Grandma's Granola

I'm not a new year dieter. I do set resolutions but they are adjusted year round. I don't believe in dieting though. I believe in healthy eating habits that include delicious treats. However, my mom brought us this granola last year and we love it. Granola is health food right? Well, whether or not you agree, try this recipe, we love it.

Granola

6 cups regular oats

1/2 cup almonds, chopped

1/2 cup pecans

1/2 cup walnuts

1/2 cup sunflower seeds

1/2 bag coconut

1/4 cup chia seeds

1/4 cup cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

4 Tbsp Coconut oil

1/2 cup honey

1/2 tsp salt

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 cup raisins or dried cherries

Preheat oven to 350. Mix oats with nuts, seeds, cinnamon, & coconut. Put on heavy baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until oats are golden and toasted. (About 10 minutes) In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine oil, sugar and honey. Bring to a boil and stir until all melted. Remove from heat and add vanilla. Pour over toasted oats and mix thoroughly. Return to baking sheet and spread out with spatula. Bake until fragrant and golden, 10-13 minutes. Let cool for 2-3 minutes, then break into smaller pieces before totally cool.

Overnight Apple Cinnamon Raisin Oatmeal

This is the way I currently make oatmeal most of the time. It's easier than trying to cook it in the morning! 

 

Overnight Oatmeal

2 cups regular or steel cut oats

6-8 cups water

1/3 cup brown sugar

1/2 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp butter

1 apple, peeled, cored, diced

1/2 cup raisins (optional)

Spray slow cooker with nonstick spray. Mix ingredients in crockpot. Turn on low heat for 8 hours and then stir when finished. If you use regular oats, it is a smoother porridge-like dish. If you use steel cut, it will have a nice chewy texture. 

Caution: The raisins will swell up and be very soft. I like them this way. You may not. 

Modified from Mels Kitchen Cafe. (Removed maple syrup & blueberries, added butter, apples & raisins, changed sugar, increased cinnamon)

Creme Brulee French Toast

Perfect for holidays. Make ahead the night before to just pop in the oven in the morning.

1/2 cup unsalted butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp corn syrup
sliced bread
5 large eggs
1 1/2 cups half and half
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

in a saucepan, melt butter, brown sugar and corn syrup. pour into a 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Arrange bread pieces on top. Beat together eggs, half and half, vanilla and salt. Pour egg mixture over top of bread. Cover and chill overnight in the fridge. The next morning, bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.

Creamy Cracked Wheat Cereal

1 cup uncooked cracked wheat
3 cups water
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 cup powdered milk
4 Tbsp sugar

Add dry milk to water and whisk together. Bring to boil. At medium high temperature, add wheat, sugar and salt. Cover and reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the water is absorbed. Makes 3 cups cereal. (4 servings)

Cran Apple tart

Yummy, delicious, and a great way to use canned cranberry sauce. This whips up quickly in the mornings and is very tasty. Using the pureed cottage cheese in the dough makes it have more protein as well, so that it's healthier! Photo is about 1/3 of the tart left. It was gone shortly after the photo!

1/3 cup cottage cheese, pureed in food processor
2 T butter
2 cups baking mix (make your own directions here)
1/3 cup milk
8 oz canned whole cranberry sauce
1 apple, peeled and chopped
1 T brown sugar
1 T cinnamon
(glaze)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 T milk
1 T juice
1 tsp butter, melted

Heat oven to 425 F.
Mix butter and baking mix, then add milk and make biscuit dough. Roll out on a floured surface to 12x8 rectangle.
Mix cranberry sauce, apple, sugar, cinnnamon, spread down middle of dough. Fold over sides. Cut slits in tops, at intervals.
Bake 12-15 minutes.
Combine glaze ingredients and drizzle over tart. Serve.

Pumpkin Waffles

I have been given a bunch of eating pumpkins and now am searching out tasty pumpkin recipes. Today we had pumpkin waffles for breakfast and they were delicious. I recommend you go try them!

Ultimate Pumpkin Waffles

Oatmeal Porridge

Our favorite breakfast for the past few months has been oatmeal porridge. It is a simple recipe you start the night before, and it has made it so that I can't eat instant oatmeal any more, it's so good. Serve with hot chocolate on a cold morning for a good warm you up breakfast. :)

Put equal parts regular oats and water in a bowl, add 1 Tbsp of whole milk plain yogurt or creme fraiche and mix. (I do 2 cups oats, 2 cups water, 2 Tbsp yogurt for our family usually). Cover with a clean towel and let sit overnight.

Put water on to boil, the same amount you put in the oats the other night (2 cups for me). When it is boiling, add the oat mixture and simmer to a good thickness, stirring frequently.

Serve with more yogurt or cream, apple butter, favorite jelly, honey, fresh fruit or whatever else you want to add for sweetness/flavor. Or eat plain!

Our favorite toppings:
Homemade apple butter mixed in tastes like apple cinnamon oatmeal.
More yogurt and fresh peaches makes peaches & cream oatmeal
Blueberries & yogurt
Strawberry jam
cinnamon, brown sugar & raisins...
lots of options!