Perfectly Crunchy Granola

I've made this granola many times. The first for my mom's birthday, the second time when Janet came to visit, and again this past weekend because I just wanted it. It's crunchy and flavourful, and most importantly it clumps up as a good granola should (and only has 1 tbsp oil). Each time I've made it I've changed a few things and it's turned out well every time! Agave instead of brown sugar seems to make it more crispy. Subbing fruit juice for applesauce doesn't make much of a difference. Sometimes I add more cinnamon, the last time I added more oats and less nuts. And I don't add dried fruit if I'm making it for myself because I'm not a big dried fruit fan.

If this sounds good, you might like:
Coconut Raspberry Walnut Power Bars
Granola Bars
Caramel Walnut Chocolate Chunk Granola
Low-Fat Winter Fruit Granola

Perfectly Crunchy Granola
Adapted from Oh She Glows

Yield: ~6 cups

Dry
3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup raw almonds, roughly chopped
1/2 cup raw walnuts, roughly chopped
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw sesame seeds
2 tbsp unsweetened coconut flakes
1 tsp ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp kosher salt

Wet
4 tbsp brown rice syrup
1 tbsp agave nectar
1 tbsp coconut oil OR other oil
2 tbsp unsweetened applesauce OR fruit juice
2 tbsp peanut butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar

Optional add-in
2/3 cup dried fruit (ex. cranberries, raisins, dates, apricots)

In a medium pot over medium heat, add the wet ingredients. Stir well. Bring to a boil and then simmer on low for 5-10 minutes, stirring frequently.

In a very large mixing bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.

Add the wet mixture (while still warm!) over top the dry mixture and stir well. It will be very thick and hard to stir, but keep at it until everything is thoroughly combined.

Spread onto a pan lined with parchment paper or a non-stick mat and bake in the oven at 300F for 45 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven every 15 minutes and give the granola a good stir to ensure even baking.

Allow to cool for 20-25 minutes on the pan before serving. The granola will stiffen up as it cools. Once the granola cools, add the dried fruit (if using).

Cowboy Cookies

I find it hard enough to keep up with all the wonderful blogs out there so I'm not too eager to sign up for Twitter but recently I've found myself kind of wishing I had it. So I can ask questions like "what should I cook for brunch this weekend?" or "what kind of cake should I make to go in a trifle?" Basically the only reason I'd want Twitter is to talk about food even more than I already do. And maybe Abby sometimes.

One can never have enough cookie recipes, am I right? I recently got Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar and have started working my way through it. The first cookies I made from it were these cowboy cookies which are nice and thick and chewy. A fairly simple cookie but so very delicious with coconut, oatmeal, pecans and chocolate chips. These are the kind of cookies to make all the time.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Ginger Spice Cookies
Double Dark Chocolate Cherry Cookies
Monster Cookies
Coconut Shortbread

Cowboy Cookies
Adapted from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar

Makes 2 dozen large cookies

2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup nondairy milk (I used unsweetened soy)
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 cup shredded coconut (I've used both sweetened and unsweetened, either is good)
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup chopped toasted pecan pieces

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium-size bowl, stir together oats, flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, beat together oil, sugar, brown sugar, nondairy milk, flax seeds, and vanilla. Fold in half of the flour mixture to moisten, then fold in the remaining half. Just before the mixture is completely combined, fold in the coconut, chocolate chips, and pecans.

4. For each cookie, drop 1/4 cup of dough (about the size of a golf ball) onto cookie sheets. The dough will be sticky and thick. Leave about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Flatten slightly with moistened fingers or the moistened back of a measuring cup; repeat dipping in water for each cookie. Bake for 14-16 minutes until edges start to brown. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to wire racks to complete cooling.

Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins

As I've mentioned before, I get kind of sick of banana loaf, banana muffins, and bananas in baking in general - not because I don't like bananas (I eat one pretty much everyday) but because I guess they're not exciting to me anymore. However, I've been obsessed with the idea of peanut butter and banana in a muffin together. So I made these muffins which are exciting, fairly healthy and excellent. They're really moist, don't have a too distinct whole wheat flavour, and the banana and peanut butter flavours are well balanced.

Abby loves laying on her back and sprawling out like this. When we walk by she'll roll over a bit to reach out her paw to try and grab us.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Roast Banana-Pumpkin Breakfast Bread
Banana Crunch Muffins
Mom's Banana Apple Bread
Whole Wheat Orange Spice Muffins

Banana Peanut Butter Oatmeal Muffins
Adapted from Baking Bites

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour (207 g)
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 cup mashed banana (about 2 med.)
1/2 cup natural peanut butter
1 cup light buttermilk

Preheat oven to 375F. Lightly grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
In a large bowl, whisk together flour, oatmeal, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together vegetable oil, brown sugar, eggs, mashed banana, peanut butter and buttermilk until very smooth, making sure all egg has been well-incorporated. Pour into flour mixture and stir until no streaks of flour remain.
Divide batter evenly into prepared muffin tin, filling each just about up to the top.
Bake for 16-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly pressed.
Remove muffins from tin and cool on a wire rack.

Makes 12.

Oatmeal Knots

As regular readers know, I love baking. But it's not exactly healthy to constantly have cookies, cakes, scones, etc hanging around the house. So I've started to delve more into bread making. And so far am loving it. I could happily eat a yummy piece of bread or a roll instead of a muffin for a snack. And these oatmeal knots were really yummy. They were so soft, slightly sweet, and while made with 2/3 whole wheat flour, they don't taste like it. I also love how they look! Such a cute little knot.

Working with the dough on the other hand was really aggravating. It was the stickiest dough, and sticky doughs are one reason I've avoided bread making. There was no way I could've hand kneaded this. I guess I could've added a bunch of extra flour? But I opted to just throw it in my Kitchenaid for a while, and then when it came to cutting up the dough and rolling it out, I dusted it in flour first. I thought I had done a pretty heavy flour dusting but it didn't seem to impact the final product in a negative way at all. I will definitely make these again. They freeze really well too!

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Cheddar & Dill Beer Bread Rolls
Garlic Rolls
Soft Pretzels
Oatmeal Bread

Oatmeal Knots
Adapted from Cooking Light January 2008

I sprinkled oats and sesame seeds on the rolls but the recipe suggests you also sprinkle poppy seeds. And I opted to not use an egg wash, and instead just used water to get the oats/seeds to stick. Next time I'd like to try using more whole wheat flour.

1 cup regular oats
1/2 cup honey
2 tablespoons butter (Ashley note: Next time I'll try oil.)
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups boiling water
1 package dry yeast (about 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1/3 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
3 cups whole wheat flour (about 14 1/4 ounces)
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (about 6 3/4 ounces), divided
Cooking spray or oil
1 tbsp water
1 1/2 tablespoon regular oats
1 1/2 tablespoon sesame seeds

Combine the first 4 ingredients in a large bowl, and add 2 cups boiling water, stirring until well blended. Cool to room temperature. (Ashley note: This took about an hour for me.)

Dissolve yeast in 1/3 cup warm water in a small bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add yeast mixture to oats mixture; stir well. Stir in flaxseed meal.

Lightly spoon flours into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Gradually add 3 cups whole wheat flour and 1 cup all-purpose flour to oats mixture; stir until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until smooth and elastic (about 8 minutes); add enough of remaining all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, to prevent dough from sticking to hands (dough will feel tacky). (Ashley note: I kneaded the dough in my Kitchenaid but I can't remember for how long. I think a bit less than 8 minutes.)

Place dough in a large bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to coat top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in size. (Press two fingers into the dough. If indentation remains, the dough has risen enough.) Punch dough down, and let rest for 5 minutes.

Divide dough in half; cut each half into 12 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time (cover remaining dough to prevent from drying), shape each portion into an 8-inch rope. (Ashley note: If your dough was really sticky like mine, coat the ropes in flour before rolling them into ropes and shaping.) Tie each rope into a single knot; tuck top end of rope under bottom edge of roll. Place each roll on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Cover with plastic wrap coated with cooking spray; let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, for 30 minutes or until doubled in size.

Preheat oven to 400°F.

Brush water over rolls. Combine 1 tablespoon oats, poppy seeds, and sesame seeds; sprinkle evenly over rolls. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

Caramel Walnut Chocolate Chunk Granola

My friend, who I frequently talk to about food and am trying to encourage to start a food blog, was telling me about this very delicious sounding caramel walnut chocolate chunk granola in a cookbook she has (The New Whole Grain Cookbook). How could I not immediately want to make it after hearing the recipe name?? She very kindly typed it out and sent it to me. I made it, and ate it and ate it and ate it. It was very addictive. Crunchy and sweet with yummy chocolate bits. The walnuts can be replaced with your favourite nut - I might try pecans next time. I usually eat my granola with yogurt or milk but this granola I just ate out of a bowl. It's a perfect snacky type granola.

If this sounds good, you might like:
Low-Fat Winter Fruit Granola
Sunny Jungle Bars
Banana Crunch Muffins
No Fail Granola

Caramel Walnut Chocolate Chunk Granola
Adapted from The New Whole Grain Cookbook

Makes about 9 cups.

4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup walnuts, broken into large pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup unsalted butter, sliced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 oz semisweet or bittersweet chocolate, chopped

Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 300F. In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, and salt. In a 2-quart heavy-bottomed saucepan, stir together the water and sugar. Over high heat, bring to a boil, moving the pan to keep it mixed (don't stir). Cook until the syrup turns a medium amber, then take it off the heat and add the butter carefully - it will foam and bubble. Stir in the butter with a heat-safe spatula, and then stir in the vanilla. Scrape into the oat mixture and stir immediately. The caramel mixture will start to harden and clump, but it will melt while baking and disperse.

Scrape the oat mixture onto the prepared pans, and spread it out into rough chunks. Bake for 15 minutes, then stir well. The caramel will be liquefied and soaking into the oats more evenly. Bake for 15 minutes more.

Remove to cooling racks. When cool, break the granola into chunks and mix with the chocolate chunks.

Oatmeal Bread

I recently bought Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. I thought it would be a great way for me to ease into bread making without having to do any of that horrid kneading that I hate. Well since I made this bread I've actually made some other breads and I'm warming up to the idea of kneading - though my wrists get sore so maybe I'm doing something wrong. I now understand what a gluten cloak is (after watching this video with Danielle Forestier and Julia Child). And I'm even thinking of tackling some of the recipes in Reinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice. I was telling my family that I think I may have been bitten by the bread bug and they were looking at me like I was crazy (they've never heard of being "bitten by a bread bug").

Anyway, of course I'll be posting about those other breads I made but today I'm talking about this oatmeal bread! Quite good for a no knead bread. It's very soft and has a fluffy inside - not cake fluffy but bread fluffy. The bread tastes like it already has butter on it and the crust is chewy. I wish it had a greater portion of whole grain but it does have oat bran, wheat bran and oats. I halved the recipe and it made 2 small loaves in 8x4 pans. I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong because it seems like either the dough isn't rising like it's supposed to, or there isn't as much dough as there's supposed to be. But it is super easy to make and tastes yummy.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Golden Cinnamon Loaf
Soft Pretzels
bill's Coconut Bread
Pecan Honey Sticky Buns

Oatmeal Bread
Adapted from Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day

Makes three 1 1/2 pound loaves.

1 3/4 cups lukewarm water
1 cup whole milk
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2 tbsp granulated yeast
1 tbsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil, plus more for greasing the pan
1/2 cup oat bran
1/3 cup wheat bran
1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
4 1/4 cups unbleached all purpose flour

1. Mixing and storing the dough: Mix the yeast and salt with the water, milk maple syrup, and oil in a 5 quart bowl, or a lidded (not airtight) food container.

2. Mix in the remaining dry ingredients without kneading, using a spoon. You may need to use wet hands to incorporate the last bit of flour.

3. Cover loosely with plastic wrap or with a tea towel, and allow to rest at room temperature until the dough rises and collapses/flattens, about 2 hours.

4. The dough can be used immediately after the initial rise. Refrigerate in a container (loosely covered) and use over the next 8 days.

5. On baking day, oil a 9x5 inch loaf pan. Dust the surface of the refrigerated dough with flour and cut off a 1 1/2 pound (cantaloupe size) piece. Dust the piece with more flour and quickly shape it into a ball by stretching the surface of the dough around to the bottom on all four sides, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go.

6. Elongate the ball into an oval and place it into the prepared pan. Allow to rest and rise for 1 hour and 20 minutes (or just 40 minutes if you're using fresh, unrefrigerated dough).

7. Twenty minutes before baking time, preheat the oven to 350F, with an empty broiler tray on any other shelf that won't interfere with the rising bread.

8. Place the loaf on a rack near the center of the oven. Pour 1 cup of hot tap water into the broiler tray and quickly close the oven door. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until deeply browned and firm.

9. Allow to cool before slicing or eating.

Peanut Butter Squares with Milk Chocolate and Oats

A lot of people loved these peanut butter squares - I think due to the crazy yummy peanut butter icing (which is really similar to the icing used on the Elvis fluffernutter cake I made last year). The bar itself was okay. Overall, the square was just okay for me - which was kind of a disappointment because the recipe comes from the Rebar cookbook (a personal favourite) but since lots of others liked it (and asked for the recipe) I'm sharing it with you. I think the squares would be good with no icing, and with added coconut and maybe peanut butter chips.

The background of these photos looks so blue (whereas it should be more white-ish) - anyone know how I can fix this (ie. with Adobe)?

If this sounds good, you might like:
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Scones
Chocolate Scotcheroos
Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters
Peanut Butter Fudge

Peanut Butter Squares with Milk Chocolate and Oats
Adapted from Rebar: Modern Food Cookbook

Makes 12 squares

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 cup rolled oats
1 cup unbleached flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz (120 g) milk chocolate, chopped into large chunks

Icing
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
2 tbsp soft butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 cup icing sugar
1/4 cup heavy cream

1. Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease an 8" x 8" pan and set aside. Cream together the butter, sugars and peanut butter until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.

2. Combine the oats, flour, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add this to the butter/peanut butter mix and stir well. Fold in the chocolate chunks. Spread into the prepared pan and bake 25 minutes. Set aside to cool.

3. Prepare the icing by creaming together the peanut butter, butter and vanilla. Blend in icing sugar. Stir in cream until you get a nice spreading consistency, using more if necessary.

4. Cut into 12 squares.

Low-Fat Winter Fruit Granola

I really love the sweet crunchy style granola but when I make granola at home it feels counterproductive to add so much oil and sugar (to something that to me is supposed to be healthy) so I opt for granola recipes like this one. And this one was good - though I wouldn't add the crystallized ginger next time. I like ginger but don't love it in sweet things. I mistakenly added the dried fruit too early (instead of stirring it in at the very end) but it wasn't all bad because it made the dried apples wonderfully crunchy. I saw this chocolate chocolate chunk granola at Whole Foods not too long ago... I really must make an exception to my "healthy granola" rule and try making that one!

Some people have asked where I got the cup from - it was a gift many years ago and I have no idea where my friend got it from! It has Totoro on the other side though.

Other healthy snacks:
Sunny Jungle Bars
Cocoa Nibbles
No Fail Granola
Applesauce-Oat Bran Muffins

Low-Fat Winter Fruit Granola
Adapted from The Best Life Diet Cookbook found on Ezra Pound Cake

You can easily replace the almonds with another nut, the dried fruit with whatever other dried fruit you want, and omit the ginger. I didn't use almond extract - just vanilla.

Makes 24 1/4-cup servings

4 cups regular rolled oats
1/4 cup unprocessed wheat bran
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/3 cup maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup chopped dried pears or apples
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup chopped dates
2 tablespoons chopped crystallized ginger

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Combine the oats and bran in a large bowl.

In a small pan over medium heat, stir in the canola oil, maple syrup, and vanilla and almond extracts. When the mixture begins to bubble, pour it over the oat mixture and mix well.

Pour it onto a baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes. Add the almonds and stir the mixture thoroughly. Continue to bake until the oats and almonds are lightly toasted, about 10 minutes more, stirring again halfway through.

Stir in the rest of the ingredients.

Bake until the oats are crisp, about 5 minutes longer.

Remove the pan from the oven and stir the mixture. Let the granola cool for 5 minutes, the stir again.

When completely cool, store the granola in an air-tight container for up to 4 weeks.

Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters

I thought I would have a chance to update again before Christmas to wish everyone a Merry Christmas! But I was frantically trying to get through my Christmas baking (cookies to give as gifts, Christmas eve dessert and brioche for cinnamon rolls on Christams morning) and pack them all up then deliver them. I'm never making and delivering Christmas cookies on the 23rd and 24th again! From now on it will be done the week before. (And of course it doesn't help that I want the cookies to be as fresh as possible when I deliver them so I leave the baking to the last possible minute.) Despite the stressful times, I'm not sick of baking and want to go bake something right now but our freezer is full of things so I feel like I shouldn't. I could however go through my new and old baking books and pick out the next recipes to try! Anyway, I hope you all had a good Christmas with lots of yummy food and were able to relax and enjoy everything.

So onto the cookies! I made these a while ago and really liked them. They're soft and buttery with slightly crispy edges. And they are no ordinary oatmeal cookie - they have peanut butter, chocolate chips, cinnamon and nutmeg. The cinnamon really adds something different and delicious to the cookies, though could of course be easily omitted if that's not your thing. I would omit the nutmeg next time because it's not a personal favourite spice - maybe I'd add cloves instead? I also want to try adding coconut to these.

If these sound good, you might also like:
Chocolate Chunk Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Chunk Malt Cookies
Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Britta's Peanut Butter Cookies

Chunky Peanut Butter and Oatmeal Chocolate Chipsters
Adapted from Baking: From My Home To Yours

I halved the recipe and it made 40 small cookies. The recipe below is for the full batch.

3 cups old fashioned oats
1 cup all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 sticks (8 oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup smooth peanut butter
1 cup sugar
1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips

Position the racks to divide the oven into thirds and preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.

Whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, spices and salt.

Working with a stand mixer, preferably fitted with a paddle attachment, or with a hand mixer in a large bowl, beat the butter, peanut butter, sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating for 1 minute after each addition, then beat in the vanilla. Reduce the mixer to low and slowly add the dry ingredients, beating only until blended. Mix in the chips. If you have the time, cover and chill the dough for about 2 hours, or for up to 1 day. (Chilling the dough will give you more evenly shaped cookies.)

If the dough is not chilled, drop rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto the baking sheets. If the dough is chilled, scoop up rounded tablespoons, roll the balls between your palms and place them 2 inches apart on the sheets. Press the chilled balls gently with the heel of your hand until they are about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake for 13 to 15 minutes, rotating the sheets from top to bottom and front to back after 7 minutes. The cookies should be golden and just firm around the edges. Lift the cookies onto cooling racks with a wide metal spatula - they'll firm as they cool.

Repeat with the remaining dough.