Snacks – Page 2 – LoremIpsum

If you are a fan of all things crunchy, you must make this pecan-orange granola with dried cranberries soon! It beats any granola from a box, including Bear Naked granola, my favorite… until now.

My mom forwarded me this granola recipe from the latest Cooks Illustrated magazine. When I stopped by her house for a quick lunch this past week, I was pleasantly surprised to see and smell the wonderful aroma of freshly baked granola.

It’s an extremely easy recipe to make. Simply combine all of the ingredients except the dried fruit, and bake for 40-45 minutes. Next, let the granola cool and harden for 1 hour before breaking into crunchy clumps of desired size and tossing with the dried cranberries.

As far as taste goes, I could probably eat all nine cups of this granola…it is that good! The combination of maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, cinnamon and orange zest make for a warm and comforting snack that is seriously addicting.

Sprinkle granola over Greek yogurt, serve it in milk like you would cereal, or munch on it plain as a mid-morning or afternoon snack. Enjoy!

Bake granola for 40-45 minutes in a 325 degree oven. Let cool for 1 hour.

Break granola into pieces and toss with dried fruit.

Pecan-Orange Granola with Dried Cranberries
Ingredients
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup packed (2 1/3 ounces) light brown sugar
4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. finely grated orange zest
2 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
5 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups (10 ounces) pecans, coarsely chopped
2 cups dried cranberries

Directions
1. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees F. Line rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Whisk maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla, orange zest, cinnamon and salt in large bowl. Whisk in oil. Fold in oats and nuts until thoroughly coated.
3. Transfer oat mixture to prepared baking sheet and spread across sheet into thin, even layer (about 3/8-inch thick). Using stiff metal spatula, compress oat mixture until very compact. Bake until lightly browned, 40 to 45 minutes, rotating pan once halfway through baking.
4. Remove granola from oven and cool on wire rack to room temperature, about 1 hour. Break cooled granola into pieces of desired size. Stir in dried fruit. (Granola can be stored in airtight container fro up to 2 weeks.)

Yield: about 9 cups
Cooks Illustrated, March & April 2012

I love Pinterest, and recently discovered a recipe for these no-bake energy bites that I just had to try! Loaded with protein (from the peanut butter), Omega-3 fatty acids (from the ground flaxseed), whole grains (from the oats), and energy & immunity boosting benefits (from honey), these no-bake energy bites are the perfect “pick-me-up” afternoon snack!

I am a huge fan of granola bars as snacks, but with all the processed ingredients, preservatives, and sugar, they probably aren’t as healthy as they seem! They good thing about these energy bites is that they are all-natural, contain ingredients you should have in your pantry, and can be customized to your liking. If you want to leave out the chocolate chips, substitute dried fruit instead. If you like almond butter, substitute it for peanut butter. Want more of a “crunch”? Add pecans, almonds, or walnuts.

Let me know your thoughts. Enjoy!

This recipe is so easy, so I only have a few pictures! Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Roll into balls and eat!

No-Bake Energy Bites
Ingredients
1 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter (or other nut butter)
1/3 cup honey
1 cup coconut flakes
1/2 cup ground flaxseed
1/2 cup mini chocolate chips (I used half butterscotch chips and half white chocolate chips)
1 tsp vanilla

Directions
1. Mix everything above in a medium bowl until thoroughly incorporated. Let chill in the refrigerator for half an hour.
2. Once chilled, roll into balls and enjoy! Store in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for up to 1 week.

Yield: 18-20 bites
Recipe from: Smashed Peas & Carrots