I love granola

The names Granula, Granola and Ganolietta were trademarks in the late nineteenth century United States for foods consisting of whole grain products crumbled and baked until crispy; compare the contemporary Swiss invention, muesli. The food and name were revived in the 1960s, and fruits and nuts were added to it to make it a health food popular with the hippie movement. Granola made a major appearance at the 1969 Woodstock Music and Art Festival.
TAken from wikipedia.... Why is it that hippies are always associated with granola? I dont know but i love the stuff and I am not a hippy....well maybe.


INgredients
4 c. rolled oats
3/4c. wheat germ
1/4c. flax seeds
1/2c. almonds
1/4c. pistachios

3/4c.maple syrup
3/4c. brown sugar
1/3c. oil( I used flax)

dried fruits( raisins, dates, gojis)

Method
1. Mix together all dry stuff except for fruit
2. Heat together maple syrup , sugar, and oil until sugar is dissolved and you have a loose syrup
3. Mix together syrup and dry stuff and put on a baking sheet in any even layer. Bake at 350 mixing up the granola( not with your hands, its hot) until it is nice and brown

cool and eat with some soymilk or try it with coffee...its weird but good.

I cant beleieve i actually got these pictures off before i ate the whole bowl. Thats some restraint that any granola lover could admire.

Eat your greens(purples?)

Tonight was a rather peaceful simple night without any worries so i decided to whip something up that takes longer than a peanut butter banana sandwich. I had some breaded chicken seitan in the freezer and decided to go southern with a chiken fried seitan, a creamy sausage gravy, some greens and sweet potatoes. The gravy was adapted from the PPK white bean gravy.

ingredients

1/2 can white beans

1 table spoon sage( dried but fresh is preferred)

1/4 cup finely chopped onions

1/4 cup small diced seitan sausage( Gimme lean or use home made like me!)

salt and pepper

Vegetable broth for thinning

(soy milk for creaming)

method

1. cook the onions and sausage in a small saucepan until slightly browned and translucent

2. puree beans and seasonings in blender with veg stock

3. add puree to sausage mixture then cook til bubbly (add soymilk if desired)

Serve this over the chicken fried seitan with some garlic sauteed purple kale and spinach, and some sweet potatoes and you have yourself a real comforting and cruelty free meal.

Vegan CHeesy Garlic Bread

So tonight i decided to try and reinvent some of my favorites from the past. Cheesy garlic bread( sans puss laden hormone filled dairy) that mimiced very closely to a good old greasy pizza place ( say little ceaser's or possibly higher class like Giordano's). A loaf of good crusty multigrain bread, roasted garlic, EB( earth balance) and some follow your heart mozzarrella. Absolutely delicious. A salad with ranch and a small bowl of delicious cream of broccoli soup to finish it off. To my lovely girlfriends delight i enchanted her taste buds with the oh so familiar cheesy bread. THen i got off to finish up on the studies that haunt my future. Sorry no pictures or recipes for my first blog but many to come soon.