warming winter granola

ah yes, the weather is certainly beginning to look frightful.  the other night upon returning home from work there was actually snow blanketing all the cars, and it was cold enough to have stuck through to morning!  with this cold weather we’re left craving heartier foods - warmer and a bit fattier - our instincts kicking in to keep us warm through the cold season.  winter at my house comes with batch after batch of homemade granola – some for us to nibble on, the rest put in large mason jars and given away as holiday gifts.  it’s extremely easy to make, there are endless ways to play with the ingredients, and it tastes infinitely better than any store-bought brand you can find.  this particular recipe (please, play with it according to your own tastes) is based on my brother Josh’s delicious granola – the candied ginger is the not-so-secret-anymore ingredient and gives it the perfect kick.

as with anything, the more processed oats are the less nutrients they offer.  rolled oats are not as nutritious as whole or steel-cut oats, but still retain more nutrients than other refined wheat products, and certainly more than instant oatmeal.  oats are a natural choice during the winter, probably because – as stated in Rebecca Woods’ “The New Whole Foods Encyclopedia” – they “impart stamina and warmth” as well as “improve resistance to stress and thus support the system being in a healthy state of balance.”  they also help to soothe the nervous system and stabilize blood sugar. 

flax seeds, which I also love to sprinkle over salads, are the highest source of omega 3 fatty acids, but this can only be taken in if they’re thoroughly ground up, and is killed off altogether in cooking.  grind them up and then sprinkle them over your granola, or simply use them whole (as the recipe states) and use your natural grinders – your teeth….chew well to release the fatty acids.  flax seeds also offer antibacterial and anticancer properties, and help promote digestion.

enjoy your warming winter granola and go have some fun in the snow!

Warming Winter Granola

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup mixed nuts, chopped well (pistachios, cashews, almonds & walnuts all work well)

¼ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup pumpkin seeds

1 tablespoon wheat germ
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon sea salt

½ cup maple syrup
¼ cup canola oil

2 tablespoons raw honey

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

½ cup candied ginger, minced
3 tablespoons flax seeds

½ cup coconut flakes, unsweetened

1 ½ cups mixed dried fruit, chopped (I used dried strawberries and cranberries here)

1. Preheat oven to 350.  In a large bowl combine oats with nuts, seeds, wheat germ, cinnamon and salt.  Set aside.
2. In a small saucepan, warm canola oil on low heat.  Once warm add maple syrup and whisk to incorporate.  Remove from heat and add honey and vanilla extract.  Pour over oat mixture and immediately stir well, coating all of the oat mixture.  (At this point taste your granola and make any seasoning additions you think necessary.  If you don’t like the taste now you might not like it when it’s done!)
3. Spread evenly onto rimmed baking sheet.  Bake for 25-30 minutes, stirring once or twice so as not to burn around the edges.  Remove from oven once golden.
4. Allow to cool completely, then mix in remaining ingredients.  Enjoy with yogurt, milk, or on its own!

 

beet & carrot chips with sage crisps

the other day I spent my day off walking around the farmers market, sipping on warm apple cider (they had already run out of doughnuts…shame) and marveling at all the beautiful fall vegetables that adorned every stand. 

beets and carrots are still out in full swing, and I decided to grab a few of each to make a little homemade, healthy snack-food.  beets & carrots are wonderful because they’re both so naturally sweet, so they are a great choice for satiating a sweet craving.  beets help promote circulation, aid the liver, and help alleviate constipation.  carrots also promote elimination, as well as lowering blood sugar and acting as a tonic to the kidneys.  both carrots & beets help to purify the blood.

these beet & carrot chips are a great alternative to store bought chips – although they will not get nearly as crispy, they are still great!  they also have a nice autumny feel because of the sage, which turns deliciously crispy in the oven.  try them out with any excess veggies you might have from your CSA box this week, or go to your local farmers market, grab your ingredients, and get into your kitchen!

beet & carrot chips with sage crisps

2 large beets

2 large carrots

10 medium-large sage leaves + 2 sage sprigs

2 cloves garlic, skin on

extra virgin olive oil

2 teaspoons salt

 

Preheat oven to 375 and thoroughly oil a baking sheet – make sure it’s completely oiled or the beets & carrots will stick.  Bring a medium pot of water to boil.

Peel beets and carrots – careful, beets will stain!  Slice beets width-wise and carrots length wise into ¼” slices.  If carrots are long, you can slice them in half lengthwise as well.

Chiffonade sage, meaning slice sage lengthwise into very thin strips.

Once water is boiling, par-boil the veggies for 3 minutes.  Remove from water and toss in enough olive oil to coat them thoroughly.  Add salt & sage and mix well.  Lay out on the baking sheet in one row, making sure not to overlap the veggies or they will cook unevenly.  Lay out sage sprigs & garlic cloves over them. 

Cook for 25-30 minutes, flipping once midway through.  Allow to cool on a cooling rack.  If desired, add more salt to taste once they’re out of the oven.

the in-laws go kitchen crazy: quick pickled veggies & Malaysian spicy chicken

when my future father-in-law, Peter, and his bride-to-be, Sharon, decided to tie the knot, we spent several hours pondering over what we could possibly get them in celebration of their wedding.  though they said no presents, there was no way we were going without one.  but what on earth could we possibly get them?  when the idea came to us we knew it was perfect – a private cooking class, in the comfort of their own home, with one of my favorite instructors from Natural Gourmet, Annie Kunjappy.

Annie arrived hauling fresh co-op produce and healthy grains & beans, ready for a day of South East Asian cooking (in honor of their upcoming honeymoon in Thailand).  as the kitchen became thick with the spicy aroma of sautéed shallots & ginger, she gave the lovebirds helpful information about knife skills, kitchen equipment, and most importantly, the food they were cooking. 

the menu itself was inspiring: mung bean sesame noodles with vegetables, a jicama & mango salad, quick pickled vegetables, Malaysian spicy chicken, and for dessert - sweet red beans & 

black rice soup with coconut cream.  below are two of Annie’s recipes from the class, the Malaysian spicy chicken and the quick pickled veggies. 

a quick note on pickling: people have been pickling food for as long as we’ve been on this earth.  it’s a way to preserve foods & their vitamins throughout the seasons while using only a small amount of resources.  also, the health benefits of pickled foods are plentiful, most notably that they aid in digestion and are rich in enzymes, which remain in tact throughout the pickling process.  (Note that pickled foods are added directly to an acid and are slightly different from fermented foods.  that’s a longer process and the acid is not added but rather released through a build-up of lactic acid.)

 

 Quick Pickled Veggies

 2 carrots

1 small daikon

1 cucumber

1 tablespoon sea salt

¼ cup rice vinegar (or brown rice vinegar)

1 tablespoon agave

Seed cucumbers, and cut all vegetables into thin strips.  Sprinkle with salt and press into colander for ½ hour and drain away all liquid that is extracted.  Toss in vinegar and agave and allow to marinate for at least an hour before use – overnight is best.

 *feel free to follow the recipe but you can also adjust the amounts or change up the veggies as you desire!

 

Malaysian Spicy Chicken

1 large onion, finely diced

1 teaspoon turmeric powder

1 pound chicken, boneless & skinless, cut in strips

 

Grind together (in food processor)

8 cloves garlic

2 inch piece ginger

8 shallots

3 green chilies (more or less to heat tolerance)

2 stalks lemongrass

 

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 ½ cup coconut milk

1 lime or more to taste

½ cup chopped cilantro

sea salt to taste

Toss the chicken pieces with the turmeric until coated and set aside.

Heat up the coconut oil and sauté the onions over medium flame until just golden.

 Add the ground mixture of garlic, shallots, chilies, lemongrass and ginger.  Sauté for 5 minutes or until golden brown and fragrant.  Add a little coconut milk to prevent sticking if needed.  *(if you don’t have a food processor, cut the lemongrass into 2” pieces and let simmer with the dish, removing before serving)

Add the chicken and sauté for 2 minutes.  Add coconut milk, stir and lower flame to a simmer.  Cook until chicken is tender.

 Squeeze in the juice of one lime, add salt to taste.  Remove from heat and add cilantro.