Gluten Free Maple-Cinnamon Granola

My favorite breakfast has always been yogurt. When I wouldn't drink milk growing up, I would always eat yogurt and "bodadah" (granola). In high school when I went through a cereal hating phase, I would still eat yogurt. I eat yogurt in the morning several days per week, I usually have another one as a snack at work and I also freeze yogurt for popsicles.

I recently received a yogurt maker for a birthday gift. I can make my own yogurt anytime now and I can be sure it doesn't have any preservatives or additives. It is delicious and also fun for me to be able to make it at home!

As much as I like yogurt by itself, I also like it with a crunch element. This granola is very healthy and tasty. It is just nuts and some coconut, so it is gluten free as well. I would also be great mixed into oatmeal or even having a handful for a snack. Enjoy!

Gluten Free Maple-Cinnamon Granola

Adapted from The Metabolism Miracle

2 cups nuts of your choice (I used pecans, walnuts, sliced almonds, sunflower seeds and chia seeds. Flax seeds and pumpkin seeds would also be good)
1/4 cup shredded coconut
1 egg white
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup maple syrup (I used a maple-agave blend syrup from Trader Joes)
1 tbsp ground cinnamon

1. Pre-heat oven to 250 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper
2. Combine nuts and coconut in a bowl. Add the egg white and stir to combine
3. In a separate bowl combine the coconut oil, maple syrup and cinnamon
4. Pour cinnamon mixture over the nuts and stir to combine
5. Distribute nuts in a layer on the parchment paper
6. Bake in the oven for about 30-35 minutes or until toasted and starting to brown. Stir every 10 minutes until done.
7. Allow to cool on a cooking rack. Store in an airtight container.

Coconut Kale Rice Bowl

If I were to design a perfect day for myself it would be relatively simple. Sure there are so many places and countries I would love to be able to spend a day in, but my perfect day of relaxing would involve laying outside on a hot sunny day by a pool or other body of water, reading and just lounging. I love the sun and warmth- I feel like my body is a sponge just soaking it up. I think growing up in Montana which has hot and cold extremes and where the cold usually lasts a lot longer than the warmth, I appreciate warm, sunny days. During the summer months I would rather be outside doing almost anything than being in doors. The past few days have been a treat for March in Minnesota. It has been in the 60s-70s, warm and sunny. I have been using the trails outside our house, taking Jake for longer walks, and sitting out on our patio. Last night Aaron was gone, and so I ate my dinner out on the patio. It was this coconut kale bowl with cashews, alongside it I had some apricot goat cheese smeared on whole wheat flax pita crackers. It was so healthy yet filling and eating it outdoors just felt like I was treating my body right. I love bowl meals as you might have guessed, Thai curry , black bean burrito bowl, green risotto, steak salad bowl  peanut noodle bowl, veggie stir-fry bowl, chicken sausage with peppers and penne bowl and many others I have not posted. There is something comforting about sitting down to a meal served in a large bistro bowl. Last night I made this bowl based on recipes from Heidi Swanson of 101 Cookbooks, book Super Natural Every Day and Joy the Baker. I used a mixture of red and brown rice cooked in chicken broth for mine since I haven’t been able to find any faro yet. I also didn’t have large shredded coconut, but the small shavings worked fine to me. I also added some toasted cashews which paired nicely with the nuttiness of the sesame oil. This dish is basically a warm, crispy, crunchy salad and I think you will enjoy it as much as I did! Enjoy!

Coconut Kale Rice Bowl

(serves 1)

1 cup cooked rice or faro (I cooked in chicken broth for more flavor)

~2 cups lightly packed kale

¼ cup shredded, unsweetened coconut

1 oz chopped cashews

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

2 tbsp olive oil

½ tsp chili sauce (optional)

½ tsp garlic powder (optional)

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl combine sesame oil, soy sauce, olive oil and chili sauce and garlic powder if using. Add the kale and coconut and mix until covered with the oils.
2. Lay coconut, kale mixture on a sheet of parchment paper on a large roasting pan.
3. Place pan in oven and bake for about 10 minutes, redistribute and then cook for another 3-8 minutes or until kale is crispy but not burnt
4. While kale is cooking, place cashews in a dry pan on the stove. Heat to medium and toast until nuts are starting to brown and you begin to smell the nuts toasting. Remove from heat and set aside.
5. Place rice in the bottom of a large bowl, top with coconut and kale mixture and cashews. Add more chili sauce or more dressing if desired. 

  

Sweet Potato-Banana-Coconut Muffins

I have decided that sweet potatoes are one of my favorite foods. I really can't get enough of roasted sweet potato slices with olive oil, salt, pepper and a drizzle of maple syrup. Thankfully, sweet potatoes are very nutritious and full of fiber, beta carotene, and potassium. Beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A in the body, is important for vision, healthy immune system, and for skin and cell health. Potassium is needed for proper heart, kidney, muscle, nerve and digestive system function. Sweet potatoes do not need to be saved for Thanksgiving! They can make a great side dish baked, mashed or roasted. I try to get in at least one sweet potato a week. I had not thought of using sweet potatoes in muffins before though, so when I saw this recipe I knew I had to try it. I added a banana for sweetness and significantly decreased the sugar in the original recipe. I also added more fiber and decreased the fat by using egg beaters. These are a great start to the day or for a delicious snack! Enjoy!

Sweet Potato Banana Coconut Muffins
Yield: 12 standard size muffins
Adapted from this recipe

2 cup whole wheat flour
¼ cup ground flax seed
¼ cup brown sugar
2 tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt
1 banana, mashed
½ cup mashed sweet potato
½ cup shredded coconut
¼ cup egg beaters
½ cup plain fat-free yogurt or Greek yogurt
½ cup skim milk
1 tsp vanilla

1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tins with non-stick spray.
2. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl
3. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining wet ingredients and coconut
4. Add wet ingredient to dry ingredient and stir until combined. Do not over mix
5. Divide into muffin cups

6. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown

Per muffin: 154 calories, 4g fat, 25g carbohydrate, 2.4g dietary fiber, 4.4g protein