Old Fashioned Granola Recipe

here's how to make classic granola - image Stacy Reynaud

It's $20 for 500 grams of granola on Hornby. Why? 

I made my own. Nothing fancy, just old-fashioned granola. 

It's vegan if that makes any difference.

Granola lasts about two weeks in an airtight container. 

Buy a vacuum sealer, and you can keep it for six to eight months! I just bought this one, and I love it.

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 6 tablespoons each of pecans, pumpkin seeds, almonds*
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/3 cup coconut oil (melted)
• 1/4 cup agave syrup
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

STEPS

1. Preheat oven to 300 F.
2. Grease a large baking pan (I use vegan butter).
3. Mix the oats, pecans, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon and cardamom in a large bowl.
4. Combine the oil, agave, and granulated sugar in a small saucepan.
5. Bring to a simmer; immediately remove from the heat and stir in vanilla.
6. Pour over the oat mixture.
7. Stir well until thoroughly combined.
8. Spread in the prepared baking pan.
9. Bake until golden brown - between 25-30 minutes - stirring every 8-10 minutes.
10. Transfer the pan to a rack and let cool completely*

* I soak my pecans and almonds in water for a few hours and then bake at 250 F for 50 minutes. If you do this, too, remember that the nuts are already cooked and burn when you put them in the oven again for 30 minutes. I learned the hard way! 

* Because we're using coconut oil, the granola sticks together quite well (coconut oil solidifies when cool). I let my granola cool for about an hour, then use a spatula to lift it out of the pan and break it up.

When She Came There The Cupboard Was Bare

stacy reynaud

You remember that guy back in 2002 that survived a week trapped in his car living off fast food condiments found in his glove box right?

This is my go to recipe when I have no food in the house. It's similar to my Leningrad Stew that I lived off when I was very, very short on money and unemployed. I remember having to stretch $10 in grocery money over a week (thankfully, it was just me). You can buy a lot of rice, beans and nearly rotten vegetables for $10.

What you need:

1. 1 can mixed beans
2. juice of half a lemon
3. 3 tbsp olive oil
4. 3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
5. 1 tsp crushed garlic 
6. salt and pepper to your liking
7. plus any veg you may have around  - I use cucumber and celery
8. for extra protein add one hard boiled egg and some crumbled feta

What you do:

1. rinse beans until all the bubbly foam stuff is off
2. combine oil, vinegar, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in a large bowl
3. add beans
4. toss until all the beans are well covered
5. add optional veg and toss again
6. let marinate for a few hours if you have time
7. serve at room temperature topped with cheese, hard boiled egg, tomatoes - whatever
8. keep some fresh sour dough bread on hand to soak up the saucy goodness left over

Serves two

Adapted from Moosewood Cookbook - my all time favourite cookbook!

Keep your pantry well stocked with various varieties of beans, vinegar, olive oil and lemon juice - you'd be surprised at how many different recipes you can come up with.

Easy Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups - Vegan Recipe

stacy reynaud

Vegan Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
One, two, three, four ingredients -  simple enough for me to make!

What you need:

• 1/3 cup vegan chocolate chips (or regular)
• 1 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp nut butter - we used almond butter
• 2 tsp good maple or agave syrup

+ one shallow cupcake tin or a shallow candy mold
* recipe made a single tray of 24 small bite size cups

What you do:

• grease molds with coconut oil
• melt chocolate and coconut oil together until smooth and liquid - stir briskly
• melt almond butter and maple syrup together - stir until smooth
• drop 2 tsp of the melted chocolate into each of the molds
• place tray in freezer for 5 minutes - remove when chocolate is hard
• add 1 tsp of nut butter mix on top of hardened chocolate - smooth out to cover all the chocolate
• cover the nut butter filling with melted chocolate
• place in freezer until hardened - about 20 minutes
• save the recipe on Pinterest

Store in the freezer until you're ready to eat them for breakfast.



Recipe adapted from Healthy Happy Life

How to Tell if A Pineapple is Ripe

stacy reynaud

Pineapples don't ripen after they're picked. If your pineapple isn't ripe turn it upside down so the sugar flows to the top to help sweeten it.

If a pineapple is ripe its leaves will pull out easily.

Like the post? Share the love.

How to Make a Vegan Tuna Sandwich

Vegan Tuna Sandwich Image stacy reynaud

What you need:

• 1 can chickpeas | garbanzo beans
• 1/2 lemon
• 2-3 tbsps hummus
• pinch of cayenne pepper
• 1 tsp agave syrup
• a couple spoonfuls of regular mayo, vegan mayo, plain yogurt or soy yogurt
• a couple of pickles

What you do:

• drain and rinse the beans well
• add the beans to a large bowl
• add all the ingredients except the pickles
• fold the ingredients - except the pickles
• mash - I tried using a potato masher, but it was useless. Use a heavy-duty fork instead.
• taste a little bit and add extra lemon, cayenne or agave as needed
• fold in the pickles - I used four

Serve as a sandwich, on crackers or eat straight from the bowl.

Makes about four sandwiches

adapted from Healthy Happy Life

Stacy Reynaud

How to Make Vegan Brownies - Vegan and Raw Recipe

Vegan Brownie Recipe image Stacy Reynaud 

Raw Vegan Brownies

Super fast, super easy, super good. 

Call these vegan brownies a breakfast energy square; no guilt is involved. 

What you need:

• 1 cup walnuts
• 1/2 cup coarsely chopped almonds
• 1.75 cups pitted dates
• 1/2 cup raw cacao
• two pinches of sea salt
• parchment paper
• food processor
• medium size bowl
• small rectangular glass container with a cover (we used one of those glass airtight food storage containers )

What you do:

• Place walnuts in food processor and process till finely ground.
• Add cacao and a pinch of salt and blend.
• Add dates one at a time to the running processor (through the top feeder tube) - the ingredients should look like cake crumbs, yet stick together when squeezed (if they don't, add more dates.)
• Add the mixture to a medium-sized bowl and fold in the almonds.
• Transfer to a parchment paper-lined glass container.
• Press and mold the brownie mixture into the glass container.
• Sprinkle the other pinch of coarse sea salt on top.
• Place in freezer for about 45 minutes.
• Remove from freezer and slice into bite-size servings.
• Cover and store in the fridge.

Makes about eight to ten bite-size brownies - double the recipe for more

adapted from Karla's Closet and My New Roots

25 Cocktail Party Must Haves

Friends are coming for cocktails tonight.

25 things to have on hand:

1. hand size snacks such as -  popcorn, cheese, pickles, crackers, wasabi peas, Cheezies, or other nibbles - nuts with a vintage nutcracker are always a hit, make sure you have a bowl for the shells
2. ice, ice and more ice
3. cocktail napkins and regular napkins
4. coasters
5. vintage serving bowls
6. tea lights, candles, lighter
7. ice bucket or two
8. soda, tonic, juice (cranberry, orange, tomato), pop, cold flat or carbonated water
9. cocktail straws, cocktail picks
10. garnish -  lemon, lime and good cocktail cherries (check what your drink recipes call for)
11. extra toilet paper
12. whiskey, bourbon, rye, rum, vodka, gin, dry and sweet vermouth, cognac, two bottles of both white and red wine, beer, bubbly
13. clean cloth to quickly wipe up spills
14. plenty of clean hand towels in the washroom
15. bottle opener and corkscrew
16. a game - personally I can't stand games but some people love them at parties
17. burgundy glasses, beer glasses, martini glasses, rock glasses, champagne flutes
18. list of cocktail recipes - check the drink section of my blog, or Art in the Age and MasonShaker have some of my current favourites
19. clean house slippers if you insist your guests take their shoes off
20. organized front closet with empty hangers (no wire hangers)
21. bitters, simple syrup (easy to make - boil two parts sugar, one part water or 1:1 shaken until sugar dissolves)
22. an empty garbage under the sink
23. cocktail shaker
24. phone number for a cab or designated driver service - the host should pay or prearrange
25. appropriate music

originally published September 24th 2008

image from the collection of Stacy Reynaud

Top Read Posts 2008 - 2013

How to Tie a Skinny Tie 

How to Make a Pseudo Sparrow Veggie Burger

How to Wallpaper with Newspaper

8 Tips for a Living Room Layout

The Smoking Slipper vs The Evening Pump

How to Make a Cable Spool Headboard

Whipped Coconut Cream and Chocolate Chia Pudding - Vegan Recipe

It took a few attempts with different recipes but I finally found a whipped coconut cream recipe (whipping cream made with coconut milk) that actually has the consistency of whipped cream. If you've tried making whipped coconut cream you know that you could stand there whipping it for an hour and you still wouldn't get it to peak.

I've made carob chia pudding with almond milk before and had been meaning to try it with coconut milk but never got around to it. Well thanks to Finding Vegan and the Foodily app I was reminded.

So, here are two recipes that go perfectly together.

Chocolate Chia Pudding with Coconut Milk

What you need:

• 2 cups coconut milk
• 4 tbsp cocoa powder - to make it vegan use cacao
• 8 tbsp ground black chia seeds (I use the ground ones as they're not so crunchy)
• sweetener of your choice (I used four tbsp sugar - ech it was way too much)
• hand mixer
• medium bowl

What you do:

• Pour coconut milk into a medium size mixing bowl
• Add the rest of the ingredients
• Beat with a hand mixer until everything is blended
• Cover and refrigerate for a few hours (I usually leave mine over night)
• Serve cold topped with whipped coconut (cream recipe below)

Serves four

I adapted this recipe for the pudding.

Whipped Coconut Cream

What you need:

• 1 can coconut milk refrigerated for 24 hrs.
• optional sweetener or vanilla (I used one tbsp sugar)
• hand mixer
• medium bowl

What you do:

• Put your bowl and beaters into the freezer an hour before you're ready to start whipping
• Take the can of coconut milk out of the fridge and turn it over. The heavy cream will have lifted to the top of the can so when you flip it over the coconut water is on top and you can pour it out easily. Be careful not to lose any of the heavy cream.
• Use a spatula to scrape the heavy cream from the can into the bowl you just took out of the freezer.
• Put the frozen beaters onto the hand mixer and whip the cream at high speed for three minutes if you're adding sweetener add it after three minutes and beat for one or two more minutes. Total whipping time four/five minutes. The coconut cream should form peaks when you lift the beaters up.

Serves two - four

For the whipped coconut cream I followed this recipe. My recipe definitely didn't yield two cups of whipped coconut cream. Maybe a cup at the most. I left my can of coconut milk in the fridge for a week though because I didn't have time to make it the next day (or the next day, or the day after that).

**The next time I make this I'll add less sugar, or even skip it all together as my blood sugar levels after eating it made me feel like I was having a panic attack.

Do you receive my monthly behind the scenes newsletter? If not please sign up!

My Caramel Apple Failure

I'm sure you saw this recipe floating around online over the past few months - the one for inside out caramel apple slices. Well, I thought that since it had melting involved I'd probably by able to make it - wrong.

Things were working out okay until it came time to take them out of the fridge.

I don't think the apples were dry enough before we put the caramel in. The caramel was one big ball of slime.

eww

My next attempt was to make sure the little buggers dried enough so the caramel would stick. I put them in our food dehydrator. It worked out ok but the apples were sliced too thin and the caramel was really hard and majorly stuck to my teeth, serious stickage - not like your typical soft caramel that comes off with your tongue sticky. I felt like I needed a dental scaler.

The horror.

Do you receive my monthly behind the scenese newsletter? If not, please sign up!

Super Easy Apple Chutney Recipe

 

I don't know guys, I'm getting a little Martha Stewarty with all my mixology-ing, melting, freezing, and smashing. Must be middle age. Send me a poncho, I already have the clogs.

This recipe is so easy - well, chopping the apples is a little tedious for someone with ADHD - but other than that, all you do is throw it in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer. I like to serve this chutney up in the autumn with pan fried halibut and mashed ginger yams.

WHAT YOU NEED:
1 1/2 lbs tart apples (I use green ones)
1 tbsp minced fresh ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cloves or allspice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup cider vinegar
medium size saucepan

WHAT YOU DO:
Coarsely chop the apples (peeling is optional)
Place apples in a medium sized saucepan
Add the remaining ingredients
Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer
Simmer, uncovered, for about 45 minutes or until everything is soft

As a side dish, with the halibut and ginger yams, it serves four people.

Have a ginger snap cocktail, or five, while it's simmering.

How to Make a Rosemary Maple Bourbon Sour

 stacy reynaud

This is a damn fine cocktail.

3 ounces good bourbon
1 1/2 ounces freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 ounce maple syrup
1 large sprig of rosemary (grow it on your deck or a sunny window all year)

Combine bourbon, lemon juice and maple syrup in a cocktail shaker
Crush the rosemary in your hand and add it to the shaker
Add ice to just above the liquid, cap and shake vigorously for twenty or so seconds
Pour over ice in a rock glass
Add rosemary and lemon for garnish

Recipe adapted from the mason shaker

Enjoy!

Like the drink? Share the post.

OPA! How to Make Stuffed Greek Sweet Potatoes

It's root vegetable season! Since you're probably already enjoying apple, beet and carrot juice, (or hot apple cider), you might as well go full on Autumn and whip up a stuffed baked sweet potato. We OPA'ed it and went for a Greek style one. The sweet and salty flavours were perfect together!

What you need:

• small sweet potatoes
• sliced olives
• tzatziki (recipe below)
• crumbled feta
• chopped fresh mint

What you do:

• wash and dry the sweet potatoes
• prick several times with a fork
• place on a baking pan
• bake at 325 Fahrenheit for 60 to 70 minutes until quite tender
• slice the potatoes down the center.
• layer on as much of the stuffing as you possibly can

Tzatziki Recipe

What you need:

• 1.5 cups plain yogurt
• juice of half a large lemon
• 1 small clove crushed garlic
• half a very finely grated cucumber
• handful chopped cucumber
• approx. seven leaves of fresh chopped mint
• salt and pepper if desired

What you do:

• Add first four ingredients to a bowl
• Stir
• fold in  cucumber and mint
• add salt and pepper to your taste
• chill for about an hour
• serve

We placed the olives, mint, tzatzki, and feta in small side bowls and topped our own potatoes at the table. The tzatziki soaks into the potato, (like those delicious Greek roasted potatoes), so have extra on hand. Serve with a salad as a meal and a rosemary maple bourbon sour as a side kick, (recipe coming soon).

An added feature to this meal? Sweet potatoes are loaded with beta carotene and vitamin C. Say goodbye to wrinkles and colds, (I write with hyperbole of course).

If you enjoyed the post please spread the love!

How to Make a Ginger Snap Cocktail

 stacy reynaud

We actually tried this two summers ago and loved it but I never got around to posting about it. Of course, this summer was all about basil gimlets and basil boozicles so it was forgotten once again, until I started thinking about pumpkin pie. The two are not related whatsoever.

What you need:

• 1 part Snap Organic Liquor (neutral spirit with blackstrap molasses, ginger, and spices)
• 1 part vodka
• 4 parts ginger beer
• lime wedge

What you do:

• In a rock glass, add Snap and vodka over ice. 
• Pour in four parts ginger beer. 
• Stir
• Garnish with a lime wedge

My Favourite Fall Comfort Food

stacy reynaud

I was at my doctor the other day getting lectured on the importance of eating. You see, I'm one of those eat to live not live to eat types. Most of the time I actually forget to eat and then it's too late - I'm hangry. Relate? Anyway, the good Doc said, 'Stace, even if you eat the same thing all the time just eat.' When she said that, I heard that Gates of Heaven sound. Thank you Doctor. Now can I have a Doctor's note for that please?

Thanks to my public servant holidays, I have the summers off and thus, have the apartment and meal time regimes to myself. My summer noms consist of:

1. peanut butter and banana rice cakes or roll ups
2. avocados
3. soda water
4. Tropix smoothies from the Anchor Eatery
5. iced coffee 
6. almonds and dried cranberries
7. Yves veggie dogs (piggies in a blanket because I roll them in a wrap)
8. boozicles

stacy reynaud

Quite a high fat diet now that I look at it in black and white. Oh well, as they say, 'It's good fat.'

Once Fall kicks around I find comfort in chowing down strictly on:

1. coconut oil baked yam fries
2. hot almond milk with matcha
3. mashed ginger yams
4. hot almond milk with black strap molasses
5. Papier mâché - aka plain oatmeal
6. stove popped coconut oil, agave and cayenne popcorn
7. cold-pressed juice - I like my juice room temperature and don't do smoothies in the Fall/Winter because they're too cold.

Hey, are you on Instagram? I finally am and you can find me here.

Cedar Plank Lobster Tails

Originally published August 31 2012

stacy reynaud

stacy reynaud

45 years is a long time. That's how long my parents have been married. This August, we took a drive up to Kelowna to make them a special anniversary dinner. I chose cedar plank lobster tails with roasted radishes because my Dad loves lobster and my Mom loves radishes.

Cedar Plank Lobster Tails

What you need:

• 1 jalapeno pepper
• ½ tsp finely grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 1 tsp granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup good quality olive oil, plus more for grilling
• 6 uncooked lobster tails (7 to 8 oz each), halved lengthwise
• 2 untreated cedar planks (7" x 14" or similar), soaked in water for 2 hours*

What you do:

1. Preheat the grill to medium-high. Place the pepper on the hot grill and cook until charred on all sides, about 6 minutes. Let cool, then remove the charred skin from the jalapeno and cut the pepper in half, discarding the seeds. Finely dice the jalapeno.

2. Place the diced pepper in a jar with a tightly fitting lid. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, vinegar and sugar; cover and shake well to blend. Add the oil and replace the lid. Shake the mixture again until emulsified. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.

3. Brush the cut side of the lobster tails lightly with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the cedar planks on the grill, close the lid and heat for 4 minutes. Arrange the lobster tails, cut side down, on top of the planks. Close the lid of the grill and cook until meat is opaque, not transparent, and firm to the touch, about 8 to 10 minutes.

4. Serve the lobster tails with a drizzle of the lemon jalapeno vinaigrette on top and more on the side for dipping.

* I picked up the cedar planks at Rona. A pack of two was $5.80. You can also get them at William Sonoma - for twice the price

Roasted Radishes

What you need:

• 1-¼ lbs medium-sized radishes, trimmed and quartered
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups fresh watercress, washed and drained, thick stems removed
• 2 tbsp fresh mint leaves, cut into a chiffonade

What you do:

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Toss the radishes with the olive oil in a medium bowl and season with salt and pepper.

2. Transfer to an oven-safe skillet and roast until golden and tender when pierced with a knife, about 25 minutes.

3. Remove the pan from the oven, add the watercress and stir until the watercress is slightly wilted. Stir in the mint and serve immediately.

Tip: Roasting radishes sweetens and mellows their flavour. Choose golf ball-sized radishes and quarter them for best results.

recipe adapted from Style at Home

Summer Basil Gin Popsicle Recipe

stacy reynaud

I refuse to let all this basil we have go to waste. Voila - the basil gin boozicle!
I didn't want to use those creepy silicone popsicle molds,  nor the $30 stainless steel mold
from Whole Foods, so I improvised.

 

For the mold I used little recyclable plastic cups, (100 of them cost less than $3), and the popsicle sticks are craft sticks, (bag of 150 less than $3). You can get craft sticks at a craft store or that big box store that starts with W. If you want to be really swish - dye the craft sticks with food coloring or blackberry juice.

What you need:

• 1 cup gin
• 2 cups water
• bunch of fresh basil leaves
• 2 limes - juiced
• 2 tbsp agave syrup
• blender
• tinfoil
• craft sticks
• small cups

What you do:

• add everything to the blender and pulse slowly. Don't go too fast or it will get foamy and that stuff doesn't freeze
• pour the mix into the little cups
• pop a tinfoil hat on them
• slice the middle of the hat with a knife and insert the craft stick
• put the cups on a tray in the freezer for no less than 24 hrs.
• you can omit the water if you want - it just won't freeze as solidly

How to Harvest Basil

This one's going to flower soon.  Harvest before it flowers.

via stacy reynaud

Our basil is out of control. To think I never wanted to plant any because I thought I'd end up eating it all in one shot. To get the most out of your basil harvest, here's what to do.

It's best to harvest before the herb flowers as this is when it contains those delicious fragrant oils. Who doesn't love the smell of fresh basil?

1. Start from the bottom of the plant and count up four sets of leaves. When you reach four, snip off the top two. If your plant already has more than four, then pinch off 33% of it. Snip or pinch right above the little leaves that are growing opposite each other. This tells the little guys to keep growing.

2. Once each new branch develops four sets of alternating leaves, pinch them off.  Keep up with this routine until the plant is about a foot tall. By then you'll have a nice bushy plant keen to supply you with enough basil gimlet goodness all summer.

3. To keep your basil through winter, dry it either in a food dehydrator (we have the Nesco Gardenmaster) or air-hang dry it (not in direct sunlight) and put it in an airtight mason jar.

Now, onto our Lemon Verbena plant!

For more in-depth info, check out the post on Vegetarian Times.

Strawberry Mint Muddle is Not Leningrad Stew - Cocktail Recipe

stacy reynaud

Voila - mushy strawberry mint cocktail!

Ingredients:
1 - 2 ounces white rum
3 big ripe strawberries sliced
3 big fresh mint leaves
2 - 3 tsp. blue agave syrup
Add all ingredients to a rock glass and muddle with a wooden spoon
Add ice cubes
Top with soda and stir
Eliminate the rum if you don't want a boozy version.

Enjoy!

Do you receive my newsletter? It's a collection of tips, rants/adventures I don't post on the blog.

Tip of the Week - Iced Coffee

stacy reynaud
Put your left over morning's coffee in an ice cube tray in the freezer. The next time you have an iced coffee it won't get watered down with regular ice cubes.