THE best homemade Granola, period

Cereal has been my best friend for the past 6 months or so.  My two year old insists on having breakfast at 5a.m. every SINgle MORNING!!!!  Well, that's particularly hard on a mama with a newborn who hasn't slept all night!  I'm sad to admit that breakfast has sort of gone from a meal for Princes to a meal for paupers as of late.  Cascadian farms organic granola cereal was the healthiest (fairly priced) cereal on the shelf at the grocery store, so needless to say I've paid the CEO's salary with how much I've purchased in recent months.  It's quite a shameful thing when looking at the nutritional facts on the back of the package.  My husband and pickiest nutritional critic, brought it to my attention that there's not much value in a bowl of that cereal :(.  Well, I couldn't let that rest on my conscience, so I went into the laboratory again to create something that I could make in bulk and keep in the freezer.  I'm pretty excited about the results, because it didn't take but twice for me to get it to AWESOME!  The only problem with this granola is that even though I make it in bulk, I cannot keep up with the demand.  The lil' fam fam loves it!

Perfect every time!

Now first, you should know that as long as you have the same amount of dry ingredients and wet ingredients that the recipe calls for, you can exchange almost all of the ingredients for something that you might prefer better.  You may prefer pecans and walnuts instead of seeds, or you may hate coconut shreds, and want to up your portion of quick oats a little.  This recipe is pretty flexible.  I'm posting the recipe as I like best, but you'll see how you can change it up for what you like or what you have on hand.

My dry ingredients

One recipe makes about 28 oz ( the size of a regular box of cereal), but I make 4 at a time.

RECIPE

Dry Ingredients:

4 Cups Quick Oats

1/2 Cup Brown sugar

1/4 Cup ground Chia seeds (or seeds of your choice)

1/4 Cup ground Flaxseed (or seeds of your choice)

1/4 Cup coconut shreds (I used unsweet)

1/4 Cup pumpkin seeds (or seeds or nuts of your choice)

1/4 Cup almond mill (left over pulp from making my almond milk)
1 Tbs. shelled hempseed

1 tsp. sea salt

**1/2  Cup dried fruit to be added AFTER BAKING (optional)

If you don't have any nuts or seeds on hand, feel free to just substitute them with additional quick oats!

Wet Ingredients:

1/3 Cup coconut oil

1/2 Cup warm water

1 tsp. vanilla extract (or your favorite extract flavor)

4 Tbs. (or 1/4 Cup) Raw honey or Agave

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees

Mix wet ingredients in a pyrex oven safe measure cup and sit in oven while preheating to melt your oil (if you don't have one, just use hot water in your mix or heat on stove til melted

Mix all of your dry ingredients well

When oil is melted in wet mix, give it a stir and pour over dry ingredients
mix with a spoon

After thoroughly mixed (nothing is left dry in the bottom of the bowl), continue to mix your ingredients with clean hands, using a squeezing motion to sort of bunch up your ingredients

You don't have to make perfect little balls, I usually just squeeze it into a few hand sized blobs and then sprinkle in little clumps on two non stick cookie sheets (make sure your clumps aren't huge, because you want the granola to cook thoroughly throughout.  Just sprinkle them evenly on your pans, making sure that the bigger clumps are broken up before you bake)

If you don't have non-stick cookie sheets, use parchment paper or silicone baking mats.  Oiled tin foil would probably work too, but the extra oil increases the fat and some may end up sticking

- Bake on 300 for 50 minutes.  Take out half way through and flip with a spatula, so that both sides brown (it won't flip all in one piece, so you just have to shovel it around some)

Cool on stove top for 15 minutes, add optional dried fruit at this time, put in ziplock bag and store in pantry (or refrigerator if you rarely eat cereal).  If you make it in bulk, store the bags you aren't currently using in the freezer.

**This granola cereal is incredible with almond milk.  I used unsweetened that I make myself, but it's also great with Silk almond milk.

Great as a snack, or a yogurt topper

Quick Homemade Biscuits

Sometimes you just don't have time to get out the rolling pin, the cookie cutter, and let dough rise twice, re-knead, re-rise....etc... Let's face it, most of us never have time for that.  Solution?  Quick rise biscuits with baking powder!  I use Rumford's because it's aluminum free.  Did you know that lots of foods and cosmetic products contain aluminum?  Like most deodorants.  Aluminum builds up in our bodies over time and can cause metal poisoning, which is a huge contributor to Alzheimer's and depression.  Any who... no aluminum for me! Thank the Lord they sell Rumford's at Walmart.  These quick biscuits can be used for "bacon, egg, and cheese" biscuits (Tempeh, tofu, daiya), jelly biscuits, or biscuits and gravy, and they only take about 20 minutes total to make, including cooking time.  I high jacked this little gem from a cookbook called "Vegan Homestyle".  This is not a gluten free biscuit! Sorry my precious GF babies!

Ingredients:

1 cup of whole wheat flour

1 cup of unbleached white flour

1 Tbs. baking powder (Aluminum free please)

1 tsp. salt (I love sea salt)

1/3 Cup oil (I use coconut or olive)

3/4 Cup almond milk (or soy, hemp, rice, flax... any alternative will work)

Directions:

~preheat oven to 475°

~mix dry ingredients in a mixing bowl first

~add wet ingredients

~mix until all dry ingredients are wet

~take portions whatever size you like ( I like bigger biscuits, so I use about 2 heaping Tbs. of dough) and roll into balls.  Give them a little pat to flatten them into biscuit like shape

~place on an oiled cookie sheet

~bake for 12 minutes (10 for smaller biscuits)

Serve hot with raw organic honey and cinnamon (like pictured), or use anyway you would use a regular biscuit;  biscuits and gravy, jelly biscuit, etc.  Enjoy!

Scrambled "tegg" and Avocado Breakfast Wraps

I don't know what grilling tortilla dough does chemically to a wrap, but it changes the taste.  It makes something magnificent, memorable, and pretty.  Who wants to eat something ugly, right?  Bare with me, I'm a little off this morning.  Perhaps it's the recent move, or maybe it's that I haven't slept an entire night in four years... who knows? Okay, now what was I saying?  Oh, yeah! Wraps!  As with most recipes, this can be changed to your liking.  But I think it's smashing the way that we had it this morning.  This is a breakfast wrap, filled with avocado mostly, but complimented with a protein, like scrambled tofu, or eggs if you're so inclined.  You add a few more sandwich type fillings, and then make it wet.  Yes, make it wet.  "I just LOVE dry wraps and sandwiches" said no one ever.  Sooo, you've gotta lather this baby up with some creamy stuff.  Then, you close up the wrap, and sear it on both sides.  MAMA MIA!  You could eat these without pan searing them, but I've tried it, and they just don't have that BOOM of flavor.

(GF) To make these gluten free, I have often used rice wraps instead of tortilla, but you can't pan sear rice wraps :(  No worries though, they are pretty darn good.

I always pair these with fruit... mmgood.

Ingredients:

5 large tortilla wraps

2 ripe Avocados (I like organic)

1/2 ripe tomato (optional)

pinch of alf alfa sprouts (optional)

1 (12oz) box of Mori Nu silken tofu scrambled (Scrambled Teggs recipe here)

About 20 leaves of baby spinach (1 cup?)

1/2 Cup of vegan mayo (I use Vegenaise)

1/4 Cup of Cashew Cheese (optional, but so good!)

1/2 Cup of shredded Daiya Mozzerella 

3 strips of cooked Fakin Bakon, or a Tablespoon of artificial bacon bits

Directions:

~lay out your 5 tortilla wraps, and slather with vegan mayo and cashew cheese. (Keep in the middle, because the outer edges will be folded, see picture of open wrap)

~scramble your tofu according to the directions in my other recipe HERE.

~put about 4 leaves of baby spinach on each wrap

~spread a pinch of alf alfa sprouts longways on each wrap

~slice your avocados and make a little train of slices down the center of each wrap

~do the same with tomatoes

~sprinkle daiya mozzerella (as much as you like)over that

~pull your "bakon" strips into little pieces and add sparingly, you don't want to use a whole strip probably, because it's over powering in my opinion.  Or sprinkle on your artificial bacon bits

~top with your scrambled tofu (it may not seem like a lot, but distribute evenly... your other ingredients are the bulk of the wrap.  (or you could always double the scrambled tofu, for hefty wraps.

Sorry it's so sloppy, I'm off my game today!  But you get the idea.

~now that you've got all of your ingredients in the middle of your tortilla, it's time to wrap it up

~fold the sides in first (which would be the top of this picture, where the ingredients are closest to the edges)

~then, holding the sides in, wrap the big sides in

~take a medium sized frying pan, and spray it with oil, and turn it to medium high heat

~as the pan is getting hot, wet the flap of the wrap with a little water, and put it open side down.  The water will seal the wrap shut as it heats, so that it doesn't open while your eating it. (scroll back up to the top picture and see how the wrap looks sealed by the heat)  I just run the open flap under a thin stream of tap water, and close it as I'm taking it to the pan.  This is optional, it just helps seal the wrap.

~sear wrap for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side.  Don't leave it long, they'll burn!

~if you accidentally burn the wrap, you can scrape off the burnt part with a butter knife

~cut wraps in half, and serve hot

Non-vegans love these wraps! Enjoy.  Oh, and feel free to add mushrooms, onions, or whatever you like!

Delectable Fruit Roll

Yes, I use Pillsbury a lot, give me a break, I have a three year old and a nine month old!  But even if I didn't, I'd still be inclined to use these recipes.... they're just unbelievably good! This is perfect for your breakfast entree, or for brunch, and social gatherings that involve lattes and hot cocoa. This sensation, just happened to come together after looking at a similar concoction in "Seven Secrets".  It's hard to believe that there is no added sweetener in this rich roll.  It is definitely a crowd pleaser, and it's pretty easy too. She's not the most beautiful entree, but she's a winner.

Ingredients:

1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls

1.5 Cups Date Pieces

1/4 Cup Dried berries (I use the great value brand from walmart)

2 Cups water

Directions: (photos posted below)

Put your dates in the blender

Boil 2 cups of water, and pour over dates until covered

Let sit for 5 to 7 minutes to soften

Pour off water until the tops of the dates are visible

Blend smooth, add water a little at a time if needed to blend

Roll out Crescent roll flat on an oiled cookie sheet

Spoon date spread onto crescent dough and smooth evenly 

Sprinkle dried berries onto date spread

Roll up crescent roll like a tootsie roll

Bake 15 minutes COVERED on 350 degrees

Then uncover and bake 20 minutes or until golden tan

Remove from oven and slice into about 6 portions with a sharp knife (careful, don't push down hard, or you'll mush out all of the filling... use a sawing motion gently)

Serve warm, freezes well for later!

Cover dates with hot water

Spoon onto dough, and spread evenly

Sprinkle dried berries evenly

Roll up like a tootsie roll, cover and bake

Slice with a sharp knife (don't push too hard! Use sawing motion)  The pre-made perforations will sometimes detach, but that's okay, it doesn't hurt the taste :)

 I like to serve two portions on each person's plate, that way they don't have to get up for seconds, they will definitely want more.  Enjoy!

Scrambled "Teggs" (Tofu)

This is so easy, even my husband can do it.  It's so cute, he even adds things like chopped onions, and whatever spices he is familiar with.  This can be dressed up all kinds of ways, but I'm just going to give you the basics, and let you be creative.  Think "breakfast burrito".... (peppers, onions, etc.)

Served on bread rounds as a sandwich with fresh baby spinach

Ingredients:

1 box of mori-nu silken tofu (firm or extra firm)

1 Tbs. Bragg's Liquid Aminos (or soy sauce)

1.5 Tbs. Chicken-like seasoning

**Extra options:

Chopped onions, mushrooms, bell pepper, hot peppers (saute in fryer before adding tofu), my cashew cheese (see recipe link below), Or 1/2 tsp. of smoked paprika (reminds me of bacon and eggs!)

Directions:

Drain your tofu box, and then squeeze your tofu out into an oiled frying pan

(you don't need a lot of oil, maybe none if using a non-stick pan)

If you still have big hunks of tofu, mash them a little with a fork, until they look like what's pictured

Turn heat to medium high 

Drizzle Bragg's over tofu

Sprinkle Chicken-like seasoning over tofu

Mix around with a wooden spatula, until most tofu is seasoned

Let it cook!

This definitely takes longer than real eggs to cook.  In a thin light-weight fryer, it takes about 7 minutes to brown.  Leave it alone, and let it brown on one side, checking every so often, and once it's browned a little, shovel it around with your spatula, letting other sides brown.  This only takes about 2 minutes.  You'll see that it becomes dryer, and starts looking like scrambled eggs.  I wash and cut fruit, while I'm letting it brown to save time.  *To make these tofu-eggs rock your world, add 2 Tbs. of my cashew cheese recipe!

**Put this on a tortilla wrap with spinach, avocado, vegan mayo, and cashew cheese, and brown the tortilla wrap in the fryer after its all wrapped up, watch your family try to chew and smile :D

Quick blueberry pancakes

I'm not going to lie to you, when I don't have time to mix up a great flour blend for pancakes, I resort to Aunt Jemima.  Thankfully she has a Whole Wheat pancake mix, and that's what I've used here.  There is a great gluten free pancake mix offered at walmart, unfortunately, I can't remember what brand it is.  This only takes about 10 minutes.  Hope you enjoy them as much as we did ♥

(GF) To make these gluten free, use a GF pancake mix.

Ingredients:

1 Cup Aunt Jemima Whole Wheat blend pancake mix

1 Cup Almond, soy, or rice milk

1 Tbs. Olive oil (or your favorite oil)

1 Tbs. Corn starch

1 handful of fresh or frozen blueberries (don't thaw them or they'll get mushy)

Directions:

In a medium sized mixing bowl mix your dry ingredients 

Then add your wet and mix thoroughly

You want your batter to be thick as opposed to runny

You can always add flour if you make it too runny

Add blueberries right before you start cooking, and mix quickly

don't mix too much, or your mix will turn blue

In a med to large frying pan, spray 3 spots

Turn your eye on medium high

Spoon 2 Tbs. of batter onto your oiled spots

You should now have 3 pancakes cooking

DO NOT PRESS THE PANCAKES with your spatula, RESIST

This makes them flat, you want them big and puffy

Watch them closely so they don't burn, it takes about 2 minutes on my stove

When they're golden, and won't fall apart, flip with the spatula, the other side only takes about 1 minute too cook

If your pancakes look dark, but you still see some doughy parts, turn your heat down, and let them cook slower.

*Serves nicely with fruit and or grits.  Top with pure maple syrup, agave nectar, or applesauce to lower the caloric value

"Sausage" Patties

I'm not exactly sure why, but kids L♥VE these little "sausage patties".  No one wants to leave an empty place on their plate when they cut out that ole' greasy pork.  This helps fill that spot with something healthy.  This recipe is large enough to make them in bulk, and freeze them for later.  They are excellent to eat as shown, or on a biscuit with mustard. "Mmhmm"(in my Billy Bob Thorton/ Slingblade voice).  Of Course they're not just like the real deal, but satisfying non-the less :)

(GF) To make these gluten free, use a gluten free oat, such as Bob's red mill GF oats.

Ingredients:

5 C. water

5 Tbs nutritional yeast flakes

10 Tbs Bragg’s liquid Aminos 

(or soy sauce, if you have no Bragg’s)

2.5 tsp sage

1 tsp fennel

2.5 tsp onion powder

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp italian seasoning

5 tsp honey

3 Tbs oil

3 jolts liquid smoke

4 C. quick oats

1 C. of nuts or seeds*

(I use 1/5 c chopped pecans

1/5 c sunflower seeds)

Directions:

This recipe is enough to make about 20 “sausage patties”, divide by 5 to make one breakfast serving.

~put water in a large pot, and bring to a boil as you add all of your seasonings

~add quick oats and nuts last, and stir on medium heat

~when all of the liquid is absorbed, remove from heat and let cool about 15 minutes

~when semi-cool, dump onto an oiled cookie sheet

~spread evenly with the back of a spoon (you can also put a piece of parchment paper over it, and gently press with hands to spread evenly and flatten)

~bake on 400° for 30 minutes

~cool for about 30 minutes

~take the cap of a mason jar, or use a biscuit/round cookie cutter to cut sausage patty shapes all over

~serve

~put leftovers in stacks of 3 to 4 “sausage patties” in a large ziplock bag, and freeze for later (reheat on 350° for around 20 min.)

• If you have no nuts on hand, you can just use an additional cup of quick oats.
• Bragg’s liquid aminos really gives these a sultry taste.  Soy sauce is acceptable though.
• Sage and Fennel are what give the patties a sausage-like taste, so you don’t want to skip those seasonings.

* Freeze oddly shaped leftovers to use later for breakfast burritos, or “sausage gravy”.

Flour free Waffles :)

These have to be the healthiest waffles in the world.  I snatched this little gem of a recipe from the book "Seven Secrets", which is a great vegan recipe book that teaches you how to reverse diabetes and cardiovascular disease.  Use applesauce, or a blended mixture of applesauce and strawberries as a topping if you're trying to reduce your blood sugar levels, or caloric intake.   Hope you enjoy these as much as I do.

(GF) To make these waffles gluten free, use a gluten free oat instead of regular quick oats.  I didn't know that existed, but apparently it does!  Bob's Red Mill is one brand that offers them.

Ingredients:

1 C. quick oats

1/4 C. millet or cornmeal

1/4 C. cashews

1/4 C. flaxseeds

2 Tbs. cornstarch

1 Tbs. raisins

1/2 tsp. salt

2 C. water

Directions:

~turn on your waffle iron to get it hot

~put all in a blender and blend smooth

~add a little water, if it becomes too thick to blend

~pour into waffle iron (spray with non-stick spray if it’s an old beat up iron, the newer teflon irons, don’t require spray)

~when the steam stops rising, that is a good indication that they’re ready, and won’t stick to the iron, this could take anywhere between 4 and 12 minutes, depending on how hot your iron gets.

*Top with a vegan butter alternative, such as Smart balance light, and pure maple syrup or agave nectar.