Sunday, March 29, 2015

Grain-free Granola

Looking to reduce carbs for breakfast, thinking about having this for breakfast with yogurt, instead of the normal cereal or bagels (or french toast or pancakes or waffles...). 
  • 1 c hazelnuts
  • 1 c pecans
  • 1 c raw almonds
  • 1 c cashews
  • 1/4 c solid coconut oil (reduced from 1/3 c)
  • 2 T maple syrup
  • 1/3 t salt
  • 1 T cocoa powder
  • 1 t vanilla
  • 1 t cinnamon
  • 1/2 c shredded coconut
  • 1/4 c roasted pumpkin seeds
  1. Pulse nuts in blender until crumbly.
  2. In a small pan, melt the coconut oil over low heat with the syrup, salt, cocoa, vanilla and cinnamon.
  3. Remove from heat and stir in coconut and pumpkin seeds.
  4. Thoroughly mix pulsed nuts in.
  5. Spread on parchment sheet and bake for 15-25 min at 325F.
  6. Let cool in oven.
NOTES
Original says 300F but that takes too long. 350F is a little too high and ends up with some nuts slightly burnt.
Nov 2015: I've made this more than a dozen times this year. It's a staple on top of a breakfast bowl (of cereal or oatmeal). Once I used pistachios instead of hazelnuts - it ended up chewier but still delicious. One batch lasts about a week.

Sunday, March 8, 2015

Mini Meatloaves

Put together the mixture, topped with sauce and baked. While it was baking, prepped and boiled 2 yukon gold potatoes for mashed potatoes. While meatloaf was cooling cooked some peas. XB had 2 mini loaves and actually attempted the mashed potatoes (but still doesn't like them). Reduced sauce from original recipe but would still reduce more. I had more than half a kilo of ground beef so made 12 muffins and one in a ramekin. Also didn't have cheddar so used 1/2 c mozzarella and 2 slices swiss. *** for now, but with adjustments next time (reducing sugar and sauce), could be upped, given ease of preparation.
  • 3/4 c milk
  • 1/2 c quick oats
  • 1 egg
  • 1 t salt
  • 3/4 c grated cheese (cheddar or mozzarella+swiss)
  • ~1 lb ground beef
  • 1/3 c ketchup (reduced from 1/2 c, original = 3/4 c)
  • 1 T brown sugar (reduced from 1/8 c)
  • 2 T mustard (I used dijon, increased from 1 t)
  1. Combine milk and oats in bowl. Let soak for 5 minutes.
  2. Add egg, cheese and salt.
  3. Stir in beef.
  4. Lightly grease 12 cup muffin tin.
  5. Spoon beef into muffin cups.
  6. Prepare sauce: combine ketchup, sugar and mustard.
  7. Spread sauce on top of mini loaves.
  8. Bake for 30 min at 350F.
April 2015 - made this again but ran out of ketchup - had about 1/8 c. Added lots of mustard but still couldn't detect a kick. Could use more mustard and less sugar next time. Also ran out of quick oats and used about 2 T of flaked oats. Used frozen mozzrella as well.