I just don’t think I can emphasize enough how much granola I can pound in a single sitting.  I travel a lot for work and find myself buying bags of granola in the airport.  Looking at the ingredients make my head explode because it has as much sugar/syrup/oil as most candy.  What really gets me is a bag I am certain is meant to be a single serving is claimed to have about 20398592038532 portions in it.  On top of that there is nothing substantial in it, ergo, I’m still hungry after consuming the said portions.  This is what we call a fail.  The solution? Quinoa Granola with Flaked Coconut and Almonds.

So granola goes down via a wet and dry team (plus some dried fruit at the end).  Dry usually equals a mix of oats, nuts, etc… it’s hard to mess this part up.  The wet team is where things can get weird.  If this was an Ina recipe she would probably have butter, sugar syrup, etc.  I know this because I make her granola bars (see here) and I love them.  They just taste so so good.  But this granola tastes so so good too, keeps the sugar down and gives you lots of energy.

Here is what you’ll need (inspired by two peas and their pod):

0.75 cup quinoa

2.5 cups rolled oats

1 cup chopped almonds

0.5 cup pepitas

0.5 cup flaked coconut

0.25 cup brown sugar

1 teaspoon cinnamon

0.5 teaspoons salt

Those were all the dry things- you can switch that up with different nuts, coconut, seeds, etc.. now the wet:

1 cup unsweetened applesauce

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted

0.5 teaspoon vanilla extract

0.5 cups of dried fruit (this you are allowed to changed I did half dried cherries and half dried cranberries)

You can mix up the dry ingredients to your hearts delight but if you mess with the wet ingredients your granola will probably suck and then you’ll blame me and I won’t be sorry.  For the amount of granola I consume I needed a recipe with things primarily found in nature.  I made a huge bag of this that does not come with a portion count and keeps me from buying the airport corn syrup granola. 

I know I’ve rambled a lot about granola but one other great thing about this recipe is its simplicity.  Other recipes I’ve tried require multiple baking steps.  This is just mix the dry, mix the wet, combine, bake, add the fruit. 

Rinse the quinoa under cold water and drain well.  This is slightly annoying (make sure you use a proper colander or all of your quinoa ends up in the sink) but is absolutely worth it for the crunch and heft it brings to this granola party.  Combine the quinoa with the oats, nuts, pepitas, coconut (I crumble this a little in my hand as I add it in), brown sugar, cinnamon and salt.

Combine all the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.  Combine with the dry.  Spread on a parchment paper line baking sheet and bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes.  Stir every 10 minutes (okay this was more like every 15 for me but try and make an effort for the sake of even browning).

Stir in the dried fruit (as I said any dried fruit works but just remember raisins are merely dead grapes and always lose to cherries in a dried fruit battle).  You can store this for a month in an air-tight container (not relevant information if you consume granola like I do).  My cocaine granola still has a place in my heart but my most hippy of friends all the way to my frattiest of friends like this granola so add it to your repertoire!

One of my besties just moved to Chicago from Ohio.  As a fellow former Ohioan we had a lot of celebrating to do having both made it back to our Illinois home base.  We went for a run and then had salmon with tzatziki.  I made the tzatziki in advance (so the ingredients can hang out and become best friends) and then served the dish with a side of sautéed kale and radish.

Ohio escapees…. just kidding OH I love you

For the kale and radish deal (inspired from Bon Appetit):

Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil over in a big pot over medium heat.  Add two bunches of kale (that you have removed the center ribs/stems from and chopped the leaves up).  Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook stirring occasionally for 10-15 minutes.  Add two radishes that you have sliced thin and one tablespoon of sherry vinegar.  Season with salt/pep.  Done.

Tzatziki is like cucumber crack.  It’s great with fish or chicken, pita bread or, in my case; a spoon.  I made the genius move of mixing up a huge bowl of this heaven pile so I could eat it with this salmon and all day the following day directly from bowl to trap.

You’ll need:

1 English Cucumber (you know what I mean- one of the skinny cucs)

4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

2 cups Greek Yogurt (I used 2%- make sure you don’t buy something cheap like generic brand….this is the base of the dip so step up)

A little less than 0.25 cup chopped dill and 0.25 cup chopped mint, to your taste (I did a little bit more dill than mint but be careful dill is strong- unless you’re tough like me and can take it)

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

Cut the cucumber in half lengthwise.  Scrape out the seeds and throw them away.  Grate the cuc on a cheese grater (on the large holes). 

Mix the cucumber goo with salt and let it stand in a strainer for 30 minutes.  Toss occasionally.  Squeeze the cucs in a papertowel/dishtowel to get out the excess liquid and transfer to a large bowl.

Mix the cucs with the rest of the ingredients.    Add lemon if you need it.  HEAVEN.

Grab two salmon filets.   Season with salt/pep and rub the skin with of each with 1.5 tablespoon of room temp butter.  Heat two tablespoons of olive oil in sauté pan over medium high heat like you mean it.   Add salmon to the pan skin side down and cook for six minutes.  You’ll want to flip before then… don’t.  Flip after six minutes and let cook on the other side for one minute.  Serve with tzatziki and sautéed kale with radishes or whatever your heart desires.

I like playing cards.  I’m not sorry for as nerdy as I am about food it shouldn’t be a surprise that I am also into a card focused game night.  I had three of my besties over last week and made a bunch of snacks on snacks.  A couple of bottles of wine later and a victory by me and my teammate I busted out these individual raspberry crisps.  As if winning cards wasn’t enough I got to devour sweetened and buttered fruit as a reward.  The beauty of these crisps is you can assemble them in advance, bake them off when needed and you don’t even need to plate them in their cute individual state they are good to go.

Inspired by Alton Brown.

Mix 1 cup of flour, 2/3 cup of sugar, 1.5 cups of sliced almonds and 1.5 cups of oatmeal in a bowl.  Using your hands mix in 1 stick of cold butter you have cubed up.   This is your carb/butter pile.

In a separate bowl mix 12 ounces of raspberry (yes you can use frozen) 0.25 cups of sugar, 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 0.5 cups of the carb/butter mixture you just made above. 

Divide into 4 ramekins and top each with the remaining carb/butter pile.

 Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees F.  If they don’t look browned enough for you turn the broiler on for a hot second.  Top with ice cream (I used coffee but you can’t  really lose no matter what flavor you choose).