Wednesday, May 19, 2010

what's more granola than granola?

Homemade Granola!

Basic fat free granola:
Cook 1/2 cup of oats with 1 cup of water and a tiny pinch of salt to make oatmeal.  Add about 1/2 cup of brown sugar and 1 tsp. vanilla (or other flavor extract... I like almond and coconut too).  Mix well.  Add 4-5 cups of dry oats.  Add mix-ins, if desired.

Here are some mix-in suggestions:
coconut flakes
flax seeds
sunflower seeds
almonds
wheat bran
olive oil
coconut oil
peanut butter

Spread in a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake at 325 degrees for 25-35 minutes or until golden.  Stir every 10 minutes or so.

Dried fruit should not be added until granola is baked and cooled... or the fruit will dry out and be really hard.

This is not an exact recipe... feel free to improvise.


Vegan Double Chocolate Cookies


I finally bought some egg substitute at Kroger.  It is a powder that comes in a box and it used to replace eggs in recipes.  Also, I recently discovered coconut oil for baking and cooking.  It is easy to use... and delicious.  It is not low fat, but it is cholesterol-free... and vegan!  And I love that there is only one ingredient... coconut oil.  Nothing else. 
So here is a recipe with these two ingredients.

2/3 cup coconut oil
1 cup sugar
egg replacement equivalent to one egg (see package instructions... usually 2 Tbsp water plus 2 tsp powder)
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup flour
1/2 cup cocoa (I like Trader Joe's cocoa)
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1-2/3 cups chocolate chips or chunks (I like mixing both dark chocolate and unsweetened chocolate chunks)

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Beat coconut oil and sugar together until creamy.  Add egg replacement and vanilla, mix well.
In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients.  Gradually add to wet ingredients and mix well.  Add chocolate chips or chunks.
Drop onto parchment lined baking sheet.  Bake 8-9 minutes or until just set.  Do not overbake.
Makes 30 delicious cookies.