Basic Granola

Time: About 45 minutes, mostly unattended
Servings: 10

4 c rolled oats
1 c unsweetened coconut flakes
1 c chopped nuts
4 Tbsp coconut oil or butter, softened
2 Tbsp honey, maple syrup, molasses, or sorghum syrup
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 c chia seeds
1/4 c ground flax seeds
Add in options such as chocolate chips, dried fruit, or fresh fruit

Preheat the oven to 350F.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconut flakes, coconut oil, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and extract. Stir until well-combined.

Spread the mixture onto an ungreased baking sheet. Bake for about 15 minutes. Stir, and then bake another 10 minutes. Stir and check that the ingredients seem somewhat evenly toasted. If there are still patches of untoasted ingredients, return to the oven for another 5-10 minutes. Allow to cool completely. Pour into an airtight container. Add the chia seeds and ground flax. Shake to combine.

Add in options can be added at this point. Or leave the granola plain and choose add ins at each serving. Serve over yogurt or add milk for cereal.

Squash Crisp

Kind of like sweet potato casserole without all the sugar, but still tasty.

Servings: 6
Time: 45 minutes to roast the squash, 40 minutes to assemble and bake the crisp

Ingredients

1 acorn squash

1/2 c milk (almond, dairy, whatever you like)

2 Tbsp butter, softened

1 egg

Dash salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

6-8 drops liquid stevia
1/4 c unrefined sugar or maple syrup

2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping

1 c rolled oats

1/4 c oat flour or whole wheat pastry flour

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Dash ground nutmeg

1/4 c butter, softened

1/2 c chopped walnuts or pecans

To make the squash easier to cut, microwave for 2-3 minutes. Cut in half and scoop out the seeds. Place in a 9x13 baking dish, cut sides down. Bake at 375 degrees F for 30-45 minutes, until easily pierced with a fork. Remove from the oven, turn cut sides up. Allow to cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, combine the topping ingredients (all except the walnuts or pecans) in a small bowl. Use a fork or pastry cutter to mix until the butter is evenly distributed. Fold in the nuts.

When the squash can be handled, peel away the skin and discard. Mash the flesh in the baking dish. Add milk, butter, egg, spices, sweetener, and vanilla. Mix with a fork or pastry cutter until the mixture is relatively smooth. Sprinkle the oat topping over the squash mixture. Bake at 375 degrees F for 20-30 minutes, until nuts are toasted and the crisp topping is golden brown. 

Serve on its own as a side, or with yogurt or whipped cream for dessert.

Basic Oatmeal

Servings: 1

Time: Overnight soak (optional but recommended); 5-15 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 c rolled or steel cut oats

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice

1 c water (for soak)

1 Tbsp ground flax seeds

1 tsp chia seeds

Add-in Ideas

• Blueberries, toasted almonds, cinnamon
• Banana, toasted pecans, unsweetened coconut flakes
• Apple or pumpkin butter, milk
• Unsweetened applesauce, toasted walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg 
• Bananas, dark chocolate pieces
• Blueberries, strawberries, yogurt
• Peaches, unsweetened coconut flakes, toasted pecans, cinnamon

The night before, put the oats, vinegar, and water in a bowl. Let soak overnight. In the morning, pour off the water and rinse the oats. Return them to the bowl (for microwave cooking) or the pot (for stovetop cooking) and add 1/2 c water. Cook in the microwave or on the stovetop until most of the water is evaporated and the oats are softened to your preferred texture. Rolled oats will take 2-5 minutes. Steel cut oats more like 10-15 minutes. 

When done, stir in the flax and chia seeds with any add-ins.

Cold Oatmeal Cereal

1/4 - 1/3 c oats (steel cut or rolled), or a combination of oats, rye flakes, millet, or other whole grain
1 Tbsp plain yogurt
Milk (enough just to cover grains; any kind of milk is fine)

Combine in a cereal bowl. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

In the morning, stir in any mix-ins. Some of my favorites include:

• Chia seeds and ground flax seeds
• Fresh or frozen fruit (thawing is optional)
• Canned pumpkin
• Unsweetened, shredded coconut
• Toasted nuts
• Jams or jellies
• Applesauce or apple butter (preferably without added sweeteners)
• Spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, and/or cardamom

Pour in additional milk if needed for desired consistency.

Oatmeal Banana Bars

This is a sugar-free (and very tasty) alternative to this recipe.

2 c old fashioned oats
1 c unsweetened coconut flakes
2 Tbsp chia seeds
1/4 c ground flax seed
1/2 c chopped walnuts
1/2 c chopped dried apricots
1/4 tsp salt
dash nutmeg
2 overripe bananas that have been frozen and thawed
2 Tbsp unsweetened apple butter (optional; adds sweetness and a cinnamon accent)
3 drops stevia extract
2 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp melted coconut oil

Preheat the oven to 375F. Butter an 8x8-inch baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, toss together the oats, coconut, chia seeds, flax seed, walnuts, apricots, salt, and nutmeg. Add the bananas, apple butter, stevia, melted butter and coconut oil. Mash the bananas while mixing until mixture becomes relatively uniform. Press into the prepared pan.

Bake for about 20-25 minutes, until golden brown on top. Allow to cool before cutting.

Pumpkin Spice Granola

Think of this as a template, not a recipe. The flaked coconut, flax seed, walnuts, chia seeds, and cranberries are all optional. You could add oat bran or wheat germ. Use different nuts and fruit. Add 1/4 c pure maple syrup to the recipe for chunkier granola. I like to leave the granola sweetener-free and add little if I want it when I pour an individual serving. To add more pumpkin to each serving and help use up the rest of the container, I like to add a scoop of pumpkin purée to my cereal bowl. Adding a spoonful of yogurt with the milk adds probiotics and extra protein.

Pumpkin Spice Granola

4 c rolled oats

1/4 c unsweetened flaked coconut

2 Tbsp ground flax seed

1/4 c chopped walnuts

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 c pumpkin puree

1/2 c apple sauce

2 Tbsp coconut oil (or butter)

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 Tbsp chia seeds

1/2 c dried cranberries

Preheat the oven to 325 F.

In a large bowl, stir together the oats, flaked coconut, flax seed, walnuts, spices, and salt. Add the pumpkin puree, apple sauce, coconut oil (it doesn't have to be melted first -- the oven will melt it for you), and vanilla. Stir until all of the oats are evenly moistened. 

Pour the wet granola onto a baking sheet with a rim (also called a jellyroll pan). Line your pan with parchment paper if you don't want to have to wipe it off later. Bake for 10-15 minutes, until the top layer becomes fragrant and lightly golden. Stir well and return to the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Stir one more time and bake 5-10 minutes, until the granola is slightly dry (though not crispy) and evenly golden. 

Cool completely. Pour into an airtight container. Add chia seeds and dried cranberries. Put the lid on the container and shake to combine. 

Enjoy a bowl with your favorite milk or yogurt.