Pina Colada Granola

April 1, 2013 By 15 Comments

Happy Monday! As you read this post, I’ll be in Williamsburg, Virginia tasting my way through every restaurant I can possibly cram into 4 days. Here’s a little treat to say I miss ya!

It’s no secret… I love all things cocktails. I love mixing up cocktails, drinking cocktails, and turning cocktails into delicious treats. I’ve been known to turn cocktails into cake and muffins, so why not granola?

Hmm, what would make pina colada granola? Oats are a must. Coconut, for sure. A little almonds to give the granola it’s signature crunch factor and boost of protein. Some agave to sweeten it up, and, of course, dried pineapple. Because what’s a pina colada without pineapple, right?

Pina Colada Granola | www.themessybakerblog.com-6741

To give the granola a little tropical boost, I used coconut oil. It toasts up nicely in the oven and adds a subtle toasted coconut flavor to the oats.

Pina Colada Granola | www.themessybakerblog.com-6744

I never in a million years thought Squirrel would like this granola (or any granola, really). You see, I’ve never actually seen him eat granola before, but there he was at the counter hovering over the pan of freshly made granola munching away.

You know it’s good when Squirrel likes it.

Pina Colada Granola | www.themessybakerblog.com-6747

I like to eat this granola sprinkled over Greek yogurt mixed with crushed pineapple. It’s so good!

Pina Colada Granola | www.themessybakerblog.com-6739

Enjoy!

5.0 from 2 reviews

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Pina Colada Granola
Author: 
Recipe type: Granola
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 3 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1 cup coconut flakes
  • ¼ cup brown sugar
  • 1 cup slivered almonds
  • pinch of salt
  • ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
  • ¼ cup + 1 tbs. agave
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1½ cups dried pineapple

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, stir together oats, coconut flakes, brown sugar, almonds, and salt.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together coconut oil, agave, and vanilla extract. Pour over oat mixture. Using a rubber spatula, fold the oil mixture into the oat mixture until all of the oats are equally coated.
  4. Transfer the mixture to the parchment-lined baking sheet, making sure to spread the mixture evenly onto the sheet.
  5. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, for 30 minutes. Cool completely on the baking sheet before transferring it to an airtight container. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

 

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Peanut Butter & Banana Chip Granola

December 14, 2012 By 21 Comments

Baking season is in full swing, and I’m pumping out sweet treats like they’re going out of style. I’ve been baking so much that my skin is imparted with the smell of butter and sugar. Mmm, I smell delicious!

You want cookies? I got ‘em by the dozens. Mini loaves of bread? Uh huh. Fudge? You betcha. Rice krispie treats? Heck yes! You name it, I have it. I’m knee deep in all things sweet and I don’t want to be dug out. I’m living the high life, eating cookies for just about every meal. Hey, it’s the holidays. My motto is eat now and worry later.

To help break up the monotony of cookie recipes, I made a peanut butter and banana chip granola. This is on my list of food gifts this year, and it’s a winner.

The oats and almonds get coated in a creamy peanut butter and brown sugar base and toasted in the oven until brown and nutty. Once the mixture cools, I toss in handfuls of dark chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, and banana chips.

It’s addictive!

I sit in front of the TV and snack on handfuls of this granola while watching my favorite shows. It’s healthy, yet it will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Add the granola to a pretty glass jar and wrap a big old red bow around it to give to that special someone for the holidays. Don’t be surprised if you get a bunch of emails asking for the recipe. It’s that good!

Happy Holidays!

Here’s what I’ve been cooking/baking over the past few weeks:

Orange Sugar Cookies by Movita Beaucoup- These are the softest cookies you will ever eat, and they’re so easy to make.

Spicy Chicken Rigatoni by Juanita’s Cocina- This makes for a great weeknight meal. So good, yet so easy.

Parsnip and Carrot Latkes by The Girl in the Little Red Kitchen- This was my very first attempt at latkes. Let’s just say that I’m now a huge fan. These are amazing!

Salted Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies by A Periodic Table- Whoa, are these cookies huge, but they’re one of the best cookies I’ve ever shoved into my cookie hole. The toasted hazelnuts. The chocolate. The salty bite. This is one great cookie and a must try.

There’s also a winner in the house. Congratulations to #35, Donna Currie, for winning the Hodgson Mill giveaway. Happy baking!

5.0 from 1 reviews

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Peanut Butter & Banana Chip Granola
Author: 
Recipe type: Granola
Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 4 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 1½ cups whole almonds
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ¼ cup canola oil
  • ¼ cup peanut butter
  • 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • 1½ cups banana chips
  • ½ cup peanut butter chips
  • ¾ cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, combine oats and almonds.
  3. In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine brown sugar, peanut butter, canola oil, and a pinch of salt. Cook until the peanut butter is smooth and the brown sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Take the mixture off of the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract.
  4. Pour the mixture over the oats and fold until all of the oats are coated with peanut butter mixture.
  5. Pour the oat mixture evenly onto the prepared sheet pan. Bake for 15-20 minutes until the oats are golden brown.
  6. Cool the mixture completely on a wire rack before tossing with the banana chips, peanut butter chips, and dark chocolate chips. Store in an airtight container.

 

 

 

 

 

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Pumpkin & Apple Butter Granola

October 25, 2012 By 16 Comments

It’s officially fall in Baltimore. There’s a nip in the air, the leaves are a beautiful shade of bright red orange, the sky is cloudy and gray, I’ve busted out my hoodies and North Face jacket, and I’m still in flip-flops. I know that last bit doesn’t make much sense, but, because of my foot injury, I’m unable to wear my very favorite fall accessory…riding boots.

I own an unhealthy amount of riding boots (unhealthy for my hubs wallet, that is). There are 5 pair of riding boots just sitting in my closet staring me down every morning, pleading to be worn. If riding boots could talk, they’d be saying, “Uh, hello, we’re your favorite fall accessory. Why aren’t you sliding us on over a pair of skinny jeans?” They’re tormenting me. Of course I want to wear them, but my toes scream every time I put them in a pair of shoes. I’ve been walking the earth looking homely for the past few weeks- sweat pants, t-shirts, flip flops, ball cap, and bed head. It’s not a pretty site, people. Now, don’t get me wrong, I heart me some sweat pants and t-shirts, but not every day.

Yesterday was my first day back to work, and you know what I wore…bedroom slippers. That’s right. I wore bedroom slippers to work. We have a strict no flip flop policy at work, so I had to resort to bedroom slippers. I should have slipped on a moo moo to complete the ensemble.

By the way, I made you guys pumpkin and apple butter granola. I’ve done far too much donut snacking, ice cream snacking, and pie snacking while I was out of commission, so I felt it was time to make and eat a healthy snack.

This granola is full of pecans, pumpkin seeds, oats, and golden raisins. All the stuff that’s great for your waist line and good for your heart.

This granola requires little effort to make, but takes a considerable amount of effort to keep your hands out of the granola jar. Every time I walk past the jar, I find myself sneaking a taste.

This granola is very different from my maple nut granola. I like both of them for very different reasons. This granola is a chewier granola. It’s chunkier, making it easier to pluck a pinch and pop it into your mouth. It’s great for snacking.

I also sprinkled it over greek yogurt and drizzled it with some honey for breakfast the other day. Delicious and filling.

Happy Snacking!

5.0 from 2 reviews

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Pumpkin & Apple Butter Granola
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Prep time: 
Cook time: 
Total time: 

 

Ingredients
  • 4 cups old-fashioned oats
  • 2 cups pecans, coarsely chopped
  • ½ cup pumpkin seeds
  • ½ cup brown sugar
  • ½ tsp. cinnamon
  • 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 cup golden raisins
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • ½ cup maple syrup
  • ¼ cup apple butter
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions
  1. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
  2. In a large bowl, add oats, pecans, pumpkin seeds, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and raisins. Stir to combine.
  3. In a small saucepan, combine pumpkin puree, maple syrup, apple butter, and brown sugar. Cook over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves, about 3 minutes. Add vanilla and stir to combine.
  4. Pour the mixture over the oat mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until all the oats are evenly coated.
  5. Divide the granola between the two sheet pans and spread evenly.
  6. Bake for 40-50 minutes, tossing with a spatula every 15-20 minutes, until the oats are golden brown.
  7. Place pans on a baking rack and cool completely.
  8. Break the mixture up with your hands and store in an airtight container.

 

 

 

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Maple Nut Granola

May 18, 2012 By 45 Comments

I’m extremely happy to be back after missing in action for almost two weeks. I’d like to apologize to all of my followers for my short sabbatical from blogging. I have been extremely busy with school. You know, all the boring things that need to be done in order to graduate. I’ve spent hours at my computer typing up a 2o-page research paper on an eighteenth-century gothic novelist. Blehk! Boring. I’d much rather talk about food. But, in today’s world, you have to be certified smart. You just can’t walk around telling people you’re smart. No, you have to have a piece of paper that says, “Hey, this girl really is smart. Here’s the paperwork.” I suppose some good came out of all of my hard work. My professor approached me yesterday and had nothing but good things to say about my paper. He wants me to consider publishing it. What? Me, publish a paper. I was completely shocked and totally honored that he considered my paper worthy enough to publish. Who knows, I may be a published author soon. I’m thrilled!

It felt great to get back in the kitchen. I haven’t held a whisk in almost two weeks. I almost didn’t know what to do with it. Just kidding. I was born with a whisk in my hand. I decided to make my maple nut granola. I’ve been stress eating a lot lately. I mean, a lot! I need something to balance out all of the stress donuts, s’mores, and cupcakes. Granola sounded like an awesome snack, so I went with it.

This granola is super easy to make, and it’s so good. You can’t even tell that you’re eating something healthy. First things first. Dump all of your dry ingredients into a large bowl.

Stir to combine. Easy, right?

Whisk the wet ingredients together.

Slowly add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until all of the ingredients are equally coated with the syrup mixture.

Line two sheet pans with parchment paper, and spread the mixture evenly onto the pan. Bake at 250 degrees for 40-45 minutes, or until the granola is a toasty, light brown color.

Feel free to eat the granola by the fist full (I do it all the time), or sprinkle it over greek yogurt and top it with fresh berries for breakfast.

Greek yogurt sprinkled with granola is my favorite breakfast. It’s quick, healthy, and filling. It keeps me full until lunch. I can’t say that for too many other breakfast items.

Mmm, a heaping pile of granola- yum! This granola is full of good stuff. Tons of oats, flaky coconut, piles of nuts and seeds, and dried cherries.

A spoonful of this will make you happy. Trust me. Enjoy!

Love and sweet treats,

Jennie

Recipe:

4 cups old-fashioned oats

1 1/2 cups shredded coconut

1/2 cup brown sugar

3/4 tsp. cinnamon

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds

1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds

1 cup whole almonds

1 cup whole pecans

1 1/2 cups dried cherries or cranberries

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup + 1 tbs. canola oil

Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine oats, coconut, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, almonds, pecans, and dried cherries. Stir to combine.

In a medium-sized bowl, combine maple syrup, honey, and canola oil. Whisk to combine. Slowly add the syrup mixture to the dry ingredients. Stir until all of the dry ingredients are equally coated with the syrup mixture.

Divide the mixture equally among the two sheet pans. Spread the mixture evenly onto the pans. Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the mixture becomes light brown in color, stirring the mixture every 15 minutes. Let cool completely on sheet pans before serving and storing.

Eat the granola by itself or sprinkle over greek yogurt and top with fresh fruit. Enjoy!

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