Granola Girl Goodness

Admittedly, one of the adjectives used to describe me growing up was “granola” and sometimes I took offense. I suppose I’ve always had a “natural” sense about me and now that I’m older and wiser {wink, wink} I can take it as a compliment, especially when compared to the alternative. Natural food, natural remedies, a natural lifestyle….all sounds good to me! With all my “naturalness”, immersing myself in the kitchen grounds me and helps me unwind or even disconnect from the heavier responsibilities of being a grown up and not to mention Mama. So combine my “granola-ness” with natural foods and I’m bound to come up with a yummy recipe for granola cereal. Its a staple to have in the cupboard: easy, fast, inexpensive and versatile. This recipe is loose so feel free to add optional ingredients to suit your taste buds, not everyone likes raisins so substitute dried cherries and yum! Most ingredients you will already have on hand and just be sure to store end product in an airtight container {recycled jar or dare I say Ziploc bag!} so the freshness lasts longer. My family munches on granola for breakfast, after school or late night snack: try it on yogurt, with milk, as an ice cream topping, with fruit and drizzle of raw honey or simply by itself. Have fun and be creative!

GRANOLA GOODNESS

2 cups organic rolled oats {NOT quick oats}

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

1/4 cup pine nuts {optional}

1/4 cup flax seed

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup coconut flakes {coarse style not shredded}

a couple dashes of cinnamon 

2 TBSP canola oil

1/2 cup maple syrup or raw honey

1/4 cup dried raisins or cranberries or other dried fruit

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine all dry ingredients, except the dried fruit, in a large bowl.
3. Combine the sweetener and canola oil in another bowl, mix well.
4. Toss sweetener mixture with dry ingredients until well combined. Spread evenly onto sheet pan.
5. Bake 20-30 minutes or until golden brown {when it begins to smell really delicious, your just about there!}. Be sure to check and stir often so granola cooks evenly and doesn’t burn {I check every 5-10 minutes}.
6. Remove from oven and add dried fruit directly to granola on sheet pan. Cool completely and store in jar/bag.

Wordless Wednesday {my companion, Rudy}

My furry companion keeps me company while kids are schooling it up!

Breakfast Cookies of Champions!

Nothing compliments a Baker more than having someone be fond enough to request the recipe for the latest creation. So without further ado, these cookies which I have deemed “Breakfast Cookies of Champions” is dedicated to my beloved Mama friends who lovingly volunteer themselves as my “guinea pigs” and offer their honest opinions. Enjoy!

BREAKFAST COOKIES OF CHAMPIONS

3/4 cup pitted dates

3 cups rolled oats

1 1/2 cups smooth RAW almond butter

1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

dash of cinnamon

1/4 tsp sea salt

3/4 cup 100% all-fruit preserves {I used mixed berry}

1. Place dates in medium bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 10 minutes then drain. 
2. In food processor, pulse oats until coarsely ground; transfer to large bowl and set aside.
3. Mix drained dates well with wooden spoon, they should “dissolve” and become like a batter.
4. Combine dates, almond butter, coconut, cinnamon and salt.
5. Add date mixture to oats and stir until well combined. 
6. Roll dough into 24 balls, transfer them to a parchment lined/wax paper tray then make an indentation with back of teaspoon in each cookie/ball. 
7. Fill indentation with a portion of fruit preserves and chill for at least an hour before eating.

 

Peppermint Patties, oh SO festive!

Is it me or do the holidays sneak up way too fast every year? I’m continuously caught off guard and typically wake up one morning with the realization that I am SO ill prepared with Christmas only a week away, yikes! Or perhaps I just operate better in “fight or flight” mode. I dream of becoming organized, efficient and well kept but the reality is my mind races and I have the attention span of a gnat {as my children’s Grandfather likes to say of little ones, so true!}. And so I present to you today this fabulous recipe that can be whipped up last minute and quickly with minimal stress on the kitchen {and yourself!}. I borrowed this recipe from Juli of PUREmamas which is a rockin’ blog for the modern and hip family. Her ideas and recipes are simple, delicious, healthy and I just love the vibe of her blog. Here is a direct link to SDMOMfia where the recipe can be found, otherwise check it out below:

HOMEMADE PEPPERMINT PATTIES

2/3c shredded coconut

1 Tbls + 2 tsp honey

1 Tbls + 1 tsp coconut oil

tiny pinch sea salt {or regular}

1/2 tsp peppermint extract

1/2 tsp vanilla extract {optional}

1 dark chocolate bar

In a small food processor or Vitamix  mix the coconut until it’s like a powder or a flour. Then add the honey, coconut oil, salt and flavorings. Blend again OR use a spoon and mix really well. You are going to use this like you would cookie dough. 

Form it into balls and lay on a platter or plate, using your palms, lightly press balls until slightly flattened. You MIGHT want to put this in the refrigerator for a few minutes while you melt your chocolate to be sure the balls stay together.Using a double boiler {OR however you normally like to melt the chocolate} melt the chocolate bar of your choice until all chunks become liquid.

You’re going to then dip each coconut ball into the chocolate until covered. Put all balls in freezer until the chocolate is hardened, about 10 minutes. 

Recycle Yourself Silly!

As much as we all try to reduce our environmental impact, waste is inevitable. Its what we do with the waste, how we reuse or recycle it that makes a lasting impression. Our roles as parents is awesome, huge and often times overwhelming! However teaching our little ones to be mindful of the trash they generate and encouraging them to consider how their decisions affect other living things {whether it be people, animals, water, etc.} can actually be fun. If your fortunate enough to live in Southern California, consider visiting the New Children’s Museum in San Diego where they have an amazing trash exhibit on display. Families are asked to ponder these ideas, “How do we decide what is trash? How does your trash impact the lives of others? How can we imagine new possibilities, and a new future for our trash?” Twelve Artists have created exhibits across various mediums that are certain to engage family members of all ages. One of the most enjoyable kid friendly projects was that of creating {whatever your child can imagine} something out of recycled trash {wrappers, bottles, caps, bags, etc.}. Its fascinating to watch the kids become engaged with something as simple as garbage, especially since we have so many toys with bells and whistles to compete with! One sobering fact I learned was in the United States, annual production of waste has tripled since 1960. Yikes! Thats ridiculous and sad. Take me back to the days of simplicity and home cooked food {although I wasn’t born yet}. Even if your not in sunny SoCal, you can still have fun playing with trash and creating cool projects that kids will be proud to display {maybe an ornament for the Christmas tree? or whatever adornment that reflects your family’s celebrated holiday}. Here are a couple shots from our recent trip to the museum, most importantly have fun and enjoy the simplicity of being together!

Feeling the Pumpkin Love….

To be honest, this transition from Fall into Winter is one of my least favorite times of the year. I curse being cold, having a cold, I despise the gloomy clouds, cold water and the increased expectations the upcoming holiday season brings. Nevertheless, I count my blessings on a daily basis. I know this too shall pass and its a great season to turn inward, focusing my energy on the simpler things like snuggling with my kids, cooking nourishing soups and building blanket forts. Here is a quick Pumpkin Muffin recipe to share with your loved ones. The sugar content is low, its original form is Vegan, could be modified gluten-free and you could even add some nuts, raisins or cranberries. I wanted to create the “cupcake illusion” so I topped them with a cream cheese frosting, recipe follows original below. These “cupcakes” even had my daughter’s 6 year old classmate asking me for the recipe {ha, ha}.

PUMPKIN MUFFINS

2 cups spelt flour

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup vanilla soy milk or rice milk

1 Tbsp canola oil

1/4 cup maple syrup

3/4 cup pumpkin purée

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a muffin pan with oil or muffin cups and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, stir together with a wire whisk the flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
3. In a separate, larger bowl, combine the milk, oil, maple syrup and pumpkin.
4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine gently. 
5. Scoop into muffin pan and bake 20 to 25 minutes {large} or 12-15 minutes {mini} or until golden brown. Insert toothpick and should come out clean.

CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

Side note: this frosting is so versatile! I use it for carrot cake, zucchini muffins, etc. If your going to frost a full cake then use 3 packages cream cheese and double the other ingredients.

1 {8 oz.} package organic cream cheese, room temperature

1/4 cup organic butter, room temperature

approximately 6-8 oz. organic powdered sugar {1-2 cups}

1/2 tsp vanilla

1. Cream together the cream cheese and butter. Then slowly add the sugar and vanilla until whipped smooth. The sugar is approximate, sorry….I prefer it more “cream cheesy” then “sugary” so you may need to modify to taste.

The recipe was modified from an original found in The Chopra Center Cookbook, written by Deepak Chopra, David Simon and Leanne Backer.

Vegan Nanaimo Bars

I pulled this little gem of a recipe out of the cupboard yesterday and many memories rushed back from my Pre-K {pre-kids} years….I admittedly swiped this divine bar recipe from a popular health food store that I worked at back in the day. Working in the deli was my first introduction to the “natural foods” world and it laid the foundation for my healthy eating habits as an adult. Even a novice baker can whip these up and “whoo” friends and family. Although you may initially have to invest in expanding your pantry ingredients for this recipe, a little goes a long way. These would be amazing for a bake sale or lunch treat or afternoon pick me up or the excuses are endless! The most challenging part is waiting patiently while the base cools to spread on the next layer….stay calm grasshopper because they are worth the wait!

VEGAN NANAIMO BARS

BASE

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour {or spelt flour}

1 cup quick oats

1 c shredded coconut

3/4 cup cocoa powder

1/2 tsp salt

3/4 cup canola oil

1 cup brown rice syrup

FILLING

3/4 cup peanut butter {or almond butter}

1 cup sucanat or brown sugar

1/2 cup to 1 cup vanilla soymilk

1 cup soy protein powder

TOPPING

1 1/2 cup chocolate chip

1/8 cup canola oil

1. BASE: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl mix base ingredients. Press into 9×13 baking pan. Bake 15 minutes, cool.
2. FILLING: Mix peanut butter, sugar, soy milk and protein powder. Stir until blended. Mix should be thick, fudge like. When base is cool, spread and pat filling over base.
3. TOPPING: Melt chocolate chips with oil over low heat and spread/smooth over filling.

Allow the bars to harden before cutting, it helps to keep them covered in refrigerator. Yummy!

Crispy Rice Squares

We’re always on the look out for alternatives to traditional recipes, with healthier ingredients that we feel good about giving our children. This week’s recipe of Crispy Rice Squares is made with simple ingredients that make the grade and taste super yummy! As the school year winds down, class room parties are in full swing and I suspect these treats would be well received by teachers and classmates alike. The squares store well in the refrigerator and transport perfectly in our Snack Circles. There is even an alternative to those allergic to nuts {just replace nut butter with sunflower butter}. This recipe comes from the fabulous cookbook Clean Food by Terry Walters. The recipes are organized by seasons and ingredients, its a useful source to support your healthy and sustainable lifestyle {vegetarian}. The index is especially helpful when short on time and you need a quick idea for dinner. Simply find the ingredient you want to cook with, i.e. coconut milk or broccoli or tofu, etc. and the index lists all recipes containing that ingredient. Its ingenious and best of all easy to follow the recipes {minimal steps and ingredients}. Good luck with this recipe, its a quickie and your kids will have fun helping out!

CRISPY RICE SQUARES

1/2 cup brown rice syrup or raw honey

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/2 cup cashew butter or almond butter or peanut butter or sunflower butter

1/4 cup semi-sweet dark chocolate chips

3 cups crispy brown rice cereal

1/2 cup toasted sesame seeds, optional

1. In medium sauce pan over medium-low heat, combine syrups and nut butter until smooth.
2. Add chocolate chips and stir until melted.
3. Fold in rice cereal and optional sesame seeds and stir to coat everything.
4. Press stiff batter into 8×8-inch pan and refrigerate until firm {at least 20 minutes}.
5. Cut into squares and serve or store in airtight container.

Makes 1 to 1.5 dozen 1-inch squares

We Have A Winner!

Congratulations to Kase, the Winner of our Homemade Snacks Recipe Contest! Her recipe for Fruity Fun Salsa was unique {especially on behalf of the lightly sweetened sprouted tortillas}, creative and delicious! Thank You to everyone who entered and we hope you’ve been able to add some new recipes into your bag of tricks And keep the goodies coming……when inspiration hits, please feel free to post a new snack idea or recipe to share with other Mamas.

PLUS, all entries will receive a coupon code worth 50% OFF entire purchase on Semilla Snack Bags website! We loved all your recipes and appreciate you taking the time to share. Have a fabulous holiday weekend, celebrating and snacking with friends and family!

 

HOMEMADE SNACK CONTEST!

The inspiration for Semilla Snack Bags has grown from the collective spirit of all my Mommy friends and their ceaseless efforts to understand, love, guide and provide a nurturing home for their children. The responsibilities of childrearing have evolved and taken on a more spiritual or holistic approach. I feel honored to witness firsthand these Mothers who actively seek new ways to teach their children not only right from wrong but how to care for their bodies by eating healthy, nourishing foods.

We invite you to share your yummy, homemade snacks and earn a chance to WIN FREE SNACK BAGS! Please submit via blog your recipe, inspiration or personal conviction as to why your snack is the greatest! Winner will be chosen based on wholesome ingredients and simplicity of recipe. All submissions due by May 25, 2011. Good Luck!