Tag Archives: kid friendly

Maple Quinoa Granola with Almonds and Dried Cranberries + 5 Granola Snack Links You Should Check Out!

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mqg0022My life is a bit hectic lately. Three kids, 6 and under. I have three kids 6 and under. I say it, I type it, but it is hard to believe. Three little people who depend on me and Bubba entirely. Most days I feel overwhelmed and exhausted. At times I find myself fantasizing about sitting on a beach, alone with a good book and an ice coffee. I dream about the sun on my face and the sound of the waves crashing near me, and then I am catapulted back to reality by the sound of little voice saying “mama.” Mama I need you. Mama can we have breakfast now? Mama the baby is crying again. Mama…I gather what energy I have left and take care of them. 2o years from now I may miss this time or parts of this time at least. Or maybe 20 years from now I’ll feel relief; relief my life is more my own again. Maybe the only thing I will miss is a small voice saying “mama.”

One thing I won’t miss is eating sandwich crusts, stale Pirates Booty and half eaten apples. I am constantly eating their leftovers instead of giving myself a real snack. Before N was born I occasionally made granola. It is the perfect snack food for me. I eat a handful and it keeps me going for a while. After my 6 week post-partum check and weigh in, I decided eating more healthy snacks is necessary. I need to take care of me, so I can take care of everyone else.

I found a recipe for Big Cluster Maple Granola by Smitten Kitchen and altered it a bit. This is one thing I loved about granola. Make it however you like it! I added quinoa because it is time to get cozy with this super food. Quinoa is not going anywhere so I will embrace it! Any nut or dried fruit will work here. I had raw almonds, golden raisins and dried cranberries on hand. I love the maple syrup; the real stuff not the imitation junk. I recommend using real maple syrup in this recipe. I used 1/2 cup of syrup, but add 1 cup of maple syrup if you prefer a sweeter granola. The granola takes about 50 minutes to cook and an additional hour to cool completely. It will last in air tight container, at room temperature for up to two weeks.  Maybe make a double batch and take some to a new mom. She’ll thank you for it!

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Maple Quinoa Granola Clusters with Almonds and Dried Cranberries

recipe adapted from Smitten Kitchen

makes about 7 cups

Ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup quinoa, pre-rinsed

1 cup raw almonds, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup toasted wheat germ

2 tbsp. coconut oil

1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

1/2 cup maple syrup

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1 large egg white

1 1/2 cups dried cranberries and golden raisins (any dried fruit will work here. if in large pieces, chop small)

Directions:

Pre-heat your oven to 300. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

Combine all ingredients except for the dried fruit and egg white in a large bowl. Toss to combine ingredients evenly.

Whisk the egg white in a small bowl until frothy. Pour egg white on granola mixture and stir to combine thoroughly. Spread the granola on the prepared baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 45-55 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the pan the tossing the granola half way through baking. Once brown transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the granola is completely cool, break it up into chunks, big or small, whatever you prefer. Gently add dry fruit.

The granola will last in an air tight container at room temperature for up to two weeks. Enjoy!

5 Granola Snack Links You Should Check Out!

Do you love chocolate? You should try chocolate granola! What Should I Eat For Breakfast? has the recipe for you.

Need a gluten-free granola option? Cannille at Vanille has a delicious, basic, gluten-free granola recipe for you.

Nut-free. Sugar-free. Vegan granola bar? Yes, it exists. Oh She Glows has a great recipe for soft and chewy granola bars.

Sometimes I can’t decide whether I wan to eat a granola bar or a cookie. Barbara Bakes has a solution: Granola Chocolate Chip Toffee Bars! Problem solved.

One of my favorite Girl Scout cookies are the Samoas. I have no will power when that little purple box is around; so good and so damn hard to resist!  Averie Cooks has a recipe for No-Bake Samoas Cookie Granola Bars. Wow!

 

 

End of Summer Marinara Sauce

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Summer is coming to an end and I am looking forward to fall. I like to let go of summer every year and remember it romantically. At the start of summer I anticipate picnics, beach time, stargazing and dinners outside. The truth is I spend half of the summer trying to entertain my kids with beach or museum  trips only for them to tell me after an outing “I’m bored.” The second half of the summer I am desperate for some relief so I try to get rid of them with camps and drop off play-dates only for them to tell me again “I’m bored.” By August, I feel burnt out and ready for school to begin. Come October everyone will be happy again because we have a little time apart from each other. Come April we will long for a break from our routine; we will long for summer again. Funny how that works.

Living in New England is a good fit for me because just as I am sick of one season and ready for the next, it changes quickly and quietly. One day the air is different, the light is lower and the leaves hint at what’s to come. My food cravings change as well. Right now I enjoy all of the beautiful summer fruit and vegetables we get in our CSA share every week because I know this bounty is coming to an end.

This week we got tomatoes. Nothing tastes better than a summer tomato. One of my favorite sandwiches is tomatoes, sliced with mayo on multi-grain bread with a little sea salt. This sandwich is simple and delicious. Typically, I throw our tomatoes into a salad or panzanella but I made a marinara sauce instead. This sauce tastes like summer because it is light and fresh. Also, this is a great way to use up tomatoes. Make a double batch and freeze the sauce. Pull it out in the dead of winter when you need to remember summer again.

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Rinse the tomatoes and using a sharp knife put a x on the bottom of each tomato. Pour boiling water over the tomatoes and let them sit in the water for about a minute. Remove the tomatoes and allow to cool slightly. Once cooled, peel the skins and coarsely chop. If you want a chunky sauce leave the tomatoes coarsely chopped. If you want a smooth sauce; puree them in a blender for a few minutes.

_KH10022Sauté some onions and garlic together for about 10 minutes. Do not allow to brown. Add tomatoes and then add…

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a parmesan rind! The rind will add an incredible savory flavor to the sauce. I also added one bay leaf, a teaspoon of dried oregano, a spoonful of tomato paste and salt to taste.

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The sauce should simmer for about an hour. Discard the bay leaf and parmesan rind once the sauce has finished simmering.

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Serve sauce over cooked spaghetti with lots of parmesan cheese. A little chopped parsley or basil sprinkled on top is a nice addition too! Eat with a nice glass of red wine and enjoy!

End of Summer Marinara Sauce

Serves 4

Recipe inspired by Goop’s Basic Fresh Tomato Sauce

Ingredients

1/4 olive oil

6 medium ripe tomatoes

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 small onion, finely chopped

1 tsp. of dried oregano

1 bay leaf

1 parmesan rind

1 spoonful of tomato paste

Kosher salt

Directions:

Finely chop one small onion and mince two cloves of garlic. Heat a 1/4 of olive oil over medium heat and add the onions and garlic. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not allow the onion and garlic to brown.

While the onion/garlic mixture is sautéing, score 6 tomatoes and pour boiling water over them. Allow the tomatoes to sit in the water for about 30 seconds. Drain the tomatoes and allow to cool slightly before peeling the skin. Remove the skin and coarsely chop. (If you don’t want a chunky sauce, puree the tomatoes in a blender for a few minutes.) Add tomatoes to onion and garlic mixture and stir to combine.

Add 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp. of dried oregano, 1 spoonful of tomato paste and 1 parmesan rind. Allow to simmer on low for about an hour. Remove the rind and bay leaf. Add kosher salt to taste.

Serve over spaghetti with lots of parmesan cheese and a bit of chopped parsley or basil. Enjoy!