Granola With Cashews, Pineapple, and Coconut

Today there was an article about granola on the New York Time Web site and there was a discussion about granola on the Martha Stewart radio station. I found this particularly odd, since yesterday afternoon I loaded up on granola making supplies, and already planning to make a batch today.

I made a batch for Father's Day, since Kevin's not really a cake or cookie man. However, I think I ate more of the stuff than he did. Mostly for breakfast with blueberries and plain, fat-free Greek-style yogurt from Trader Joe's. (The stuff is delicious! Thick and creamy -- I actually find it hard to believe that it is fat free -- without a lot of tang.) And the best part about this combo is that it kept me satisfied all morning long.

2 cups tick-cut rolled oats
1/2 cup oat bran
2 tablespoons whole-wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup raw pumpkin seeds
1 cup raw sunflower seeds
1 cup raw cashew nuts
1/2 cup apple cider
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 tablespoon raw sugar
1/2 cup toasted coconut
1 cup chopped dried pineapple

Preheat the over to 375 degrees and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large bowl toss together oats, oat bran, flour, salt, nuts, and seeds. Add apple cider, oil, and honey and mix until the oat mixture is wet and clumps together a bit. Evenly spread the oat mixture on the baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and gently turn the granola with a specula, leaving some large chunks. Return to the oven and bake until golden brown, about ten minutes.

Allow the granola to cool, and then toss with the coconut and pineapple. Store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Baked Eggs

In New York, one of my favorite brunch places is Casimir on Avenue B between 6th and 7th Streets. I almost always order the same thing: baked eggs. Served in an individual oblong casserole dish, three eggs are cracked over a mixture of stewed tomatoes, onions, and green peppers. The eggs are topped with a few cubs of feta and a sprinkling of capers, and then placed in the oven to cook.
Lately I've been making my own take on this baked egg dish. Last week, I served the eggs on a bed of garlicky spinach, red peppers, and caramelized onion. Since I don't have individual casserole dishes, I bake my eggs in an ovenproof frying pan. The presentation might not be the same, but my version does eliminate extra dishes.

1 and 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion
1/2 red bell pepper
2 cloves garlic
1 bunch spinach
6 eggs
2 tablespoons capers
1/4 cup grated Gouda
Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Prepare to caramelize the onion, by cutting it in half, then slicing it from root to tip. Add 1 tablespoon olive to frying pan. Place onion in pan and cook over low heat until onion turn light brown, about 20 minutes.

Finely dice red pepper and mince garlic. Add 1/2 tablespoon olive oil to pan along with the pepper and garlic. Allow to cook over medium-high heat for another few minutes. Add spinach and toss with other ingredients. Cook until completely wilted, about 2 minutes.

Crack eggs over the vegetable mixture. Leave yolks whole if you like your eggs a little runny; crack yolks if you want them to cook through. Sprinkle the capers and cheese over top of the eggs and season with salt and pepper.

Place the pan into the oven and cook until the cheese is melted and golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes depending on how you like your eggs cooked.

Serve with pita or flat bread.

Banana Bread

I almost always have bananas in the house. And even though Kevin will eat them way past the point of ripeness that I can stand, it's not that unusual for two or three to turn brown and bruised beyond the standards of acceptable snack.

Instead of getting frustrated by this waste, I relish it. It means that I have to make a batch of banana bread. And since my in-laws arrive with the world's biggest bag of chocolate chips (72 ounces to be exact) I added them to my last batch along with some toasted walnuts.

The loaf was consumed within a couple of days, with Kevin and I having heavy slices for breakfast as well as dessert.

1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup raw sugar
2 large eggs
3 medium-sized bananas, mashed (approximately 1 1/2 cups)
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup toasted walnuts, roughly chopped

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9x3x5 inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a large bowl, blend butter and sugar together until completely combine. Mix in eggs. Mix in banana and vinegar.

Pour half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients. Stir until thoroughly incorporated. Add the remaining flour and stir until thoroughly incorporated. Add chocolate chips and walnuts. Mix to combine.

Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake until the top splits and a toothpick inserted into the center of comes out clean.

Allow the loaf to cool slightly before removing from the pan.