Granola Goodness

Yum, homemade granola.  This is a wonderfully healthy snack to eat by the handful for a quick pick-me-up or as breakfast cereal with milk.  You can also sprinkle some over yogurt for a tasty snack parfait (I love Greek yogurt).
This recipe uses a wide variety of ingredients full of healthy fats and nutrients..  The main ingredient, rolled oats provide you with healthy fiber and contribute to reducing your cholesterol and improving your heart health, as well as helping to maintain your blood sugar.  By adding in the walnuts and flaxseed, you also get a brain-boosting amount of DHA and EPA, the omega-3 fatty acids.  Almonds are great at reducing your cholesterol.  Basically all nuts are great for your diet, waistline, and your heart.  The optional fruit add-ins contribute some healthy sweetness, and a number of vitamins, nutrients, and antioxidants.


Ingredients:

• 5 Cups Rolled Oats
• 1 Cup Sliced Almonds
• 1 Cup Chopped Walnuts
• 1 Cup Chopped Pecans
• 1 Cup Sunflower Seeds
• 1/2 Cup Pumpkin Seeds
• 1/2 Cup Flaxseed
• 1 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 1/3 Cup Honey
• 1/3 Cup Maple Syrup
• 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar, Packed
• 2 1/2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1 tsp. Sea Salt

Optional Ingredients:

• 3/4 Cup Raisins
• 3/4 Cup Dried Cherries
• 3/4 Cup Dried Blueberries
• 3/4 Cup Dried Cranberries

Directions:
1.  Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.  Line two baking sheets with aluminum foil (or parchment paper).
2.  In a large bowl, stir together the rolled oats, almonds, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, and flaxseed.
3.  In a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the vegetable oil, honey, maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and sea salt.  Bring to a light boil, then remove from heat.

4.  Pour hot oil/syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well to combine.
5.  Spread half the oat mixture onto each baking sheet and spread evenly.  Bake for 20 minutes, stirring once half-way through the cooking time (tip: the darker you let the granola get, the crispier it will be, so you can alter the cooking time according to your preferences).
6.  Remove from oven and cool.  Optional: If you're adding in the fruit, sprinkle half of the fruit onto each baking sheet and stir to combine.  Spread the mixture back out on the baking sheet and allow to cool.
7.  Stir again once cooled to break up any large clumps.

Store in airtight containers in your pantry or in containers/freezer bags in your refrigerator to keep it fresher longer.

Enjoy!

Banana Walnut Muffins

Yum, healthy banana muffins with walnuts.  Did you know walnuts are a great source of omega-3 fatty acids (those great brain builders) and improves your cholesterol?  And bananas pack on the potassium.  Enjoy these yummy muffins for breakfast, or any time of day.

Ingredients:
1 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Whole-Wheat Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Ground Cinnamon
3 Large Ripe Bananas, Mashed
3/4 Cup White Sugar
1 Egg
1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1/3 Cup Butter, Softened
1 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat muffin pan with cooking spray, or put in paper liners.
2.  Combine the flours, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
3.  In a separate bowl (or your Kitchenaid--although using a mixer is not necessary for this recipe--by hand is fine), mix together the bananas, white sugar, egg, vanilla, and butter.
4.  Slowly fold in the flour mixture and combine until smooth.
5. Stir in the walnuts.
6. Pour batter into muffin cups.
7. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until muffins bounce back when you touch them.

Enjoy!

"Indulgent" Banana Bread

I think I may have finally perfected my Banana Bread recipe to a point where it tastes completely indulgent, but is really pretty healthy and good for you.  There is minimal sugar, only 1 egg, and made with whole grains, fruit, and cinnamon (did you know cinnamon can reduce your blood sugar and cholesterol, improve cognitive performance, fight infections, and ease body pains?).  You could experiment with substitutes for the brown sugar (honey, juice, applesauce) if you wanted it healthier yet.  I've tried egg substitutes, or egg whites, but just wasn't quite happy enough with, so have settled on 1 whole egg.  Let me know if you like it!

Ingredients:

5 Dry Ingredients:
1 cup Whole Wheat Flour
1 cup Bread Flour (combo of Whole Wheat & Barley Flour)
1/2 tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda

Other Ingredients:
1 Egg
1/2 cup Brown Sugar
1 1/2 cups Mashed Ripe Bananas (4-5 Bananas)
1 tsp. Skim Milk
1 tsp. Cinnamon
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Optional Add-in Ingredient:
6-10 oz Chocolate Chips or Chopped Walnuts

Directions:
1. Preheat Oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine the dry ingredients in separate bowl.
3. In Kitchenaid mixer (or regular bowl with hand-mixer), combine "other ingredients" (egg, brown sugar, bananas, milk, cinnamon, and vanilla) on medium speed until well-combined.
4. Reduce mixer speed to medium-low.
Slowly add in dry/flour mixture, just until combined (don't overmix).
5. Optional: Fold in chocolate chips or walnuts
(I added chocolate chips).
6. Pour batter into greased and flour-dusted bread pan.
7. Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
8. Transfer to wire rack and let cool.

PS--My Camera is BACK! Fixed for "only" $211 (sigh).