honey pistachio cashew cranberry granola

we like having granola on hand around the house to snack on and to put onto yogurt.  i threw together a batch of this granola over the weekend so that we would have it to snack on during the week.  i was originally intending to make this batch into granola bars, but they didn't want to stick together so it just became loose granola.  oh well, still tastes the same!

honey pistachio cashew cranberry granola
total time: 1 hour 15 minutes
yields: approximatley 3 cups
adapted from table for two

ingredients:
2 cups oats
1/2 cup shelled unsalted pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup unsalted cashews, chopped
3/4 cup dried cranberries
1 tablespoon chia seeds
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup honey
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

directions:
in a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, cranberries, chia seeds, and flaxseeds.  in a sauce pan over medium heat, melt the butter and the honey together until it comes to a boil.  remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.  pour the hot mixture over the dry ingredients and stir together until all is evenly coated.  pour out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and allow to cool in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

enjoy!

love, laurie

chocolate pistachio granola bars (vegan + gluten free)

i absolutely love making homemade granola bars.  it's great to be able to control exactly which ingredients are in your granola bars, making for a healthy snacking situation.

recently i made a batch of no-bake chocolate pistachio granola bars.  they only have 6 ingredients in them!  there's no need for store-bought granola when it's this easy to make your own!

these granola bars make a great snack.  they are hearty and healthy.  they are loaded with lots of yummy things: oats, pistachios, cocoa powder, dates, peanut butter, and agave nectar.

you think you are eating dessert because they are chocolaty, but they are good for you!

chocolate pistachio granola bars (vegan + gluten free)
prep time: 5 minutes
chilling time: 15 minutes
yields: 8 large granola bars
adapted from minimalist baker

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups shelled pistachios, divided
2 cups medjool dates, pitted
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup agave nectar

directions:
place 1 1/4 cups of the pistachios to a food processor, and process until finely ground.  transfer to a separate bowl and set aside.  place the dates in the food processor and process until only small bits remain.  add the ground pistachios to the food processor along with the cocoa powder.  pulse to combine.  transfer the mixture to a large bowl.  add the oats and the remain 1/4 cup of pistachios (chopped).  stir to combine.

combine the peanut butter and agave nectar in a small skillet over medium heat.  stir until pourable.  pour over the granola mixture and thoroughly mix to incorporate all of the ingredients together.  once mixed, add the mixture to an 8-inch square baking pan lined with parchment paper.  press the mixture firmly into the baking pan.  place the granola bars in the refrigerator to chill before cutting.

enjoy!

love, laurie

no-bake cranberry pistachio chocolate ginger granola bars

i'm absolutely in love with making homemade granola and granola bars.  don't get me wrong, store-bought granola is great and all, but there's nothing quite like making your own and knowing exactly what's in it.

over the weekend i made these no-bake granola bars.  they have such a wonderful depth of flavor thanks to everything that's packed in them: cinnamon, peanut butter, oats, pistachios, cranberries, chocolate, and ginger.  i opened up my kitchen cabinets and threw into these granola bars whatever i could find.  all of those ingredients are held together by dates.  dates are truly amazing.  they are like a natural sweetener (no need for sugar or honey in this recipe) and they act like glue to hold all of the ingredients together.

these granola bars taste amazing and they come together in no time at all.  you don't even need to turn on your oven to bake them.

they are packed with power ingredients, they are hearty, they are wholesome, and they are naturally sweetened.  they're vegan and gluten free too!

they make a great on-the-go snack.  healthy and easy!

no-bake cranberry pistachio chocolate ginger granola bars
total time: 10 minutes
yields: 8 granola bars

ingredients:
12 medjool dates, pitted
2-3 tablespoons water
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon natural peanut butter
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 1/4 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup unsalted pistachios, chopped
1/2 cup dried cranberries, chopped
1/2 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips, chopped
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

directions:
in a food processor, puree the dates.  add the water gradually as the food processor purees the dates until a moist paste forms.  blend in the cinnamon and peanut butter.  transfer the paste to a large bowl and add the salt, oats, pistachios, cranberries, chocolate, and ginger.  stir well until everything is evenly incorporated.  line a 8-inch square baking dish with parchment paper.  spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.  press the mixture down firmly with your hands.  cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour before cutting into bars with a sharp knife.  store in the refrigerator until ready to eat.

enjoy!

love, laurie

apple crisp granola

one of my favorite fall desserts is homemade apple crisp served with a scoop of homemade vanilla ice cream.  it is a classic fall treat, but it is not the healthiest thing to eat.  in an effort to make a slightly healthier version that still incorporated all of the same great flavors, i made a batch of apple crisp granola recently.

this granola is so good!  it is loaded with apples and oats.  pecans give it a bit of a crunch and flaxseed meal makes it a bit healthy.  it is sweetened with pure maple syrup, although it is not sweet at all.  ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spices give it that unmistakable fall flavor.  it really does taste just like apple crisp!

we served our apple crisp granola with vanilla yogurt.  it was just like eating apple crisp with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, except healthier.

this granola comes together so easily.  there are just a few simple ingredients which you simply toss together on a baking sheet.  you don't even need to dirty a bowl!  how easy is that?

apple crisp granola is the perfect fall treat when you are craving a serving of apple crisp but want to watch your waist line.

apple crisp granola
prep time: 10 minutes
baking time: 50 minutes
yields: approximately 5 cups of granola
adapted from a cup of jo

ingredients:
3 large honeycrisp apples, chopped
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup pecans, chopped
1/4 cup flaxseed meal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/3 cup salted butter, softened
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract

directions:
preheat your oven to 325 degrees F.  line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.  place the chopped apples, oats, chopped pecans, flaxseed meal, and spices on the baking sheet and toss together.  cut the butter into small pieces and distribute it evenly over the mixture.  use your hands to incorporate the butter into the mixture.  pour the maple syrup and vanilla evenly over the mixture.  toss gently with your hands to make sure all of the ingredients are evenly incorporated.  bake for 30 minutes, then remove from the oven and toss with a spatula.  place back in the oven and bake for another 20 minutes.  once baked, remove the granola from the oven and allow it to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving or storing.

enjoy!

love, laurie

healthy snack: apple slices with peanut butter and yogurt topped with granola

i share a lot of recipes here on the blog, and i thought it might be helpful to also share a few simple healthy snacks that we like to make.  so, i decided to start a new series called healthy snacks.  to kick things off, here's a healthy snack that is super easy to make and incorporates apples.  tis the season for apples!

i sliced a honeycrisp apple and removed the seeds.  i spread natural peanut butter on some of the slices and vanilla yogurt on the rest of the slices.  (almond butter or sunflower butter would be great instead of peanut butter too, and you could use any flavor yogurt you like.)  then i sprinkled some granola on top of the peanut butter and yogurt.  the granola adds a great crunch and balances the whole thing out.  yum!

happy snacking!

love, laurie

cherry almond coconut chocolate ginger granola

i know that title is a mouthful, but wait until you get a mouthful of this granola!

i am totally obsessed with granola.  i love to eat it plain as a snack, mixed in with yogurt, on top of ice cream . . .  really, any way i can.  most types of store-bought granola aren't too bad (i love trader joe's granola) but nothing beats homemade granola.  i have made many different types of homemade granola (hello, peanut butter granola!) but by far this recipe has got to be my favorite so far.

i've made this recipe twice, and it is so incredibly good.  the combination of flavors in this granola is out of this world.  

it is chock full of so many delicious ingredients: old-fashioned oats, dried cherries, sliced almonds, coconut flakes, 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips, crystallized ginger, and cinnamon.  all of those yummy dry ingredients are held together with honey, almond butter, and coconut oil.

this granola is down right dangerous to have around the house.  i just can't get enough of it.  every time i walk by the refrigerator, i grab a handful.  needless to say, a batch of this granola doesn't last very long in our house!

if you are a granola fan, you have to try this recipe.  you are going to love it!

cherry almond coconut chocolate ginger granola
prep time: 5 minutes
cooking time: 5 minutes
yields: approximately 5 cups of granola
adapted from the year in food

ingredients:
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup dried cherries, chopped
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup toasted coconut flakes
1/4 cup 60% cacao bittersweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons almond butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

direction:
in a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, chopped cherries, sliced almonds, coconut flakes, chocolate chips, and chopped crystallized ginger.  set aside.

in a medium sauce pot over medium-low heat, combine the honey, almond butter, coconut oil, sea salt, and cinnamon.  stir constantly until the mixture is hot and all of the ingredients have evenly combined.  remove from the heat and let cool for several minutes.

pour the sauce into the dry mixture.  stir thoroughly until all of the dry ingredients are evenly coated.  press the granola into an even layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.  refrigerate for 1-2 hours.  break apart into large pieces.  store in the refrigerator.

enjoy!

love, laurie