Apricot Coconut Granola

Apricot Coconut Granola

Spring is busy. Longer days give me the sense that I've more time. So what if I don't get to the garden until four in the afternoon! I still have several hours of daylight to accomplish garden tasks.

One regular task in my week is granola-making. My family gets grumpy if they open the fridge in the morning and find only a few crumbs of the granola batch remaining.

I make granola differently each time, selecting the ingredients from what I find in the cupboard. Here's the recipe for a recent batch that we particularly enjoyed. It includes dried apricots which give a nice pop to the palate.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup honey
4 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups of wheat germ
1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds or pepitas, chopped
1 cup hulled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup coarsely ground flax seeds
1 cup chopped almonds
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup of shredded coconut
1 cup chopped apricots
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preparation:

• Preheat the oven to 330 Fahrenheit (about 165 C). 
• In a large baking pan, slowly heat the honey and oil on your stovetop. Your setting should be on low.
• Mix the oats and wheat germ into the honey and oil, stirring slowly.
• Once the grains have been added, put in the seeds, continuing to stir the mix.
• Place the baking pan into the oven, setting the timer for 7 minutes.
• While the first items are baking in the oven, coarsely chop the nuts.
• At the 7-minute bell, take out the baking pan and add the nut mixture and the coconut. Mix thoroughly. 
• Continue to toast the mix for a total of about 35 minutes, stirring every 7-10 minutes.

Apricots, dried cranberries, and raisins - sweet!

• While the grains and nuts are toasting, chop the apricots. Then add the raisins and dried cranberries to the apricots.
• Set the dried fruit aside for now. (It will be added after all the toasting is done.)
• When the granola has reached that golden color, remove the pan from the oven and let cool for 5-7 minutes. Then pour the granola into a large bowl and mix in the dried fruit.
• Let the mix cool. Store tightly covered in the refrigerator. 

A new batch!

If you are looking for a way to keep your family eating a healthy breakfast, try making some granola. It is delicious with yogurt and fresh berries.

You can find other healthy recipes here.

Hope your spring is going well!

Apricot Almond Yeast Bread

Apricot Almond Yeast Bread

It's raining in Seattle. What to do. What to do...

Make bread!

I usually start this process by looking in my cupboard to see what I have on hand. Yesterday as I poked around the pantry I came across a large bag of dried apricots that I normally reserve for making granola. Hummmm...

Why not apricot bread with almonds?

The key ingredients: apricots and almonds

This recipe is inspired by a recipe from The Bread Lover's Bread Machine Cookbook. (By the way, if you do not have a copy of this book, I highly recommend it.)

This dough is slightly sweet, made with apple juice, honey, and apricots. Added almonds give it a nice crunch.

Adding honey

Here are the ingredients:

3/4 cup apple juice
1/4 buttermilk (or regular milk)
7 tbsp water
2 1/2 tbsp honey
2 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 1/3 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
2/3 cup rolled oats
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp yeast
1/2 cup chopped almonds (for the dough)

2/3 cup dried apricots (added mid-knead)

1/2 cup of chopped almonds (for crust)

Preparation:

Using your electric mixer with a paddle attachment or your bread machine, combine the ingredients except the dried apricots – keeping in mind your machine’s instructions.

When your machine beeps, or when you are in between your first and second kneads, add the dried apricots. This delay keeps the apricots from getting too chopped up in the machine.

When kneading is done, let the dough rise for about 45 min. or until it has doubled in size.  (If you prefer hand kneading, see my note on hand kneading in my Best Ever Polenta Pumpkin Seed Bread Recipe.)

Once the dough has doubled, pour it out into a floured surface, and give it a good kneading - a couple minutes. Shape your dough into an oblong form and roll it in a bed of chopped almonds.  Place the almond-covered dough on your baking sheet.

Almond covered dough

Let the dough rise again until doubled in size.  (I use a damp cloth to cover the dough while it is rising.)

Baking:

Bake your loaf for about 20-25 minutes in an oven preheated to 415 Fahrenheit (about 210 C).  Your almond crust with be nice and toasty while the dough will be moist and chewy. Delicious!

Moist and sweet!

If you try one of my bread recipes, please let me know your results. Happy baking, friends!

Healthy Butternut Squash Bread

Healthy Butternut Squash Bread

I recently had some butternut squash left over from dinner. What to do? Why, put it in bread, of course!

I found my inspiration from MyBakingAddiction, a great site for all you obsessive bakers!

My own version has more fiber - whole wheat flour and ground flax seeds - and less sugar. That's the healthy part! Yet it's rich - due to buttermilk - and nutty - from walnuts and flax seeds. Add sweet and spicy - cranberries and cayenne - and WOW! It's delicious!

Sweet and nutty

Want to give it a try?

Ingredients:

3/4 cup butternut squash purée
2 eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup water
1 cup raw sugar
1 cup all-purpose white flour
3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
A dash of cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground ginger
1 tbsp coarsely ground flax seed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour one 8.5 x 4.5 inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, mix together the butternut squash puree, eggs, oil, buttermilk, water, and sugar.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda, salt, and spices. Add the flax seed, walnuts, and dried cranberries to the dry ingredients.

Stir the dry ingredients into the butternut squash mixture. Remember the rule about not over-mixing!

Look how rich this batter is!

Bake for about an hour, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.

What a wonderful crumb!

Thanks to MyBakingAddiction for the original recipe!

Whole Wheat Cornmeal Pizza Dough - Bread Machine Style

Whole wheat and cornmeal crust pizza

I make pizza. ALOT. It's a great way to use whatever is in your fridge. Got some eggplant that's looking a little sad? Some salami that's getting close to it's use-by date? Make a pizza!

My favorite style of dough has whole wheat and cornmeal. It's nutty and bready, almost like focaccia.

This recipe makes one round deep dish pizza or one large 12 x 19 rectangular pizza. (Since my deep dish pan is still in transit from Vienna, I'm using my daughter's large rectangular "college" pan. Thank goodness she is living with us right now!)

Coarsely ground cornmeal

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups water
1/4 cup olive oil
2 2/3 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cornmeal or polenta (I like a coarse grind, which gives the crust a nice crunch)
1 teaspoon salt
1 packet (1/4 oz.) active dry yeast

Preparation:

Set your bread machine to its dough cycle, combine the ingredients – keeping in mind your machine’s instructions.

When the dough cycle is complete, pour the dough out onto a floured work area. (I just use my counter top.) Turn the dough a few times, and shape into a ball. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rest for about 20 minutes.

While you are waiting for your dough to rest, prepare the pizza pan by greasing the surface with olive oil and sprinkling it with about one tablespoon of cornmeal. This will make it easier to serve the pizza once it is done.

You can also start to gather your toppings. Today I am using a basil pesto base, topped with salami, roasted eggplant, marinated artichokes, caramelized onions, and two kinds of cheese - monterey jack and string cheese. (I love the patterns of the strings atop the pizza. :)

When the dough is ready, roll it out. Since I am using a rectangular pan, I shaped my dough into a log before rolling.

Put on your toppings and bake at 425 for 10 minutes, then lower the temp to 375, and bake another 10-15 minutes.

Enjoy!

Check out my other bread recipes here.

Buon appetito!

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Rolls

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Rolls

A few nights ago my husband made a delicious roast pork recipe. It was spicy, a little sweet, and the meat was so tender that it fell apart. Just the way I like it!

There was enough left over for another meal, so I decided to make roast pork sandwiches. As we had no rolls in the house, I went to work on a new recipe: whole wheat pumpkin rolls! (I confess. I had pumpkin pure in the freezer from the holidays.)

The resulting rolls were so delicious, and they held up well as sandwich rolls. The pumpkin flavor was a nice complement to the pork. Give my recipe a try and let me know what you think.

Pure from fresh pumpkin

Here are the ingredients:

2 cups pumpkin pure (not from can)
1 tbsp pumpkin seed oil (or other oil)
2 tbsp honey
1 tsp salt
2 cups white flour
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp dry yeast

Makes approximately 18 3-inch rolls.


Preparation:

Using your electric mixer with a paddle attachment or your bread machine, combine the ingredients – keeping in mind your machine’s instructions.

When kneading is done, let the dough rise for about 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size. (If you prefer hand kneading, see my note on hand kneading in my Best Ever Polenta Pumpkin Seed Bread Recipe.)

Once the dough has doubled, pour it out into a floured surface, give it a good kneading - a couple minutes - and then divide the dough into 18 dough balls. Place the balls on a baking sheet and let rise until they have doubled in size (approximately 20 minutes).

Dough balls rising

While the rolls are rising, preheat your oven to 200 C (or approximately 390 F).

Once the rolls have doubled in size, score them with a sharp knife and place in the oven for about 15 minutes.

Scored and ready for the oven

These rolls come out a nice toasted orange color. They are tasty!

Just out of the oven

Don't worry if the rolls have expanded into each other. They pull apart easily.

Ready to eat!

Let me know how your rolls come out, and happy baking!


You may enjoy some of my other bread recipes:

Dinkel Bread
Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pumpkin Seed Bread
Nourishing Corn Oat Bread
Beer and Swiss Cheese Bread
Val's Twisted Anadama Bread
Val's Braided Cardamom Egg Bread
Val's Original Sundried Tomato Polenta Bread
Best Ever Polenta Pumpkin Seed Bread



This recipe was shared with Everyday Mom's Meals.

Sweet baby greens salad with brown rice and apples

Sweet and healthy!

I'm still not over a holiday-induced sweet tooth. I still crave those ginger cookies and chocolate bundt cakes we baked way back in December.

So, how do I satisfy my cravings in a healthy way? What about a sweet salad with baby greens?

Of course, if we're  going to be healthy, why not add a little bit of brown rice? Did you know that brown rice has over six times the fiber that white rice has? And guess what? Brown rice has over 17 times the vitamin E. (Noah Wellness, 2003)

Wonder rice!

I must admit that it took me some time to get used to brown rice. But once I started to add it to dishes, I begin to notice how the chewy texture and nutty flavor enhance a meal. And since it takes my body longer to digest brown rice, I find I am not as hungry later in the day.

But, back to the salad...

For the sweet elements of this salad I choose a tropical trail mix - macadamia nuts, cashews, almonds, dried pineapple and cranberries. I also added balsamic cream, which is a wonderfully sweet reduction, often used in salads as well as chicken and fish dishes.

Tropical trail mix

Here's the recipe...

Ingredients for one serving:

Arugula and lamb's lettuce (or similar greens)
1/2 cup cooked brown rice
2 tbsp trail mix (dried fruit and nut mix)
1/2 apple, chopped
1 tsp olive oil
1 tsp balsamic cream (reduced balsamic vinegar)

Layer ingredients in a shallow bowl in the order listed above. Drizzle on the olive oil and balsamic cream. Add salt and pepper to taste.

Ready to eat?

I hope you enjoy this and my other recipes. Stay healthy, ya'll!


Reference:

Noah wellness. (2003). Retrieved from
http://www.fcs.uga.edu/noahnet/lp/wgrains/WholeGrains_4_BrownRice_Oct04.pdf

When dinkel's in your bread

Multigrain bread with dinkel

You know you're in Vienna when... dinkel's in your bread!

Dinkel is a tasty and nutritious grain, commonly called spelt.  It's slightly nutty and sweet, and quite popular in grocery stores and health food shops around Vienna.

Dinkel has an especially hard husk, which means it's naturally resistant to insects and pollutants.  It's higher in protein and fiber when compared to its wheat relatives.  And it's said to have healing qualities!

I especially like to bake with whole grain dinkel, as it adds a hearty flavor and slightly more dense crumb to breads.

Recently I baked a delicious multigrain dinkel loaf on the first snowy day in Vienna.  Dinkel bread goes great with soups and stews.

Here's the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups water
1 tbsp pumpkin seed oil (or other seed oil)
2 tbsp honey
2 cups wholemeal dinkel flour
1/2 cup corn meal
1/2 rolled oats
1/4 potato flakes (optional)
1 tsp salt
2 1/2 tsp dry yeast

For crust:

1/2 cup nut and seed mix (I use whatever I have around: sesame, pumpkin, and sunflower seeds, rolled oats and cornmeal, etc.)

My seed mix is always handy.  I keep it in the door of the fridge.

Preparation:

Using your electric mixer with a paddle attachment or your bread machine, combine the ingredients – keeping in mind your machine’s instructions.

When kneading is done, let the dough rise for about 45 min. or until it has doubled in size.  (If you prefer hand kneading, see my note on hand kneading in my Best Ever Polenta Pumpkin Seed Bread Recipe.)

Once the dough has doubled, pour it out into a floured surface, give it a good kneading - a couple minutes - and then place it greased bowl, and cover lightly with plastic wrap.  Leave it to rise once more.

Waiting to rise

Now preheat your oven to 210 C (or approximately 410 F).  If you have a baking stone, place it in the oven.

Once the dough has doubled again, scatter the seed mix and then pour the dough out onto the seeds.  Gently roll it over the mixture.  The seeds stick to the dough and create a lovely pattern.

Roll gently over the seeds

Place your seed-covered dough directly onto a hot stone.  (If you don't have a stone, no worries.  Just place the loaf on a baking sheet.)

Bake at 210 C (or approximately 410 F) for 20-25 minutes.

When the bread has turned a lovely dark brown and the seeds look nice and toasted, you know it's ready!

Cooling in at the window.  See the snow outside?

This multigrain dinkel bread is excellent toasted and holds up well as a sandwich.

Top: the crumb; bottom: tomato and cheese on dinkel

I encourage you to try wholemeal dinkel in your next bread recipe!

References:

The Grain Mill Company
Lentz Spelt

Links to You Know You're in Vienna When:

Introducing You Know You're in Vienna When
When excellent wines are but an hour away
When sturm is on the menu
When you don't carry a watch
When Turkenschanz turns crimson and gold
When there's beauty in a regentag
When you've got the Gluhwein boost
When it's Silvester

Shared with: Petite Hermine

Whole Wheat Buttermilk Pumpkin Seed Bread

Just out of the oven

So, I live in Austria, right?  That means there are a lot of pumpkin seeds in my diet.  I put them in my granola.  I sprinkle them on salad.  And I put them in bread, of course!  So, when I went to create a new wholesome bread recipe, there was no doubt what would make this bread stand out.  Pumpkin seeds!

Austrian pumpkin seeds

This recipe has a nutty and crunchy crust, while the dough or "crumb" is chewy and slightly sweet.  It stays nice and firm after cooling, making it a wonderful sandwich bread.

The perfect crumb for a sandwich

Here are the ingredients:

1 1/2 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp pumpkin seed oil (you can substitute any aromatic seed oil here)
2 tbsp honey
1 1/2 cup bread flour
1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/2 tbsp chopped toasted pumpkin seeds
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 tsp dry active yeast

For crust:
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds

Preparation:

Using your electric mixer with a paddle attachment or your bread machine, combine the ingredients – keeping in mind your machine’s instructions.

When kneading is done, let the dough rise for about 45 min. or until it has doubled in size.  (If you prefer hand kneading, see my note on hand kneading in my Best Ever Polenta Pumpkin Seed Bread Recipe.)

Once the dough has doubled, pour it out into a floured surface, give it a good kneading - a couple minutes - and then place it greased bowl.  Leave it to rise once more.

Now preheat your oven to 200 C (or approximately 390 F).

Once the dough has doubled again, pour it out onto the pumpkin seeds.  Gently roll it over the mixture.  The seeds stick to the dough and create a lovely pattern.

Dough rolled in pumpkin seeds

Place the dough on to a baking sheet, and cover with a damp towel.  Let it rise another 15 to 20 minutes.

Once the dough has risen about 50 percent more, place it in the oven.  Baking time will be between 30 and 35 minutes.

Ready for the oven

The bread is ready when it turns a lovely dark brown and the seeds are nicely toasted.

All done!

I hope you are enjoying the autumn season.  Bake on!

Nectarine Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crust

Nectarine Pie with Oatmeal Cookie Crust

Fall is here.  I can feel it in the cool air, I can smell it in the trees.  The days grow short, and the quality of light changes.  That means it's time to bake again!  My oven has been lonely; my ceramic pie dish has languished on the shelf all summer.  How about a pie?

I am trying to eat more "whole" foods, so I decided to look to past  experts on healthy eating.  I scanned my kitchen shelf and stopped at Mollie Katzen's The Enchanted Broccoli Forest.  Molly wrote this popular cookbook back in 1982.  I am pretty sure I bought my copy that year or shorty thereafter.

My original Mollie Katzen cookbook

As I browsed the book, I found a delicious-sounding crust recipe there, Oatmeal Cookie Crust.  It has oatmeal, whole wheat flour, chopped nuts, and sesame seeds.  Sounds great!

Thankfully, Mollie has the recipe available online.


In terms of filling, I knew just what to but in - nectarines.  This is a wonderful fruit for pie; it's tart and sweet at the same time.  And it has lovely shades of orange, yellow, red and burgundy.  Beautiful!

Nectarine filling

Here's how to make Nectarine Pie:

Make the Oatmeal Cookie Crust dough.
Press 1/2 of the dough into the  bottom of your pie shell.
Reserve the rest for a crumble topping.

Dough pressed to the bottom

Next, make the nectarine filling by combining:

4 cups sliced nectarines, unpeeled
the juice and zest from one small lemon
2-3 tbsp raw sugar
2-3 tbsp whole wheat flour

Spoon the filling onto the dough layer, then top with the remaining dough.

Ready to bake!

Bake at 365 F or 185 C for approximately 35 minutes.

This pie smells absolutely delicious as it completes its baking cycle. The dough is a lovely combination of chewy and crunchy.  The pairing of nutty and fruity is perfect!

Chewy and crunchy, tart and sweet, nutty and fruity...

I am happy to say the Mollie's Enchanted Broccoli Forest is still available for purchase at IndieBound.

Happy Baking and Happy Fall!

Shared with Everyday Mom's Meals, Pamela's Heavenly Treats and Petite Hermine.

Pear and radicchio - a salad of contrasts

Radicchio - nature's art

Summer calls for cool meals.  This week I was in the mood for something sweet paired with contrasting sharpness.  How about pear with radicchio?

A salad of contrasts

Growing up in an Italian family, radicchio was a common ingredient to our salads.  As kids we often complained about its bitter flavor.  Now that my pallet has matured, I love the colorful and bitter leaf.  Not only is this wine-red leaf an antioxidant, it is also an excellent source of vitamin K, which is important for bone health.

A perfect pair

Ingredients:

1 head of baby romaine
1/2 head of radicchio
1 pear
feta cheese (to taste)
1 tbsp dried cranberries (or raisins)
1 tbsp sunflower seeds

Preparation:

Layer the ingredients in a shallow salad bowl, in the order listed.  Add your favorite dressing.  I chose to drizzle with California organic olive oil and balsamic vinegar.

Organic olive oil from Oils of Paicines

This recipe makes for a wonderfully refreshing salad of contrasts.  The pear and dried cranberries provide the sweet, while the radicchio and feta add sharpness.

Oh yum!

What do you think?  Are you ready to try it?

You may enjoy my other recipes.


References:

Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center (2007). Chow Line: Bored with lettuce? Be bold with greens. Retrieved from: http://oardc.osu.edu/4212/OARDC-Site-of-Tree-Climbing-Event.htm

Harvard School of Public Health (n.d.). The Nutrition Source: Vitamin K. Retrieved from: http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/what-should-you-eat/vitamin-k/index.html

Apple Fennel Salad

Fennel bulbs and apples

Growing up in an Italian family - and in an agricultural region - fennel was one of those vegetables that you’d often find in our fridge.  We called it finocchio.  (Yep. Like pinocchio, but with an f.)  Today, you can be sure I keep a few bulbs on hand.  They are sweet and fragrant, wonderful raw or cooked, and they make a delicious substitute for celery!

When the hot days of summer arrived in Vienna recently, I knew just what I wanted: something fresh and crunchy and with a natural sweetness - fennel!

With that in mind I created a new salad of fennel and apple.

Apple Fennel Salad

Ingredients:

1 head of baby romaine, chopped or ripped (your preference)
½ bulb of fennel, sliced thinly
1 apple, cut into small chunks
Gorgonzola cheese chunks (the amount is up to your taste)
1-2 tbsp. pumpkin seeds
1-2 tbsp. dried cranberries or raisins

Preparation:

Layer the ingredients in a shallow salad bowl, in the order listed.  Add your favorite dressing.  I chose to drizzle with olive oil and balsamic creme.  Oh so good!

Sweet elements!

Not sure how to cut fennel? Check out this New York Times video.

If you are looking for another summer salad, you may enjoy my Stay Cool Fruit Salad.

Happy Summer!