Tag Archives: apple butter

Homemade Granola Bars

31 Oct IMG_6503

Hello Nuggets! How was your weekend?

Mine involved farmers markets, mimosas, and absolutely no school work :)

The homemade granola bars have been a recipe of many trials.

I made a blueberry walnut flax variety which was okay. I like the topping combo but the base wasn’t sweet enough and it was a bit too chewy…and oaty

Then I tried a carob pretzel variety which I accidentally burned a little, but the pretzels weren’t cutting it somehow and the carob chips didn’t cook well.

Finally I figured it out and made two varieties too! You can easily sub your sugar preference, puffed whatever preference and pumpkin butter in place of the apple butter.

Here’s a view of the pre Oven-Lovin’I had just a bit of extra batter so I put it in these valentine themed silicone cups.

Post Oven-Lovin’ shot

The two varieties I made were a Carob Pretzel Granola Bar and a GORP Granola Bar

Both playing on the sweet and salty thing.

Homemade Granola Bars

makes about 10 large bars

  • 1.5 c oats
  • 1/2 c oat bran
  • 1.5 c puffed millet
  • 1/4 c chia
  • 1/4 c flax
  • 1/4 c protein powder
  • 1/8 c sucanat
  • 1/2 t salt
  • 1 t baking powder
  • 1/2 t baking soda
  • 1/2 c almond milk
  • 1/2 c apple butter (or pumpkin butter)
  • 1/2 c mashed banana
  • 1/2 t vanilla
  1. Combine all ingredients except for milk, apple butter, banana, and vanilla in a bowl
  2. Combine milk, apple butter, banana, and vanilla in a bowl
  3. Mix the wet with the dry
  4. Mix in the Add-ins
  5. Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes
  6. Let cool

GORP Granola Bar Add-ins

  • 1/2 c peanuts
  • 1/2 c raisins
  • 1/4 c chocolate covered sunflower seeds (these are UNBELIEVABLE when cooked)

 

Carob Pretzel Add-ins

  • 1/2 c crushed pretzel sticks (the stick aspect is key – trust me)
  • 1/3 c carob chips

I found that the pretzels and carob chips turned out better when I put them on top of the granola bar instead of within the mix.

Other Ideas for Add-ins

  • Walnuts and Blueberries
  • M&Ms and Marshmallows
  • Dried Cranberries, Almonds, and Carob/Chocolate
  • Peanut Butter and Dried Cranberries
  • Peanut Butter and Marshmallow

The GORP variety was by absolute favorite!!! The sunflower seeds were insanely delicious when cooked. Brought out the nutty flavor. Plus you can never go wrong with a peanut raisin combo.

Which combo sounds the best to you?

x

Casey

Also Happy Halloween!

Almond Encrusted Tilapia

9 Feb IMG_3946

Sometimes, all you have to do is look to your pantry for inspiration.

I bought some Local Colorado Tilapia and wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with it.

Then I saw almond meal sitting on the shelf. Bingo.

Pre Oven

Post Oven Lovin’Flavor Combo Perfection

Almond Encrusted Tilapia

  • Tilapia
  • Egg whites
  • Milk of choice (I used Almond Milk)
  • Almond Meal
  • Sliced Almonds (optional)
  • Salt & Peppa   (not of the musical variety)
  • Lemon
  1. Place the Filets in an egg white and milk wash ( I used about 2 T of each I think–I eyeballed it)
  2. Coat each filet with almond meal
  3. Top with S&P, sliced almonds, and a spritz on lemon juice
  4. Bake at 375 (350 for non mountaineers) for 18 minutes

I was very happy with the finished product. I think the way to describe the flavor was…elegant.

I also non-elegantly demolished ate this concoction in the evening.

Greek Yogurt, Apple Butter, Blubs, and Almonds.

I know I’m giving flax facts, but due to the almondy nature of this post….

ALMOND Fact of the Day: Almonds are one of the best nutritionally packed foods for you, but they do turn to arsenic in your stomach.

Arsenic is medicinal in small doses and only a large amount is deadly. So, unless you consume a pound of bitter almonds a day, I think you’re alright.

 

Exciting things in store for the next few days.

Kicking off with…. a free cooking class at Whole Foods!

I’ll be back with a recap soon!

 

Casey

A Lot On My Plate

26 Jan

Between exams, papers, grad school applications, meetings and one superexciting bit of information that I’m literally bursting out of the seams to share (yet I must wait) I have a lot on my plate both figuratively and literally.

I have learned many things from all of this (now organized) chaos.

I learned to bake a pre-made breakfast snack over the weekend, so all I have to do is pop it in the toaster before class:

Cornbread Muffins topped with Sriracha.

(see recipe below)

I learned to pack a lunch so my growling stomach doesn’t startle the entire class and to prep part of it the night before so assembly is easier in the morning:

Tofurkey, Apple Butter, Apple, & Brie Wrap.

(see below)

I learned to add water to my electric kettle the night before so all my lazy self has to do is flick the “on” switch so I can have instant espresso in no time:

Well I certainly sound lazy, but I also know that I cannot be trusted to properly function at 7:00 am before six hours of classes and meetings added on top.

I basically do everything but set my clothes out the night before…..oh. wait. I’ve done that too ;)

But the most important thing I’ve learned that really keeps me going, that I can always rely on:

Blogging makes me happy

I look forward to it. And right now, it’s kind of helping to keep me sane.

…whattt? I really never thought i’d hear myself saying this…err writing this.

This coming from the girl who had bouts of disappearance during her time abroad in Australia and when she came back home again?

I’m not saying another bout of disappearance wont happen in the future. ;)

Life tends to throw you curveballs, and rolling with them can be a fun, wild ride.

But yes, I’m in a full-blown big fat love affair with the blog and I want to shout it on top of a mountain.

Once I find a place of residence with a bit more permanence. (I swear I feel like I have not lived in the same house/apartment/whatever for a period over 6 months) I have big plans for this little blog of mine

It’s like a child and I’m watching it grow up, say its first words, take its first steps, eat its first goat cheese stuffed date…oh oops. That’s not normal, huh?

I digress….Onto the food:

I’ve been on a Live Laugh Eat recipe kick.

The black bean brownies were good but these corn muffins take the cake…er….the muffin?

The changes I made are bolded.

Spinach, Mushroom, & Feta Corn Muffins

  • 1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour     1/2 c coconut flour   3/4 c w. w. flour
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal     1/2 c + 2 T cornmeal
  • 1 TBSP baking powder     1 t baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/4 tsp of oregano
  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 1/3 cup feta cheese, crumbled
  • 1/2 cup chopped porcini mushrooms (fresh or rehydrated)     3/4 c chopped button mushrooms
  • 3 TBSP melted butter         3 T almond oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup milk (I used 1/2 almond milk and 1/2 whole milk)       1 c unflavored almond milk

I also added 1/8 c FLAX, 1/4 c water and a few handfuls of fresh spinach.

I baked it at 425 F for 20 minutes. It made about 12 muffins.

Note: Baking soda, water addition, and temperature change were for high altitude baking

Pre Oven:

Post Oven Lovin’:

The results were delicious. I really liked the gritty texture. It is absolutely sumptuous with Sriracha or hot sauce on top.

The best part:  I can do it while I’m getting my stuff together and grab it on the way out of the door.

My flatmate Natasha dubbed this as the “best thing I’ve made in the apartment thus far”

Fast-forward to lunch:

If it aint broke, don’t fix it.

This is one of my go to flavor combinations, and for good reason!

Between the tart and crispness of the apple, the creaminess of the brie, smoky flavor of the tofurkey, and tanginess of the apple butter.

This baby is around to stay for a loong time.

I sliced the brie and apples the night before so all I had to do was assemble, melt, and fold.

Assemblage:

  1. Spread Apple Butter on wrap
  2. Hickory Smoked Tofurkey
  3. Apples
  4. Brie
  5. Toaster Oven
  6. Fold
  7. Slice
  8. Consume (or take to class and consume while your classmates stare enviously at your magnificent creation)


Folded Perfection:

Gasm.

How do you prep for school/work/life/(insert whatever it is you do here) the night before?

How do you keep yourself organized or sane when life gets chaotic?

Casey
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