Vanilla Spice Granola

Here's an idea for a holiday gift from your kitchen: granola! It's a nice change from cookies and fudge -- not that there's anything wrong with those, of course but I like to mix it up. 

Granola is easy to make and you can make a lot at a time so there's plenty to share with all of your friends. Here's the version I came up with this year.

Vanilla Spice Granola

8 cups regular rolled oats (not quick cooking)

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 teaspoons sea salt

1 cup flavorless oil (safflower, canola, etc.)

1 cup maple syrup

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups chopped raw walnuts

1 1/2 cups sliced raw almonds

1 1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spray or lightly oil two large baking sheets with oil.

In a large mixing bowl, stir oats, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and salt together. In a small bowl, whisk oil, maple syrup, and vanilla together. Pour the oil mixture over the oats but leave a couple of tablespoons of the liquid in the small bowl. Stir the liquid into the oats until they are coated. Divide the oats between the two baking sheets and spread to an even layer in each pan. Bake 20 minutes, rotating the baking sheets about halfway through so it bakes evenly.

Mix the nuts and coconut with the remaining maple syrup mixture until coated. Add to the baked oats. Stir them in and move the browned oats around the edges into the center. Spread the mixture again in an even layer and bake another 10 to 15 minutes, or until the granola is a light golden brown. Cool completely. If you like add a couple of cups of raisins or dried cranberries or cherries.

For gifting--make sure the granola is completely cool. Transfer into plastic bags that you can tie with festive ribbon--or place into pretty jars or tins.

This makes about 11 cups of granola (or more if you add fruit)

Homemade Holiday Gifts

This year the girls made beauty baskets for their friends. Homemade lavender-orange hand cream made from almond and coconut oil; body mists in a variety of flavors like tangerine-clove, rosemary-lemon, geranium-orange (just water and essential oils which they call "perfume"; and wintergreen lip balm. Very fun gifts that are fairly easy to make. They decorated lunch bags to put their beauty products in.

We also made a bunch of Millet-Crunch Granola using the recipe from The Vegetarian Mother's Cookbook. I made 4 batches (2 at a time) to make 10 gift bags.

Here's the recipe:

Millet Crunch Granola
This healthy granola makes a great topping for fruit or yogurt. You can even eat it alone for a crunchy snack.

2 1/4 cups rolled oats
1/2 cup uncooked millet
1/3 cup honey, brown rice syrup, agave nectar, or maple syrup
1/4 cup tahini
2 tablespoons water
1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1 tablespoon flaxseeds
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 250ºF. Place rolled oats and millet on baking sheet. Roast for 1 hour. In small pan, melt sweetener, tahini, and water together over low heat. In large bowl, toss oats, millet, and seeds with tahini mixture until completely coated. Spread on unoiled baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes. Stir once or twice during baking. Cool completely. Store in airtight container.

Makes 8 servings

Variation: Add 1/2 to 1 cup dried fruit to cooked granola and store as directed. Do not bake fruit.

Healthy Holiday Gift Ideas

Listen to my foodcast for healthy holiday gift ideas . . . and here are the recipes:

Multigrain Pancake Mix
(Makes about 8 cups) 

The flours in this recipe are very flexible - I recommend using at least 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour - but for the rest, feel free to substitute your favorite flour or use just a couple of different ones. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled so make extra to keep for yourself!

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 cups barley flour
• 2 cups buckwheat flour
• 1 cup brown rice flour
• 1 cup corn flour
• 1/4 cup baking powder
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/4 cup Ener-G Egg Replacer
• 1 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup natural granulated sugar (optional)
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon or pumpking pie spice (optional)

Sift or whisk all ingredients together in large bowl until completely combined. Pour into jars or plastic bags and tie with a pretty ribbon. Make a label to attach to jar or bag with the following instructions: 

Whole Grain Pancakes

• 1 1/4+ cups milk (dairy or nondairy)
• 2 tablespoons oil or melted unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups Whole Wheat or Multigrain Pancake and Waffle Mix

Whisk together 1 1/3 cups nondairy milk and 2 tablespoons oil. Stir in 1 1/2 cups Multi-Grain Pancake Mix. Mixture should be fairly thick but if it does not spread on griddle, add a little more milk. Cook on preheated, lightly oiled griddle or skillet until golden brown on both sides. 

Makes 6 servings (2 pancakes per serving) 

Note: If I did any canning during the summer, I like to give a jar of homemade jam or applesauce along with the pancake mix. Maple syrup in a pretty bottle or fruit preserves from your local farmstand or gourmet shop is also a nice accompaniment. 

Millet Crunch Granola
Makes 8 servings 

Granola is great as a breakfast cereal, topping for fruit or yogurt, or on its own as a crunchy snack. Your friends will love this version that is packed with protein and essential fatty acids. It's cooked over low heat to preserve the nutrients.

• 2 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 1/2 cup uncooked millet
• 1/3 cup agave or maple syrup
• 1/4 cup tahini
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/3 cup pumpkin seeds
• 1/3 cup sunflower seeds
• 1 tablespoon flaxseeds
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
• Optional: 1/2 to 1 cup dried fruit (raisins, dried berries, etc.)

Preheat oven to 250ºF. Place rolled oats and millet on baking sheet. Roast for 1 hour. In small pan, melt sweetener, tahini, and water together over low heat. In large bowl, toss oats, millet, and seeds with tahini mixture until completely coated. Spread on unoiled baking sheet, and bake for 30 minutes. Stir once or twice during baking. Cool completely. Stir in dried fruit, is using. Do not bake fruit. 

Pour granola into jars or plastic bags and tie with a pretty ribbon.

How about a commercial-free black Friday?

Instead of spending the day after Thanksgiving in crowded stores spending money, we are staying home and making gifts. It's a great way to spend time together, save money, and give gifts that are really meaningful to us.

Check out this site for a guide to commercial-free holidays.

GIVEAWAY--Drawing for free cookbook!

Visit VegCooking to be entered in a drawing for Lick It! Creamy Dreamy Vegan Ice Creams Your Mouth Will Love!

Commercial-Free Holidays

With the economy the way it is, many people are tightening their belts this holiday season. Rather than looking at it as ruining our holidays because we can't buy lots of stuff--why not look at it as an opportunity to get some of the commercial-ness out of the holidays.

Our family started several years ago making gifts for family and friends rather than buying. We get items at yard sales and thrift shops (fabric, picture frames, jars, bottles, fabric, etc.), plus find things around the house--cans, jars, toilet paper rolls, boxes--and make things from them. Not only do we have fun planning and making the gifts, the presents are so much more meaningful to the recipient. Even the smallest child can draw a picture or glue magazine cut outs or put stickers on a jar to make a vase or pencil holder. Older kids can make books, sew little pillows or purses, make jewelry, maybe even knit a simple scarf. My children always amaze me every year with their creativeness. Edible gifts are always fun to make and give: cookies, pies, truffles and almond bark, granola, etc. are great options.

Check out the CCFC Guide to Commerical Free Holidays for more ideas.