Category Archives: Grains

Craisin maple granola

Granola is very versatile! You can add it to everything or just eat it plain. My favorite is with Greek yogurt and fresh berries.

It is a perfect idea for snacks, breakfast or lunch. Granola is nonperishable so it can be kept in a sealable coming container in your desk at work or in your book bag for a handy hungry nourishment to get you through until the next meal.

Buying prepared granola can get pricy however making it from scratch from home can be fun and less costly, not to much lower in calories! Win, win!

This recipe yields: 2 cups

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cup puffed wheat cereal

1 cup quick or old fashioned oats

1/4 cup craisins

1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds

1 teaspoon of Vietnamese ground cinnamon

1/4 cup peanut butter

1/4 cup pure maple syrup

2 Tablespoons of sugar in the raw

1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract

Predirections: preheat oven to 350.

Directions:

1. Place the first 5 ingredients into a large bowl. Mix to marry.

2. Pour the peanut butter, maple syrup, and sugar in a 2 quart sauce pan and on turn the stovetop burner onto medium high and heat the liquid ingredients until they start to boil. Remove from heat and add vanilla & stir. Pour mixture over the dry ingredients.

3. Pour the mixture onto a parchment pan lined baking dish. Spread the granola out evenly. Bake at 350 for ten minutes and using a spatula mix the granola and place back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until granola is golden brown. Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cook on wire rack.

4. Once completely cooler place in a sealable container.

Quinoa and Cucumber Salad

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Today we are celebrating father’s day a little early since my dad has to work next weekend. I was asked to bring a salad or the vegetarian dish. As my mom would put it “something you will eat” lol. This recipe is vegan so you can be safe to make the dish for your vegan guests as well.

There are a lot of benefits to a using quinoa in dishes. I like the fact that it is a whole grain and packed with protein. I prefer using the tricolor quinoa more or less for ascetics. I know the tricolor tends to be more expensive. If you like the tricolor as well,  I will share a trick to making the pantry staple last longer. Try purchasing a large bag of the white quinoa (like the Costco size) and mixing it with a small bag of tricolor. You will be surprised how the two can extend the tricolor effect.

This recipe yields: 6 (1 cup) servings

Ingredients

1 1⁄4 cup(s )canned low sodium black beans, drained (this is one 15 oz can)
1 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained and diced
2 cup cooked tricolor quinoa, cooled
1cup English cucumber, diced (this about 1/2 a medium)
1⁄4 cup fresh lemon juice (this took about 1 and a half fresh medium lemons)
1 cup raw red bell pepper, diced (this is about one medium)
1 cup raw yellow bell pepper, diced (this is about one medium)
3 medium raw scallion(s)
4 clove(s), smallgarlic clove(s)
2Tbs Pasta Sprinkle aka Italian seasoning
1tsp kosher salt
1⁄2 tsp ground  pepper
1⁄8 cup Lime jalapeno balsamic vinegar
Instructions
1. Place all the ingredients in a resealable container and give it a good toss.  Place the lid on the container. Store in the refrigerator to marry overnight or for a solid 1-2 hours.
2. Enjoy at your next potluck!

Sweet & Salty Whole Grain Bars

I planned a very big trip this weekend. I went to Georgia to pick up my baby girl Lucy. My second cousin breeds Labs and I have wanted one of her’s for years. 

I am starting a new chapter in my life, and I am looking forward to the road ahead with her. She already has stolen my heart. 

I made these bars to take on my adventure to Georgia. I never like to go anywhere empty handed. These tasty treats turned out delicious. Even my Cousin said they taste really good for looking like bird food. 😂

Yields:

24 bars 

Ingredients:

9 by 13 glass Pyrex pan 

Parchment paper

3/4 cup honey

1 cup crunchy peanut butter

1 1/4 steel oats

1 cup pretzels pieces (crumbs)

1 1/3 cup Millet

1 cup dark chocolate chips

1 1/2 cups Puffed barley cereal

Pre directions:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 
  • Parchment paper line 9 by 13 glass pan. Set aside 

Directions:

1. In a large bowl mix the honey and peanut butter. Microwave in 30 second intervals. Until the batter is very smooth and easy to mix. It only took me 1 minute to reach the consistency I was going for. 

2. In a separate bowl while the peanut butter softens. Place all the remaining ingredients into a medium bowl mix well. Add the dry ingredients to the honey/peanut butter blend. Stir until combine. 

3. Pour the batter into the parchment paper lined baking dish. Spread the batter evenly. I like to use another piece of parchment paper to do this. 

4. Place in preheated oven for 17-20 minutes. 

5. Remove from oven allow to cool and cover place in refrigerator over night with lid. 

6. In the morning remove the bars using the parchment. Place them on a cutting board. Cut into 24 bars using sharp knife. Place in snack size ziplock bags or place back in the glass dish and store in refrigerator. 

Enjoy

Freekeh 

Are you looking to branch out and try a hearty ancient grain?  Freekeh, might be the way to go. The first time I had freekeh was when we had a HelloFresh order.  I thoroughly enjoyed the nutty texture, the mouthfeel is similar to barley or farro. This versatile grain can be used in place of quinoa, rice, pasta, & couscous. 

Freekeh (pronounced “free-ka”), is a world grain which is produced from the young green wheat during the harvest. Since freekeh is harvested so early on in the process, it is filled with many rich nutrients &, fiber. Freekeh is also roasted which attributes to the nutty taste. 

Keep in mind, unlike rice, and quinoa, this grain is not gluten free, since it does stem from the wheat grass. 

I was every excited when I was grocery shopping the other day, and came across a discounted package of Freekeh in the bargin bin at Harris Tetter 🤗. 

I’ll take that! Please advise; Never be afraid to rummage through the clearance section at the grocery store! While I purchased this gem, I also came across a full pound of already cut butternut squash for $1.00! 

Yields: 3 cups

Ingredients: 

1 cup dry freekeh

3 cups vegetable broth, low sodium

1 tablespoon pasta sprinkle 

Directions:

1. Place vegetable broth, freekeh, and pasta sprinkle in a 2 quart sauce pan. On high-medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. 

2. Once the freekeh starts to boil,reduce the heat, stir, then cover with a lid for 20 minutes to allow the freekeh to simmer. 

3. After the 20 minutes have elapsed, turn the heat off, and allow the freekeh to rest for 5 additional minutes in the sauce pan.  If there is any additional liquid remaining after the 5 minute window, strain the freekeh in a pasta strainer. 

Enjoy with some roasted vegetables, as pictured below. Or try the grain in a stuffed pepper, soup, salad, or stir fry.