Every time I’m determined to post more often on the blog, something happens and my blogging plans … well, they only remain at a planning stage:)
It’s quite frustrating, to be honest, because I have a lot of projects waiting in line (more DIY projects, tasty homemade recipes, some amazing fonts I have recently discovered, new graphics), that I really wanted to share with you, but I just cannot seem to find the time to do it all. The handmade shop simply exploded for the last couple of month and pretty much dominated almost all of our (already short) free time. That is a great thing for us, the satisfaction you get when receiving positive feedback from clients is just amazing! But working like crazy can get overwhelming and tiresome, so finding ways to quickly decompress was the key for us in all those busy days. And so we (me and Mr Dreamy) ”invented” our short breaks, that would give us a little time to just breathe and the right amount of energy to recharge our batteries. We instituted short breaks for everything – like eating our meals outside, enjoying a superfood fruit smoothie or some dark chocolate coconut bites in the garden. Like reading our favorite magazines on the patio. We sometimes just gazed at the sky with a cup of latte in our hands while doing a little bit of catching up. This is not exactly rocket science, as you can see, but these-so-much-needed-short-little-breaks helped a lot and the truth is now we are quite addicted to them :)
And this homemade granola was one of our (perfect) excuses to take a break and enjoy something healthy and extremely delicious.
And of course we had to have two versions of this amazing recipe, with our favorites, who can argue with one’s taste, right? :) So I made homemade granola with vanilla for me and homemade granola with chocolate for Mr Dreamy!:) Because we are not fans of adding too much sweetness into our food, this recipe is not extremely sweet and can be easily served with your favorite fruits, yogurt and your choice of milk, can be enjoyed as snacks and can be stored in airtight containers for up to two weeks (if only it would last that long!). And is homemade so you get to control all the ingredients which is a big plus these days!
- Dry ingredients:
- 3 cups rolled oats (use them regular or pulse them in your blender one or two times for smaller pieces )
- 1/3 cup dried fruits (I used craisin, soak them in water for 5 minutes)
- 1/4 cup sunflower or pumpkin seeds (not roasted)
- 4 tablespoons coconut flakes
- 4 tablespoons flax seeds (optional)
- 1/4 cup oat bran or wheat bran (optional)
- a pinch of salt
- Wet ingredients:
- 1/2 cup coconut oil (melted)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup honey (sub agave or maple syrup for a vegan version )
- Extra flavor
- 2 tbs vanilla essence and / or 1/4 cup cocoa (or chocolate, roughly chopped)
- Preheat the oven to 340.
- Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
- Mix the wet ingredients in another bowl and pour over the dry ingredients. Mix them all really well.
- Divide the mixture in two and choose your extra flavor for each batch - vanilla or chocolate. Or choose them both! :) ... and combine with the rest of the ingredients mixing them again.
- Spread the first half of the mixture onto a baking sheet in an even layer. If you want the granola to be a little more crunchy, use a spoon and press the mixture onto the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 20-25 minutes. Check at half of the time and stir the mixture a little bit.
- Remove the first batch of granola from the oven when it gets a nice brown gold color and repeat the same steps for the second batch.
- Let it cool and store it in airtight containers.
- Enjoy it with your loved ones! :)
By now your house will smell heavenly from all that amazing coconut. I’m in love with the organic virgin coconut oil from Nutiva, if you would like to give it a try, you can find it here (affiliate link).
I’m sure once you try making your own homemade granola, you will become picky and you’ll never go back to store bought versions again! :) Especially that you can customize it as you wish, you can experiment and have fun with so many of your favorite ingredients.
Have you tried making your on granola yet? Do you have any special ingredients that you use or some that would love to try for creating your perfect granola?
Have a great week-end and a little bit of sunshine!
Don’t forget to smile,
Diana
*This post contains affiliate links of products I love and recommend. See more of my favorites here.
Sharing with lovely people: Craftberry Bush | Shabby Art Boutique |
P.S. If you like my photo backdrop, you can learn here how to make one on your own using one special ingredient from your kitchen – food coloring! :)
VERSIUNEA IN LIMBA ROMANA
Nu stiu cum se face, dar, de fiecare data cand ma hotarasc sa postez mai des pe blog, ceva se intampla si toate planurile mele de blogging … raman doar la stadiu de planuri! :)
E un pic frustrant, sa fiu sincera, pentru ca am o gramada de proiecte pregatite pe care am tot vrut sa le postez si sa vi le arat si voua, dar nu mai gasesc timpul necesar sa fac asta. Magazinul online a explodat, pur si simplu, in ultimele luni si ne-a acaparat aproape tot timpul liber (care era deja destul de limitat). Asta-i un lucru bun, nu se compara nimic cu satisfactia pe care o ai atunci cand primesti cate un feedback pozitiv de la clienti! Dar sa muncesti atat de mult poate deveni coplesitor si ingrozitor de obositor, asa ca gasirea unor solutii rapide de a ne deconecta a fost esential pentru noi in astfel de zile. Asa ca eu si Mr. Dreamy am ”nascocit” pauzele noastre scurte, care sa ne dea o mica perioada de respiro dar si sa ne incarce cu energia necesara pentru a ne reumple bateriile. Am instituit pauze scurte pentru o gramada de lucruri – cum ar fi sa mancam afara sau sa ne relaxam cu un smoothie de fructe sau cu niste bilute de cocos cu ciocolata neagra, in gradina. Cum ar fi sa citim revistele noastre preferate pe terasa. Cateodata am mai facut cate o pauza si am admirat cerul cu cate o cafea cu lapte in mana, in timp ce mai puneam la cale una alta. Nu e mare filozofie, dupa cum bine vedeti, dar pauzele astea scurte si necesare ne-au ajutat atat de mult incat, adevarul e ca acum, am cam devenit dependenti de ele :)
Iar granola de casa a fost una dintre scuzele noastre (perfecte) pentru a lua o pauza si pentru a ne bucura impreuna de ceva sanatos si extrem de delicios.
Bineinteles ca trebuia sa avem doua versiuni ale acestei retete uimitoare, cu preferatele fiecaruia. Gusturile nu se discuta, nu? :) Asa ca am facut granola de casa cu vanilie, pentru mine si granola de casa cu ciocolata, pentru Mr. Dreamy. Pentru ca ne-am obisnuit sa consumam chestii nu foarte dulci, n-am adaugat prea mult dulce nici aici. Granola poate fi servita cu fructele preferate, iaurt sau lapte, dupa preferinte, poate fi rontaita ca snack-uri si poate fi pastrata in recipiente inchise bine pana la doua saptamani – daca nu o devorati intre timp :) Plus ca e facuta in casa si puteti controla toate ingredientele pe care le puneti in ea. As zice ca e un mare plus, mai ales in zilele noastre, cand suntem bombardati de tot felul de ingrediente, care de care mai ciudate si mai dubioase.
GRANOLA DE CASA, PERFECTA
Cu fulgi de ovaz, ulei de cocos, fructe uscate, seminte, fulgi de cocos + extra savoare: vanilie pentru ea si ciocolata pentru el. Poate fi personalizata, incercati-o cu favoritele voastre si nu va fie teama sa experimentati.
INGREDIENTE
Ingrediente uscate:
- 270 g fulgi de ovaz (ii puteti folositi intregi sau blenduiti putin in blender, daca vreti bucati mai mici)
- 50 g fructe uscate (eu am folosit merisoare uscate, inmuiate in apa 5 minute)
- 30 g seminte floarea soarelui (neprajite)
- 25 g fulgi de cocos
- 25 g seminte de in (optional)
- 25 g tarate de grau sau ovaz (optional)
- putina sare
Ingrediente ude:
- 100 ml ulei de cocos virgin (topit)
- 25 ml apa
- 70 g miere (inlocuiti cu sirop de agave sau artar pentru o versiune vegana)
Extra savoare
- 2 lingurite esenta de vanilie / sau 50 g cacao (sau ciocolata neagra, taiata grosier)
PREPARARE:
- Preincalziti cuptorul la 170 grade Celsius.
- Amestecati ingredientele uscate intr-un bol mare.
- Amestecati ingredientele ude in alt bol, apoi turnati peste ingredientele uscate si amestecati bine.
- Impartiti amestecul in doua si alegeti-va extra savoarea preferata – vanilie sau ciocolata. Sau alegeti-le pe amandoua! :) … Combinati cu restul ingredientelor si amestecati din nou.
- Puneti prima jumatate a amestecului in tava, intr-un strat uniform. daca vreti ca granola sa fie mai crocanta, apasati amestecul pe tava, cu ajutorul unei linguri.
- Coaceti timp de 20-25 minute. Verificati la jumatatea timpului si amestecati putin.
- Scoateti din cuptor prima tura de granola atunci cand incepe sa capete o culoare frumoasa, aurie maronie si repetati aceeasi pasi pentru a doua tura.
- Lasati sa se raceasca complet si depozitati in recipiente inchise ermetic.
- Savurati-o cu cei dragi! :)
Deja toata casa va mirosi divin de la atata cocos minunat. Eu una iubesc uleiul de cocos virgin de la Nutiva, pe care l-am descoperit recent la un pret bun pe OLX.
Sunt sigura ca dupa ce veti incerca sa faceti si voi granola de casa, o sa strambati din nas atunci cand vine vorba de granola din comert, ba chiar nu o sa va mai intoarceti la ea vreodata! :) Mai ales ca cea facuta in casa poate fi personalizata in functie de preferintele voastre si puteti experimenta cu o gramada de ingrediente – cum ar fi alune, migdale, nuci, fructe uscate diferite (merisoare, stafide, caise, zmeura), scortisoara, unt de arahide,
Voi ati incercat sa faceti granola acasa? Aveti vreun ingredient special pe care il folositi sau vreunul pe care v-ar placea sa-l incercati in incercarea de a crea o granola de casa, perfecta?
Sa aveti un week-end frumos, cu un strop de soare!
Nu uitati sa zambiti,
Diana
P.S. Daca va place fundalul folosit pentru poze, aflati aici cum puteti sa va faceti si voi unul, cu ajutorul unui ingredient special din bucatarie – colorant alimentar! :)
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