Some mornings (OK, most) I am able to muster just enough brain power to make a pot of coffee. Cooking breakfast is out of the question. I won’t skip breakfast, though, no matter how tired or rushed I am. So where do I turn? A piece of fruit, maybe some yogurt, and the multifunctional breakfast bar. What busy gal hasn’t resorted to the conveniently packaged fruit and grain or granola bar? When your tummy is rumblin’ and you’re in a hurry, breakfast bars can keep you going until you have time for real sustenance. Lately I have been relying on this convenience food more than I should. They aren’t cheap and they often leave me feeling less than satisfied. Noticing the trend, my boyfriend suggested we make our own granola bars. The idea appeals to my inner hippie, because what could be more “granola” than making your own granola?

I’m not gonna lie, standing over a pan of melting honey, sugar and butter I felt a bit like a poser. Healthy. Psh. But I did the math (see below) and the amount of sugar and fat in each of these bars is not outrageous. Plus you get the benefit of about a fourth of the RDI of fiber and 12% of the iron.

If the idea of cleaning up a sticky mess scares you off, fear not! I have a solution. Generously buttering a piece of parchment paper makes short work of cutting the bars and clean up. Just lift the paper out once the bars are done baking and admire your spotlessly clean baking dish. You can also butter the pan if you don’t have parchment, but I didn’t try that method so I can’t vouch for its ease.

Though the original recipe yields 16 bars, I cut this batch into a dozen HUGE stick-with-you-through-mid-morning bars. If you’re in a hurry in the morning, toss one of these bars into a re-useable snack bag on your way out the door.

Toasty Granola Bars

Adapted from Alton Brown’s recipe
Makes 12 huge bars

2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup wheat germ
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
6 1/2 ounces dried currants or raisins

1. Butter the buh-jesus out of a piece of parchment big enough to fit inside and up the edges of your baking dish. It doesn’t need to fit perfectly because you will squish the granola into it to keep it in place. You can use a 9×9 or 11×8 dish (like me). If you only have a 13×9 you can probably use it but your bars will be thinner. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Put the oats, sunflower seeds, almonds, and wheat germ onto a cookie sheet. Toast in the oven for 10 minutes, stirring every 2-3 minutes. Keep an eye on this, because it can burn quickly.
3. While the grains toast, combine the honey, brown sugar, butter, extract and salt in a big saucepan. You are going to dump the grains into this later so you’ll need the extra room. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until the sugar has dissolved.
4. Remove the grains from the oven and reduce the heat to 300 degrees F. Add the grains to the honey mixture, add the currants, and stir until combined.
5. Place the buttered parchment into the baking dish and press in the granola mixture. Spread it evenly to the edges of the pan. Bake for 25 minutes.
6. Remove the pan from the oven, then lift the parchment out of the pan. Allow the granola to cool completely before cutting into bars. This is important because the bars will be easier to cut when they are completely cooled. Cut into 12 bars and store in an airtight container.

My old kitchen/hallway

Since yesterday I have made:

• pizza crust with various toppings
• roasted chicken with root veggies
• coconut green tea sorbet
• crusty olive rolls (I love the dough hook)
• homemade chicken broth
• braised radicchio

No lie, I could continue well into the night, but I’m out of flour. I guess I will have to give my new baking stone a rest until tomorrow.

I’m still organizing my life, but very soon I will be back with new recipes. Until then I ask you to gaze upon the beauty of my new mixer. Don’t you just want to fondle it? Don’t tell my food processor, but I think I found a new true love.

The pumpkin bread, also from The Joy of Vegan Baking, was such a miserable failure that I threw the entire loaf out. I underestimated the cooking time and over mixed the batter, resulting in a super dense and chewy brick. I learned from it, though, and I think the next time I attempt the recipe the bread will come out better.

Earlier this week I had the Tofu Quiche Salad from Field of Greens, and ever since I’ve been hankering for mini tofu quiches. I quick google search pointed me to The Fat Free Vegan Kitchen’s version. Off I went to Whole Foods in search of nutritional yeast and tahini. Exotic ingredients be damned, I had to have those quiches.

When life gives you failed quiches, make scrambled eggs

The coolest thing about this recipe is that it actually tastes like egg, and the texture is spot on. I think most folks would be surprised, and many would ask for seconds.

The first time I used it to slice some yellow squash everything was so loud and happened so quickly I jumped back and slapped the off button. I think I was panting. I turned it back on and fed another chunk of squash into the tube, giggling with glee over how easily it slices. The recipe I was prepping called for chopped red peppers, so what the heck? I threw those in there, too. That’s when I learned you can over process food. Note to self: use the pulse button when chopping. Whatevs, minced red pepper still tastes like red pepper.

It’s like a whole new world of food prep possibilities has been laid before me. I’m envisioning raw food “cakes”, homemade nut milks and lightning-fast stir fry’s. I haven’t been this happy about a house gadget since I bought my electric sweeper, which changed my life. No exaggeration. I have hardwoods. ]]> http://www.drmiggy.com/2009/10/17/i-thought-i-knew-love/feed/ 5