Sweet Chili Granola

If you haven't read Writing Chapter Three, we've been dealing with some stuff this week. Cranky baby stuff. Like, she skipped two naps today. So, we just got back from a l.o.n.g drive in the country after paying over $4 a gallon in gas, no less -- I'm cheap about car-trips lately -- begging Ada to please, please, please fall asleep. And she did. The minute we pulled into the driveway, she woke up again.

But enough about that. Tomorrow we're running a 15K. Leaving this one at home with grandpa, who assures us he's bringing his patience . . .

Stephen's racing it. I'm treating it as an excuse to run double digits again (with warmup, I'm planning to do 10 total, maybe 11). Thankfully, my rolled ankle is feeling much better. Not perfect. But OK enough to participate.

Recipe time. I think this might be the first time I've ever made granola. I thought I'd make it an interesting batch. The combination of flavors is fun -- it has a kick to it, too.


SWEET CHILI GRANOLA

What you'll need . . .

• 1/4 cup Earth Balance or butter
• 1/4 cup sweet chili sauce (I used Wegmans brand)
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon low sodium soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons water
• 3 cups rolled oats, uncooked, of course
• 1/2 cup dry roasted almonds, sliced*
• 1/2 cup sesame seeds

Method . . .

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees F. Find a rimmed baking sheet. I imagine you can use a regular sheet, but it'll be hard to stir during the process without dropping oats everywhere.
2. * I highly recommend using dry-roasted almonds. They get super crunchy this way. I just took mine and cut them in half with a knife, ultimately creating lots of crisp pieces.
3. In a small saucepan, combine the Earth Balance and chili sauce over medium heat. Then add the brown sugar and soy sauce.
4. In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, almonds, and sesame seeds.
5. Add the cold water to the sugar mixture. Stir well. Then pour onto the dry ingredients. Mix well.
6. Spread mixture over the entire rimmed baking sheet. Place in the oven and set timer for 30 minutes.
7. I stirred the granola every five minutes to get everything nice and toasted. Then let cool before eating.

Back to the craziness. Hopefully I won't be logging any more miles after 9PM tonight. So far, so good.

Have a great rest of your weekend!

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Our Recipes: Granola & Oats

GRANOLA AND OATS:

• Lazy Pan-Cooked Oats
• Tiramisu Oatmeal Bake for Two*
• Tea-Riffic Vanilla-Spiced Oats*
• Nutella Oats
• Greek Yogurt and Homemade Granola
• Chai-Spiced Autumn Oats
• Cranberry-Hazelnut Crunch Oats*
• Apple Pie Oatmeal
• 5-Minute Baked Apples*
• Green Coconut Oats*

* means VEGAN

BACK TO ALL RECIPES >>>

OR BROWSE BY CATEGORY:

GRANOLA & OATS	PANCAKES, ETC.	SMOOTHIES
SPREAD, SAUCES, DIPS	SALADS	SOUPS & STEWS
SNACKS & STARTERS	SANDWICHES & BURGERS	PIZZA, ETC.
STIR-FRIES, ETC.	OTHER MEALS	BREADS
CAKES & CUPCAKES	COOKIES & BROWNIES	PIES & TARTS
ICE CREAM & PUDDING	DRINKS	CONVERSIONS

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Greek Yogurt for Breakfast

If I can make an amazing breakfast in 10 minutes or less, I'm happy all day. If it's healthy, that's even better. Filling? Even better. And guess what! What you see above is fast, good for you, and sustaining. It also features one of my new favorite ingredients: Greek yogurt.

In all honesty, yogurt gives me the creeps. No matter if it is made with soy or regular milk, I can't get over the texture. The lumpiness. Even the ones with the fruit mixed in have this "ick" factor for me. So, when I saw Stonyfield Farm's OIKOS at Wegmans this weekend, I was skeptical. However, I keep seeing it pop up on other blogs, so -- being the adventurous foodie I am -- I had to give it a try.

I'm now in love with the higher-in-protein, lower-in-sugar stuff (and did I mention it's only 80 calories with 0 fat?). The texture is FAR better than regular/soy (rich and creamy). And with all the different uses (you can substitute it for basically EVERYTHING), I have a feeling OIKOS will become a long-term resident of our refrigerator shelves.


GREEK YOGURT WITH GRANOLA AND PEACHES -- for two

What you'll need . . .

• 2 containers of plain greek yogurt
• 2 ripe peaches, cut into slices
• 1/4 cup steel-cut oats
• 1/4 cup raw crushed walnuts
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Method . . .

• Preheat your oven to 300 degrees F. Top a cookie sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Set aside.
• With a fork, whisk together the maple syrup, coconut oil, and cinnamon. Pour this mixture over the walnuts and steel-cut oats. Toss with your fingers until crumbly.
• Put this granola mixture in the oven for five minutes, then drop the heat to 280 degrees F, stir around, and bake for another 5 minutes. The walnuts will deepen in color.
• Remove from oven and let cool for a couple minutes -- while you put the slices peaches in two bowls. Top with the yogurt. Then the granola.
• This breakfast is also a great one to bring to work. Or just made for one. I recommend making the granola in the larger batch so you have it for more than one day.

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