Mango Blueberry No Nut Granola Recipe

Every few months I make a batch of granola. The kids eat it with yogurt or milk. They also love taking it to school as a snack at recess. For this reason, I make it nut free.

This time I used coconut oil. At room temperature, it is solid but as soon as it hits 76 degrees it will begin to liquefy. By heating the oils and the spices, the spices bloom and their flavors and aromas are released. Your kitchen will smell great!

This makes a big batch of granola so I usually distribute half of it into small snack bags so they are ready for lunch boxes or snacking at anytime. The other half of the batch goes into a big container that we keep on the counter for easy kid-access!

Note about coconuts from this Health Canada site: A coconut is a seed of a fruit and nutmeg is obtained from the seeds of a tropical tree. Coconut and nutmeg are not considered tree nuts for the purposed of food allergen labeling in Canada and are not usually restricted from the diet of someone allergic to tree nuts. However, some people have reacted to coconut and nutmeg. If you are worried, consult your allergist before trying coconut or nutmeg products. 

I also make sure anyone who eats it knows there is coconut oil in it.

Ingredients

1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup coconut oil
1 c maple syrup
2 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp cardamon
1 tsp salt
8 cups rolled oats
1 cup wheat germ
1 cup wheat bran
1 cup milled flax
3/4 cup dried blueberries
1 cup dried mango, chopped

Optional
1/2 tsp fleur de sel

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In medium sized pot combine oils, maple syrup,vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
3. Stir over medium-low heat until just simmering and remove from heat. Watch carefully and be careful not to burn yourself.
4. Combine oats, wheat germ, bran and flax with salt.
5. Pour oil mixture over oats and stir until well combined.
6. Spread granola on two large cookie sheets.
7. Bake for 30-40 minutes until golden. While baking, stir granola every ten minutes to ensure even baking.
8. Remove from oven.
9. If desired, add sprinkle of 1/2 tsp fleur de sel. 
10. Cool completely.
11. Place in large bowl.
12. Add dried fruits and combine.
13. Store in air tight containers.

Enjoy!

Olive oil banana bread with molasses

This banana bread came about one day when I had a bunch of overripe, fruit fly calling bananas on my kitchen counter but no room temperature butter. I know I could have zapped the cold butter in the microwave but I always seem to melt it too much and make a mess. And being the impatient baker I am, I did not want to wait to let it warm up naturally. Instead, I used a light tasting extra virgin olive oil.

In case you didn’t know, you don’t substitute olive oil and butter amounts tbsp by tbsp. In this case, the original recipe calls for ¼ cup of butter but I only needed 3 tbsp of oil (healthier already!). I also didn’t cream the oil and sugars as I would have if I had used butter since the oil is in a liquid state.

Olive oil works in many baked goods but especially well here with the fruity bananas and deep tasting molasses and oats. It also adds a great depth of flavour that goes well with the cinnamon.

This banana bread is amazing toasted especially with … a little pat of butter! LOL…so much for “health” improvements. Oh well, I’m sure you’ll love it anyway you eat it! 

Ingredients

1 c white flour
1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c large flake oats
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 c sugar
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c molasses
2 large eggs
1 c mashed bananas
1/3 c low fat sour cream
1 tsp vanilla

What to do

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Whisk, in a large bowl, flours, oats, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and sugar.
3. In another bowl, whisk together eggs, molasses, olive oil, bananas, sour cream and vanilla.
4. Add wet to dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
5. Place batter into a 8 x 4 pan that has been coated in non-stick spray.
6. Bake for about an hour or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Let cool for 15 minutes and then remove from pan to cool completely.

Oatmeal Kiss Cookies

About 10 years ago, I found the best oatmeal cookie recipe ever! They were soft and chewy and a little bit spicy. The first, and only, time I made them were as treats for a weekend boat trip to Nanaimo where we were watching the sinking of H.M.C.S. Saskatchewan - Nanaimo's first artificial reef. The weekend and the cookies were fantastic! But I lost the recipe. Like many underwater treasures, it has remained lost ever since.

Being the optimist that I am, I continue to create original and test others oatmeal cookie recipes in the hopes of finding something as good as those lost cookies. This recipe isn't as spicy as the elusive one but it is still delicious! For me, chocolate and oats are one of those perfect flavour combinations and the addition of cinnamon makes it even better. I used "mini-kisses" by Chipits. They are 1/3 the size of original chocolate "kisses" and perfect for these small cookies. 

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 cups flour
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1-1/4 large flake rolled oats
• 1/2 cup butter, unsalted
• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 package baking "kisses" or large chocolate chips

What to do

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in large bowl.
3. Stir in oats.
4. In another mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar.
5. Blend in water.
6. Stir dry ingredients into butter mixture.
7. Shape into small balls and place a "kiss" or chip in the centre.
8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
9. Enjoy!