Homemade Granola

One of the beautiful things about coming home to Texas for the summer time is being able to cook all day for the people I love.

I've been so excited to make my own granola for weeks, and this one came out so delicious! I like mine slightly toastier so I left it in the oven just enough time to let it bake to smokey perfection. If you prefer a sweeter granola, I suggest leaving it in for less time & using a bit more agave in the preparation.

I like sprinkling flaxseeds and hemp seeds into my food to help my body get all the important nutrients and oils that animal-based products have but without the nastiness of flesh or cruelty! Hemp seeds in particular contain the perfect balance of essential fatty acids our bodies require -- a blend of omega 3, omega 6, and gamma-linolenic acid (GLA) which helps with inflammation. They also help to maintain the health of our organs and digestive system. Yay!

Flaxseeds also contain a great mix of omega fatty acids, and it has a brilliant nutty sweet taste. I love adding it to smoothies, yogurts, and oatmeal for an extra healthy kick!

I had the pleasure of visiting my sister in San Francisco last week, and I came across an amazing little store called Spice Ace. Naturally, I had to step in and find out all about it. I was in spice heaven! I discovered so many new spices that I can't wait to put in recipes this summer! I found an array of sea salts infused with things like Merlot and Espresso. You could walk around and sample as much of the spices you fancy. I used the espresso sea salt in this recipe and it is divine.

Have you ever made your own granola? I'd love to hear about it!

I love summer <3

Carys's Homemade Granola

1 cup quick rolling oats
1/2 cup ground milled flaxseed
3/4 cup hemp seed
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1 1/2 cup agave (or maple syrup)
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon espresso sea salt (or just regular sea salt)
2 tablespoons sunflower oil (safflower or canola works as well)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup raisins, if desired

Preheat the oven to 375º. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper. If you don't have any, aluminum foil works fine, just be sure to spray it with some non-stick spray or spread some earth balance over it. :)

Mix the oats, flaxseed, hemp seed, and almonds in a large bowl. Next, stir in the cinnamon, agave, sea salt, sunflower oil, and vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon until oat mixture is covered evenly.

Spread the mixture onto the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes and mix it up with a spatula. Set for another 15 minutes. You can mix it up and leave it in for an additional 10-15 minutes if you're going for the smokey taste. Otherwise just take it out and mix in the raisins if you're using them (I recommend it). Serve warm with a glass of your favorite non-dairy milk. Mmmm..

Tofu Ricotta "Cheese" Stuffed Tomato

Hello again!

I have had the craziest last couple of weeks. The bombings kept me out of school for a whole week, and while that may sound nice, it has only added to the unsurmountable stress finals season brings around as it is.

I'm working on 7 different projects right now for both film scoring classes and my sound design classes as well as my own production work outside of class. Its always around this time when I ask myself WHY I took on such a heavy combination of majors..like who in their right mind doesn't sleep for 4 days straight to write music? Who runs on a meal (if you can call a tray of bad takeout a meal) a day for two weeks? I would have never thought I'd be able to say I do. The twenty hour days are tough, the music isn't always good, I completely depend on GrubHub and naps (IM SO SLEEPY), and yet......there is nothing else I could imagine myself doing. Go figure.

On the afternoons when I'm out of class before the film scoring labs at school open up, I try to take advantage to cook something healthy -- even if I don't get the chance to blog about it a couple weeks later (oops).

I whipped this up in about 30 minutes and there was barely anything to clean up -- a major plus for me.


Have you ever tried vegan versions of cheese? This fresh one made of tofu is delicious. It makes a bit more than is needed for the tomato, but you can use it as a spread for a sandwich later or even as a dip with your favorite chips or crackers. Yum :)

Ingredients:

1 tomato of your choice
handful of arugula

Tofu Ricotta "Cheese"
1/2 block extra firm tofu, cubed
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
juice of half a lemon
2 teaspoons red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon coriander
1 teaspoon white pepper
sea salt, to taste


Preheat oven to 350º.

Combine tofu, oil, lemon juice, red pepper flakes, garlic, onion powder, coriander, white pepper, and sea salt in a food processor and pulse until semi-smooth.

To prepare the tomato, carefully cut the top off first. Use a small knife to break apart the tomato from its outer shell around the inside, and then use a spoon to scoop out the rest. (You can use this part in a salad, guacamole, or even stuffed in a wrap.)

Fill the tomato shell with the tofu mixture. Place on a baking sheet and bake for about 15-20 minutes. I left mine in for 25 minutes and it had completely fallen apart. I didn't particularly mind, but if you're a picky eater, keep an eye on it after 15 minutes.

Serve over arugula and enjoy! I happened to have mine with a nice glass of white wine. It was just that kind of Monday.