Toasted Nut Granola

It's snowing out there. I'm trying to make the most of it. I have a squirmy little toddler and we go outside everyday. We go to take the compost out, we go feed the chickens their treats, we even just go to the woods to walk around and find animal tracks.

I think its worth the possibly fussy minute and thirty seconds it takes to get her all adorably bundled up if it means I can show my girl the beautiful place we are a part of. It also serves as a game changer. I've come to see that if My Little Flower is looking glum or even acting out, a quick trip to the tree line is enough fresh air to "reset" both of our patience levels and mindsets.

                                          We all need these woods and they serve us well.

Here is the one thing. This snow, though beautiful and still, is mad-cramping my style. I'm trying here, but my enthusiasm is melting because the ice won't.
My-Way-Too-Awesome-To-Be-Called-Mother-In-Law Mother in law is pretty much the only soul I know who shares this problem, but my chickens are miserable. I know that sounds so lame to people who don't have chickens, however we love those feathered losers and feel bad for them when they sit and pout all day.

My poor Gretchen, dreaming of green grass and mud baths

           

On top of that, I pulled a muscle trying to do a snow angel of death, my husband is going to figure out soon that I start my car 30 minutes in advance so I don't have to scrape snow (big trouble mister), and my skin is so pale that I fear I'll soon become transparent.

I am longing for the day when Lila can walk through the grass in her little bare feet and play beside the garden. I often catch myself daydreaming of the moment when I'll look out over the yard and see Lila Mae playing in the garden and my sweet flock pecking at green grass and taking mud baths. Hopefully my girl and I will have matching tan lines from wearing toms all the time and we'll have "Lake Hair" 24/7.

Until then, I'll settle for toasting up my life as best as I can. I'll continue to go outside and love it for the wonderful creation it is.
I'll watch the winter sun rise silently each morning I'll drink hot coffee all day. I'll keep a fire going inside to stay warm and I'll munch on homemade toasted nut granola. It doesn't seem like much, but it's enough for me.
Thanks for reading

Love, Darla



Toasted Nut Granola

(inspired by Joythebaker's toasted almond granola)

Your ingredient list is up to you, so give and take as you please.

4 cups oats
1 cup raw pecan peices
1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raw almond slices
1/4 cup milled flax seeds
1/4 cup Chia seeds
1/2 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract                                                                                                      1 cup dried cranberries 

Set your oven to 325 and prepare two baking sheets by covering them in parchment paper.

Simply mix all of the dry ingredients together (except for cranberries). In a small sauce pan, melt your coconut oil, honey and brown sugar together until it boils. lower the heat and add your vanilla extract.

 Pour the warm mixture over your dry ingredients and incorporate well. Lay out the granola on your baking sheet in two batches that you will bake separately. Bake for 10 minutes, toss in the cranberries and mix well, then bake for another 10 minutes being careful not to burn it. Maybe you could just set a timer. It's not a sign of weakness. Ahem...Lisa ;)

Serve with cold almond milk, yogurt, or just eat it as is. Stay toasty! (did you see what I did there)

Rosemary Eggplant Sandwich

Rosemary. What a wonderful herb it is. I have been trying to find a simple and delicious recipe that incorporates the goodness of rosemary. I admit...I have been slacking a lot and not searching very hard. But then, I realized I didn't have to even look. When I was living in Vermont, this restaurant in downtown Burlington made one of the best sandwiches I have ever had. I even put it on our to-do list when Darla came to visit me. =)

I did my best to recreate it, and I think it came out great!

Ingredients:
1 large eggplant
1 red onion
rosemary infused olive oil
12 month Cabot extra sharp cheddar
1 package of ciabatta rolls

Directions:

• Slice both your eggplant and red onion into 1/4" slices.
• In medium skillet, use 2T olive oil and toss in red onions. Leave in until they caramelize.
• At 350˚, bake eggplant for about 5 minutes. Once they start to dry out a bit in oven, take them out.
• Lightly coat eggplant in olive oil, and toss into a medium skillet. I used the same one as my onions.
• Once onions and eggplant are done, set aside.
• Set oven to 385˚ and place ciabatta rolls on center rack for about 5 minutes.
• Slice roll in half and place them on a baking sheet. (Make sure you use aluminum foil)
• Assemble sandwiches to your liking with the onions and eggplant and place slices of cheddar on top.
• Turn on broiler and leave sandwich in until cheese melts.

Assembly

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did!

<3 Heika

Coconut Crusted Chicken

I've been on a mission lately. I'm meal planning at the beginning of each week and incorporating new recipes into our cycle. This was one of the first recipes I tried this year and it was an instant favorite. Jordan requested that I make it again and just make a ton so we can eat the leftovers all week. Well, I did make it again and it was great. The leftovers didn't last long because we gobbled them up! This recipe calls for the chicken to be shallow fried, but next time I'm going to bake it in a broiling pan. I'll edit this post and let you know how it goes. Heika and I are planning on trying it with tofu soon too! I think it's going to be delicious.

Here is what you need
4 chicken breasts, sliced into strips (on an angle to get at least 4 slices per breast)
2 eggs
1/4 cup milk (almond milk, or coconut milk is perfect)
1 cup cake flour
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups panko bread crumbs
2 cups coconut shavings
oil for frying
sweet chili sauce for dipping!

First, set up your station.
Beat together your eggs and milk in a bowl and set it aside. Then mix the salt and flour into another bowl and set aside. Finally use a small food processor or blender to chop and mix the Panko and coconut to even smaller pieces to help it all stick. It's fine, if you can't do that, but it will help get an even coating. Put that in a third dish.
Now you're ready to dip, so you can start heating up your oil while you work.
Dredge all the chicken strips in the flour mixture first and then go back and dip each piece in the egg mixture and then finally, the coconut mixture.
When it's all prepped you can either bake it at 350 for 25 minutes or fry each piece for 4-5 minutes each side on medium heat!
serve with dipping sauce and enjoy!


I have served it with Hippie Fried Rice and also with Cilantro Lime Rice.

For Cilantro Lime Rice, Simply put your rice in the pot or rice cooker and throw some cilantro and then some lime zest and juice right in there. Cook it all together, S&P and dig in!