Holy Grail Granola

So I've been on a bit of a granola kick. I don't enjoy a steaming hot bowl of oats during the summer (when it's hot), especially after running, and since I have been lackluster when it comes to breakfast ideas (waffles everyday is a fun idea that I get sick of) my best option is to bake a batch of granola that'll last me for long enough to not have to think about breakfast until it's gone.

And this is it. The best granola of 2010. I finally bought the proper ingredients and I mixed this and that together to come up with a granola that turned out exactly how I wanted. Granola clusters mixed with two nuts and one seed, plus some dried cranberries. All this is coated with a sweet honey-brown sugar mixture that transforms the mixture from dried to candied. Yeah, definitely not the healthiest granola on the block, but that wasn't my aim.

What I did differently with this recipe was make a sugared coating with the pecans, pepita seeds, and almonds consisting of a lightly beaten egg white, and sugar mixed with grated orange zest. I debated between baking it separately and mixing it into the oat mixture after it baked, but I wanted everything to be combined so I added the nuts to the oats after I mixed the oats with the oil, honey, brown sugar, and salt. I chose not to use orange juice in the syrup because it makes the oats soggy and requires longer baking time to dry out. I also used a mixture of whole oats and quick oats since I read that the quick oats makes better clumps.

Oh yeah. Whilst heating the syrup up in a saucepan I started thinking of caramel corn, and how you add baking soda to the caramel syrup after it reaches the correct temperature. I don't know why, but perhaps it aids in a harder coating without soggifying the popcorn. I decided to add a bit, about a 1/4 teaspoon, just for the sake of experimentation. Although I'm not sure if it helped, the consistency of the finished granola turned out exactly how I wanted and in the future I will not leave out the baking soda.

Because I finally made a successful granola recipe, I'm naming this "Holy Grail Granola", because it's entirely worthy of such a name. The oaty clusters are delicious with the dried cranberries, and it's still not so sweet that I'd only want to eat it with ice cream. This remains my favorite summer breakfast with fresh fruit and protein powder mixed into the milk.

Recipe after the jump.

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Holy Grail Granola
Recipe by Christina Provo

Makes a ton

ingredients ~

3 cups old fashioned oats
2 cups quick oats
1/2 cup wheat bran
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup raw pepita seeds
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 eggs white
1/4 cup granulated sugar
grated zest of two oranges
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar
2 tbsp unsalted butte
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
12 ounce bag dried, sweetened cranberries

directions ~

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and set aside. Mix oats and wheat bran together in a large bowl. Whisk egg white in a medium bowl until just frothy, then stir in pecans, pepita seeds, and almonds to coat. Mix sugar together with orange zest in a small bowl, pressing with a fork to release oils and tint the sugar. Sprinkle over nuts-egg white mixture and stir to coat thoroughly; set aside.


2. Place oil, honey, brown sugar, butter, and salt in a small saucepan. Over medium heat, heat until brown sugar has dissolved and butter has melted. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Stir in baking soda and whisk until completely mixed (it will resemble liquidy brain matter until it blends together to form a tan, foamy mixture).


3. Pour over oats and stir until evenly saturated with oil-sugar syrup. Stir in nut mixture until mixed. Spread on baking sheet and place in oven. Lower heat to 325ª and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes. Lower oven to 300ª and cook for another 15 minutes until a deep golden brown. Remove from heat and place baking sheet on cooling rack. Stir once more, then let cool completely. Once cooled, break up granola, leaving many small clumps, and mix with dried cranberries. Store in a covered container or a zip-loc bag.

simple granola

Today is the last day to vote for me in the Recipe Rivalry! I really appreciate everyone's support this week in voting for me, and I hope you guys can spread the word one last time for a final voting push.

I've been having trouble with breakfast lately. The temperature has been heating up, and the last thing I want to start my day off with is a bowl of steaming oats. Instead, I could opt for a plate of steaming eggs. No. Or a heavy plate of pancakes. Pass. Waffles? For some reason that seems like a lot of trouble for a midweek breakfast. Clearly, my remaining option was to bake some granola.

In fact, granola is my favorite meal because it combines the best of crunchy cereal with the sticking power of oats. I still haven't perfect my recipe, but most of the formulas I've come up with have turned out tasty. For this recipe in particular, I used up the remaining pepita seeds I had and added sliced almonds and wheat germ. Since I hadn't any syrup or honey, I made a quick simple syrup with freshly squeezed orange juice and brown sugar. With the grated zest of the oranges mixed with the oats, the taste is light and citrusy and perfect for summer.

It seems that I never all the add ins I want when I make granola, or I purposely make granola when all I have are nuts and oranges. I would have liked unsweetened coconut flakes, an assortment of dried fruit, or some sort of COFFEE INGREDIENT! (I just got a brilliant idea to test out.) However, I liked how this batch turned out with the taste of the pepita seeds.

I've heard many people praise the taste of Greek yogurt, though I haven't tried it until today. Really good stuff! I loved the thicker, richer taste, though I added a bit of milk since that's how I wanted to serve it. And nothing pairs better with granola than fruit that's in season. I went with raspberries and strawberries for today's bowl.

Recipe after the jump

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orangey granola
Recipe by Christina Provo

ingredients ~

2/3 cup freshly squeezed orange juice
1/2 cup lightly packed light brown sugar
5 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup pepita seeds
1/2 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup wheat germ
1 tsp cinnamon
grated zest of two oranges
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil

directions ~

1. Preheat oven to 325° and spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. In a small saucepan, bring orange juice and brown sugar to a boil. Boil for 1 minute; remove from heat and let cool.


2. Mix together everything from the oats to the salt in a large bowl, making sure the ingredients are well distributed. Stir in the orange juice syrup and the vegetable oil and toss until the oats are thoroughly coated. Spread evenly onto baking sheet.


3. Bake granola for a total of 45-55 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes. You're looking for an even golden tone and the oats should no longer feel wet. Remove from the oven and let granola cool on baking sheet to room temperature. Place in a container.

Can be stored, covered, for 1 week

on-the-go oatmeal cups

I actually followed through! I said I was going to come up with more of a breakfasty oatmeal cookie thing based on the oatmeal macaroons I made a few posts ago, and here they are! Filled with pineapple juice-soaked prunes and slivered almonds, these are a perfect way to bring a bowl of oats with you no matter where you are.

A few changes were made to make these more suitable for breakfast, one being to keep half of the oats whole, two was decreasing the amount of sugar, and three was adding an extra egg white. While having whole oats made these look more like a traditional oatmeal bar, I preferred the consistency when all the oats were ground. Also, I think these benefited from having a bit more sugar, so next time I'd add a few more tablespoons, or maybe 1/2 cup. Another change was to increase the cooking temperature to 325° and bake the cups for about 20-25 minutes. Unfortunately, the oatmeal seemed to soften overnight after being stored in a ziploc bag for whatever reason, so maybe they needed to be cooked longer and at the lower heat (I should try adding a slice of bread to the bag). I didn't toast the oats and didn't let the mixture chill overnight. So a few changes could have contributed to the chewiness.

If you're looking for a protein-enhanced breakfast, this is it. Serve crumbled in a bowl and topped with milk or yogurt, or simply eaten as is, it's a delicious way to start the day, or a great snack that'll leave you satiated between meals.

Recipe after jump.

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oatmeal cups
Recipe by Christina Provo

Make 12

ingredients ~

3/4 cup California Dried Plums, sliced in quarters
1/4 cup pineapple juice
3 1/2 cups whole oatmeal
1/2 cup slivered almonds
4 large egg whites
1/3 cup granulated sugar

directions ~

1. Preheat oven to 350° degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Heat pineapple juice until hot in microwave. Pour over dried plums in a small bowl and set aside.


2. Place half the oats and half the slivered almonds in the bowl of a food processor. Process until the oats are broken up but not a fine powder. Pour into a medium sized bowl with remaining oats and almonds and stir.


3. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites and sugar until frothy, about 1-2 minutes. Whisk in prunes with any remaining liquid, then stir in oatmeal until well mixed. Refrigerate mixture for 10 minutes.


4. Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, portion out oat mixture, packing slightly, and invert onto parchment-lined baking sheet, tapping the cup against the sheet gently to remove the oats. Repeat with mixture. If any oat mixture remains, press it lightly on top of cups.


5. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. A longer baking time will yield crunchier oatmeal cups. Remove from oven and let rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Package individually and you're good to go!

eat cookies for breakfast!

It's the new campaign I'm heading up. I'm already a big believer in eating cookies for breakfast, and I think I remember reading on the David Lebovitz site that he also eats cookies for breakfast when he has them around. Many people will be quick to tell you that they are not morning people, but a cookie would definitely brighten their days, especially the kind of cookie I'm talking about.

Many breakfast cookies are a cross between a cookie, a muffin top, and maybe a scone. This, however, is more akin to portable granola or oatmeal, as pointed out by my brother who said that crumbling the cookies into milk would most likely taste good. He then said these would also make a good ice cream and yogurt topping. He also requested that I should make these again only if I made about 100 instead of just two dozen.

To make this you first will need some leftover hockey pucks, or as I like to call them, oat-coffee crinkles. You can either heat up the milk, pour it over a few cookies (you probably will need at least 4 per half cup of milk) and let it sit for a few minutes to soften, or you could simply crumble the cookies into a bowl and pour cold milk on top if you'd rather eat them like granola. Either way, you have a caffeinated, protein packed breakfast to start the day! Toss in some fruit if you feel like being extra healthy.

One note: If you want to make these simply for portable breakfasts, decrease the sugar to 1/2 cup and add in a fourth egg white. To make life easier, mix the ground coffee in with the oatmeal. Portion the dough out into 1/3 or 1/2 cup portions and bake until the outsides are beginning to take on a golden brown hue, probably at least 15-17 minutes, maybe 20. Cook completely, then wrap individually in plastic wrap.

oat-coffee crinkles

I had an idea for a cookie that wasn't quite a cookie as we know it. These are the first take of this idea, featuring an oatmeal macaroon rolled in freshly ground coffee beans.

My idea was for a lighter cookie in texture that was still chewy, something a little off the beaten path. I've also been thinking about a cookie rolled in ground coffee beans, so I decided to add that component to these cookies as well.

For flavor, I toasted the oats until they smelled oaty. Yeah, I didn't time it. Then I processed them until the flakes were broken up, some pieces were large, others powdery, but mostly none were whole. I then briefly whisked egg whites with sugar, salt, and vanilla extract and stirred in the oats. The mixture was a bit sticky, though it probably would have been easier to form than after the dough had chilled overnight, probably just a 30 minute chill would have sufficed. The dough wasn't that difficult to shape, though I found that after you formed the cookie ball, I needed to lightly wet my fingers and moisten the cookie dough to get it to stay together and so the coffee bean-sugar coating would stick. My main concern was that the cookies would fall apart after baking, but it didn't.

How did I like them? I thought they were surprisingly good. I wasn't quite sure if the idea would be better than the actual production, so I was pleased when everyone else also thought they tasted good. The chewiness was definitely the best part of the cookies. The coffee bean coating was delicious, though it didn't pack quite the caffeinated experience I was hoping to taste.

These definitely are a work in progress, but so far so good!

Recipe after the jump.

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oat-coffee crinkles
Recipe by Christina Provo

Makes around 2 dozen

ingredients ~

3 cups whole oats, toasted, then pulverized to a coarse powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3 egg whites
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 cup whole coffee beans
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

directions ~

1. In a large bowl, whisk together egg whites, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until frothy. Stir in oat powder and stir until mixed. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.


2. Preheat the oven to 325 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Grind the coffee beans, 2 tablespoons at a time, for 6 seconds. Repeat with remaining coffee beans, then mix in a pie plate (or other shallow container) with the sugar. Add half back to the coffee grinder and grind for another 5 seconds; repeat with remaining coffee-sugar mixture.


3. Place a small bowl filled with water next to the baking sheet. Form and pack 1 tablespoon of the cookie dough, then using moistened fingertips moisten the dough, packing gently with your palm. Roll in the ground coffee and place on the baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Repeat until all dough has been used. Using the bottom of a glass, flatten cookies slightly into disks. If they break about at the edges, gently press back together.


4. Place sheet on the middle rack and bake for 9-10 minutes. Let cool on sheet for about a minute, then remove to cooling rack.

toasted coconut baked oatmeal with caramelized bananas

I haven't made baked oatmeal in a long time. I really enjoyed it the last time I made it, especially the texture. Unlike regular oatmeal, the texture is more like a soft oatmeal bar rather than an Oliver Twist-like porridge, although it's not something I make often because it requires a little more foresight. When I have a morning to spare, though, I can take a bit longer to make a more complex breakfast.

When making this recipe, I wanted the flavors to be more tropical than the fruit typically stirred into a bowl of oatmeal, so I decided on toasted coconut and a caramelized banana topping. For other flavors, I browned some butter and added cardamom. Instead of whole eggs, I used egg whites so that it wouldn't be too dense. You can sub whole eggs if you're feeling like Gaston.

This dessert-like baked oatmeal is filling, yet won't sit like a brick in your stomach, making it the perfect weekend breakfast. While it's traditionally baked in a baking dish, you could evenly divide the mixture between muffin cups for individual storage. Omit the bananas, maybe add crushed banana chips to the oatmeal (they'll soften overnight), wrap the oatmeal cups well, and freeze for longer storage.

I love it when recipes come out how you envisioned. As the weather continues to be crappy, I can pretend it's better by making dishes with a more summery feel. At least my stomach will be happy.

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toasted coconut baked oatmeal with caramelized bananas
Recipe by Christina Provo

You can also prep this delicious breakfast the night before and pop it into the oven the next morning.

Serves 5-6

ingredients ~

2 1/2 cups rolled oats
2/3 cup unsweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon cardamom
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon coarse salt
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, browned and cooled
1/2 cup egg whites
3/4 cup applesauce
1 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 large bananas, sliced into 1/4 inch slices, on the bias
Granulated sugar

directions ~

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Grease a 8x3-inch round baking dish, or similar dish with tall sides. In a medium sized bowl, whisk oats, coconut, brown sugar, baking powder, spices and salt together.
2. Beat the egg whites until stiff peaks form. In a separate bowl, whisk together applesauce, milk, and browned butter. Add oat mixture and mix thoroughly to combine, then gently fold in beaten egg whites. Pour into prepared baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes
3. Twenty minutes into baking time, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. When butter has melted, stir in 2 tablespoons brown sugar to melt. Carefully place banana slices in skillet and lower heat to medium-low. Cook, carefully turning slices, for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Take oatmeal out from the oven and place banana slices, overlapping, on top in a circular style. Pour and spread any remaining sugar-butter remnants on top and continue baking for remaining 10 minutes.
4. Remove dish from oven. Preheat broiler to high, with oven rack at the second-to-highest position. Sprinkle bananas evenly with enough granulated sugar to lightly coat. Broil until sugar has melted and slightly caramelized. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving.

billy, eat your... oatmeal scones

Let's talk about moronic children. We all know the Pediasure commercial with the mom and girl, mom strolling along, pushing brat in shopping cart (instead of making her walk). Mom reaches for broccoli, brat says she hates it. Mom reaches for chicken breasts, brat again declares her disdain for it, which is kind of unbelievable since children will eat chicken over most meats. I'd have thought she was a little vegetarian and it would have made sense, but she denied the broccoli. So again, the mom reaches for waffle mix and the brat, you guessed it, tells the mom waffle suck. Really? Waffles? Clearly this child is Damian-a.

Then there's the fish stick commercial. "YOU'RE SERVING ME MINCED FISH? HOW CAN YOU CATCH A MINCED FISH!?" A) No kid knows what a minced fish is. B) Again it's a mom and a daughter who's acting like a little twerp. The mom then gives the kid name-brand fish sticks that aren't minced. What you don't see in the commercial is the cut clip of the mom banging the plate on the table, telling the girl, "HERE'S YOUR NON-MINCED FISH. EAT IT AND BE GRATEFUL, INGRATE."

(Thanks, Jez.)

Summing up, if you're kid won't eat oatmeal then you should try these. But I'd refrain from mentioning the starving-kids-in-China part if they are inclined to be precocious -- "What will the starving kids in China eat if I eat the oatmeal?"

I've been mixing up scones quite a bit lately. I've gone through too much unsalted butter to even think about. But I saw these and needed to give them a go. This is another Dorie Greenspan recipe, and it combines oatmeal with fresh nutmeg, bananas and blueberries, all four things I enjoy, but in scone form. It also uses buttermilk as the liquid, which I find delightful since I like baking with buttermilk. And so does Dorie, apparently. Booya!

Perfect for breakfast, these were just sweet enough without being better for dessert. The texture of the oatmeal complimented the flakiness of the scone, which I thought gave it a nice mouth feel. These would be great toasted the next day.

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oatmeal nutmeg scones
From Baking ~ from my home to yours by Dorie Greenspan

ingredients ~
1 large egg
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/3 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 stick plus 2 tablespoons (10 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

directions ~

1. Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400°. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat (I just greased the sheet).


2. Stir the egg and buttermilk together.


3. Whisk the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg together in a large bowl. Drop in the butter and, using your fingers, toss to coat the pieces of butter with flour. Quickly, working with your fingertips or a pastry blender, cut and rub the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture is pebbly. You'll have pea-size pieces, pieces the size of oatmeal flakes and pieces the size of everything in between ~~ and that's just right.


4. Pour the egg and buttermilk mixture over the dry ingredients and stir with a fork just until the dough, which will be wet and sticky, comes together. Don't overdo it.


5. Still in the bowl, gently knead the dough by hand, or turn it with a rubber spatula 8 to 10 times. turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and divide it in half. Working with one piece at a time, pat the dough into a rough circle that's about 5 inches in diameter, cut it into 6 wedges and place on the baking sheet. (At this point, the scones can be frozen on the baking sheet, then wrapped airtight. Don't defrost before baking ~~ just add about 2 minutes to the baking time.)


6. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, or until their tops are golden and firmish. Transfer them to a rack and cool for 10 minutes before serving, or wait for the scones to cool to room temperature.

Dorie also likes to add tips to many of her recipes to give you options.

playing around
Fruity oatmeal-nutmeg scones: Scones in general and these in particular are good with a little fruit mixed into them. Try adding small chunks of banana to the dough before you stir in the egg and buttermilk (cut 1/2 banana into 1/2-inch dice). These are also good with about 1/2 cup diced prunes or small cubes of plump dried apricot added to the dough.