelette. I can’t take credit for this idea – my Grandma is the true brains behind this creation. While in Florida, she made eggs one morning and on a whim (I am seeing where my cooking style comes from now…) threw in a dash of curry powder and cinnamon. I was skeptical, as I am sure you are as well, but, like I said, cinnamon makes everything better. And it did. The cinnamon flavor didn’t shine through, but instead enhanced the light curry flavor that took over the scrambled eggs. It was unexpected and addicting. I knew I had to make it again. So I did. I mixed two eggs with a teaspoon of Greek yogurt (you could use milk or sour cream as well) and a few shakes (about 1/4 tsp) curry powder and a shake (less than 1/8 tsp) cinnamon. You can turn this into scrambled eggs, or pour it into a really hot pan for a nice omelette with a crunchy outside. The curry flavor is mild but unique, and leaves me wanting more! I ate these eggs alongside some sweet potato  home fries, skins left on and sautéed in olive oil, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

Lesson learned in writing this post: I should buy stock in cinnamon.

And I am so excited to cook and share with you all again!

Caramelized Banana Baked Oatmeal

A breakfast this decadent should be illegal. Especially on a Tuesday. But have no fear: this treat still fits within the lines of a healthy morning start! It is whole grain, sugar-free, vegan and filling! I woke up this morning to a frigid apartment and a long day of studying, so I decided to whip up this treat to start my day off on a bright note. It is just as easy as stove-top oatmeal, since you can leave the oven timer to remind you about your breakfast as you go about your morning. The bananas take just minutes in a pan over the stove, and really take this breakfast over the top! Give this breakfast a try the next time you need a bit of a weekday morning pick me up!

Question: What do you do to get through a mid-week slump?

Caramelized Banana Baked Oatmeal

inspired by Katie’s Baked Oatmeal and Eating Well’s Caramelized Bananas

1/2 cup oats

1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk

1/3 large banana, thinly sliced

1 tbsp Earth Balance

juice of 1/2 orange

1/2 tsp cinnamon

2/3 large banana, halved and cut into 2-inch long strips

In a bowl, mix the oats, coconut milk and banana slices. Use the mixing spoon to mash the bananas into the oats. Pour into a ramekin coated with cooking spray and bake at 375 for 15 minutes. Turn the oven setting to broil and bake for 5 for minutes. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a small skillet. Add the bananas and squeeze the orange juice over them. As the syrup begins to reduce, flip the bananas and sprinkle with cinnamon. When the bananas are almost falling apart and the syrup is reduced, turn off the heat. Serve the bananas and remaining syrup over the baked oatmeal.

Recipe Roundup

Between Pinterest, stars in my Google reader, old bookmarks, and saved family recipes, I have more meal ideas than I know what to do with! To deal with some of the recipe overload, I have been making some other blogger’s meals for the past week with delicious results. The only problem is, for every recipe I try, I find three more to replace it with! Inspired eating is never a bad thing, so I am not complaining. Here are some of the things I have tried and loved lately. All of the pictures are from the original websites, since I was to lazy to photograph my recreations.

A microwaved sweet potato with a scoop of plain Greek yogurt, almond butter and cinnamon. I was inspired by Sarah at My Less Serious Life during a WIAW post. I was a little skeptical at first since I usually associate sweet potatoes with savory meals, but gave it a try anyway. I had a small sweet potato and enjoyed it for breakfast, and am so glad I didn’t let my skepticism get in the way of this delicious meal! It is definitely something I would make again.

For lunch, I have been enjoying a healthy, hearty and delicious layered salad. Angela at Oh She Glows recreated a favorite from the Whole Foods salad bar, and it is easily one of the best grain salads I have ever tasted. The quinoa and edamame help keep you full all afternoon, and the citrus dressing is incredibly light and refreshing. I didn’t follow the recipe for the dressing exactly since I didn’t have apple juice on hand, but used what I had to approximate the flavors. Check out this recipe for a week of easy, healthy and portable vegan lunches!

For all of you cauliflower fans out there, this recipe from Heather at 101 Cookbooks is for you. If you aren’t a cauliflower fan, I would bet you’d still like this meal. The chiles and cilantro give the dish a great kick, and the turmeric adds a fantastic pop of color. To make this a rounded out meal rather than a side, I added some roasted red potatoes and some adzuki, lentil and pea sprouts. My friend went back for thirds, so let that speak for the bold and amazing flavors in this vegan dish!

Looking for a dairy-free alternative for a crudite platter, I tried out Katie’s vegan Ranch dressing. It is tofu based and has a great dill flavor. I made a lot of substitutions to use what I had on hand (real onions for onion powder, Greek yogurt for vegan mayo, and a touch of extra salt) and loved the result. This recipe makes a pretty large batch of ranch dressing, perfect for a party dip. I think it would also be great thinned out a bit for healthier, protein-packed, salad dressing!

Question: What is one new recipe you have tried and loved lately?

A Lonely Can of Pumpkin

Along with the rest of the blog world, I was on a huge pumpkin kick in the early fall. I was loving pumpkin oatmeal and pumpkin pancakes, and stocked up on canned pumpkin whenever my grocery store had it on sale. As I was searching for an idea for a vegan muffin to bring to my Bible study last week, I stumbled upon the last lonely can of pumpkin in my cabinet. I decided on making pumpkin muffins, knowing that pumpkin and banana based quick breads are the easiest to make vegan! After a quick Google search and a lot of recipe comparisons, I decided to try out a recipe from Post Punk Vegan Kitchen. After being the self-proclaimed best, it was a no brainer! I made some adaptations from the original recipe: using some whole wheat flour, less sugar, subbing some of the oil with applesauce. The result – a really flavorful, dense vegan muffin! I was really happy with how these turned out, so give them a try! The recipe is pretty fool-proof.

The only problem: it doesn’t use up a full can of pumpkin! Maybe there is a pumpkin quinoa breakfast bake in my future…

Question: Where do you find most of your new recipes?

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

adapted from Post Punk Kitchen, makes 16 muffins

3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 cup whole wheat flour

3/4 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground or freshly grated nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon ground allspice

1 cup pureed pumpkin

1/2 cup soy milk

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/4 cup apple sauce

2 tablespoons molasses

In two bowls, mix wet and dry ingredients together; then combine. Spray muffin tins with cooking spray. Fill cups 2/3 full. Bake muffins at 400 degrees for 18 minutes. Allow to cool slightly in pan, then use a knife to loosen the edges. Remove from pan to cool completely.

WIAW My First Day as a Vegan

When I agreed to eat a vegan diet for the month of January, I quite frankly thought I’d have a really easy time with it. I am already a vegetarian, rarely drink milk, and only have eggs on occasion. Cheese, however, is a staple in my daily diet. Cutting it out is really hard, even only a few days in! Maybe it is hardest at first, since my body is still craving what it is used to, but it is humbling to admit that I might struggle with this challenge almost as much as my dad! Thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons, here is a glimpse into my first day of vegan food!

Breakfast: 9:45am

I had to start the New Year right with a big bowl of oatmeal! Even after my 30 flavors of oatmeal, there are still more combinations to enjoy for breakfast! (The oatmeal project that begin months ago is finally complete – check it out!) I kept it pretty simple with almond butter and dates stirred into oats cooked in water and almond milk. Enjoyed with some coffee in my new French press – it was a great start to the morning (and year!).

Lunch: 2pm

I planned on going to the afternoon service at my church, but read the email announcing a single service right after breakfast. I flew out of my house and managed to make it on time for the sermon! After catching up with Boston friends I hadn’t seen in a few weeks, I headed home hungry for lunch. I sauteed some colored peppers, onion, and snap peas, and then rolled them up with some hummus on a tortilla. Lunch was finished with an unpictured clementine, as well as a handful of mixed nuts gobbled before my run.

Dinner: 7pm

This is where the no cheese thing got tough! I layered some polenta and roasted eggplant together and topped that with some bruschetta and Balsamic vinegar. It was good, but I missed the Parmesan cheese I would usually add!

Dessert: 8pm

I had a “baked” apple with cinnamon for dessert and planned to call it a night. However, hunger struck when I was watching TV late into the night, and so I snacked on a handful of granola and some raisins and nuts. Without Greek yogurt and cheese as protein staples in my diet, I need to make sure I am eating enough protein throughout the day to prevent nightly snack attacks!

Besides missing cheese, I am really excited to continue to experiment with vegan cooking over the next month. Already, I have been more mindful of incorporating more veggies into my meals, since you can never have too much of the green stuff!

Question: Do you have any diet-related New Years Resolutions?