Winter Vegetable Soup

A hearty and nutritious soup, this recipe has infinite variations. Here’s one to get you started — once you understand the basics of making your own soups you can create them with whatever you have on hand. This one came about after a trip to the farmer’s market and contains many winter vegetables with some shaved Parmigiano Reggiano on top. For the stock, I used my Vegetable Scrap Mineral Broth.

Winter Vegetable Soup

4 to 6 cups vegetable broth
3 tbl olive oil
1 tbl butter
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
5 to 6 Yukon Gold & red-skinned potatoes, cubed
1 small head cauliflower, chopped
1/2 bunch Swiss chard, chopped
1/2 bunch kale, chopped
2 tsp dried oregano
2 tsp dried basil
salt & pepper to taste
Parmigiano Reggiano, grated

1. Add the olive oil  and the onions to a large soup pot and turn heat to medium. Saute onions until they become mostly transparent. Add the carrots and celery and cook for another 3 to 4 minutes, stirring. Add the garlic and cook for another minute while stirring.
2. Add the butter and chopped potatoes  and cook for several minutes, add the cauliflower and continue to cook and stir for about 5 minutes.
3. Now add the broth, spices, salt and pepper and increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to medium-low and allow the soup to simmer for about 30 to 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Top with grated or shaved Parmigiano Reggiano cheese and serve immediately.

Nutrition Nuggets

Garlic is a nutritional powerhouse and has many medicinal properties which are thought to be largely the result of the sulfur-containing compounds it contains. It also has high levels of trace minerals, particularly selenium. Studies show that garlic decreases total cholesterol levels, while increasing HDL — which is protective against heart disease. It also has shown to lower blood pressure in people with hypertension. Garlic has been used throughout history to fight infections. It is antimicrobial due to the sulfur compound allicin, which is effective against colds, flu, stomach viruses, as well as stronger pathogens. Garlic also appears to be protective against some cancers. Studies have shown that as few as two or more servings of garlic a week may help protect against colon cancer.

Kale is a member of the cabbage family, and as such exhibits the same kind of anticancer properties as all the other members of this family. Kale is one of the most nutritious vegetables, with high amounts of carotenes, vitamins C and B6, and manganese. It is a great source of calcium, iron, and copper as well as dietary fiber, B vitamins and vitamin E. As you can see from its deep green color, kale is very high in chlorophyll. The deeper green your vegetable, the more health benefits it contains and kale is one of the darkest!

Swiss chard is also highly nutritious. It is an excellent source of carotenes, chlorophyll, vitamins C, E, and K, as well as dietary fiber. It contains high levels of important minerals like magnesium and iron. The combination of the many phytonutrients, chlorophyll, and plant pigments make Swiss chard one of the most powerful anticancer foods, particularly in protecting against colon cancer and other digestive cancers. The vitamin K in Swiss chard is also vitally important for protecting and maintaining bone health.

Please enjoy this nutritious soup!

“Heavenly” Quiche

This quiche is healthy and delicious — a recent eater called it “heavenly.” The hardest part is making the crust, which is actually very easy. For the crust I used a combination of buckwheat and spelt flours, which was a nice flavor combination with the shiitake mushrooms, spinach, egg and parmesan in the filling. Quiche makes a hearty dinner served with a green salad and is equally great for brunch.

Shiitake Mushroom & Spinach Quiche

For the crust:

1/2 cup spelt flour (plus more for dusting & rolling)
1/2 cup buckwheat flour
1 stick butter, cold and cut into cubes
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbl ice water

For the filling:

6 eggs, 1 egg yolk
2 cups whole milk
1 cup grated parmesan
1 1/2 cups chopped shiitake mushrooms
2  green onions, chopped
1 cup chopped spinach
salt & pepper

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.  To prepare the crust, add the flour and salt to a food processor and pulse to combine several times. Add the cubed, cold butter to the flour and pulse until the mix resembles coarse cornmeal. If you are doing this step manually, combine flour and salt in a bowl. Add the cold, cubed butter and with two sharp knives cut the butter into the flour using a criss-cross motion.

2. Move mixture to a bowl and add the cold water. With your hands, work the dough until you form a ball. Place the bowl in the freezer to chill the dough for about 10 or 15 minutes, meanwhile chop the veggies.

3. Remove the dough and place on a lightly floured counter. Roll out the dough, rotating and turning, adding flour as needed to prevent sticking. When you’ve rolled the dough until it is slightly larger than your pie pan, place it in the pan and press firmly all over. You can use pieces to repair any tears as necessary. Poke the dough with a fork several times (this will help prevent puffing) line the crust with parchment and fill with rice or beans (or pie weights if you have them). Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes.

4. Now prepare the filling: Whisk eggs and milk until combined in a large measuring cup or bowl. Add chopped vegetables and parmesan, salt and pepper and whisk to combine several times. Set aside.

5. After the pie crust has pre-baked for 10 to 12 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 325 degrees. Leaving the crust in the oven, remove the parchment paper with the pie weights, rice or beans. Slowly pour the filling into the pie crust. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until almost firm (it will still jiggle a little in the middle) and lightly brown on top. You can test to see if it’s cooked through by inserting a knife 1 inch from the center of the quiche, it should come out mostly clean. Cool for several minutes before serving or serve at room temperature.

Please enjoy!

Nutrition Nuggets

Shiitake mushrooms have been used medicinally by the Chinese for 6,000 years. Research has found the active compound in these mushrooms, called lentinan to have the ability to boost the immune system and aid it in fighting off infections and disease. Lentinan has also shown to have anticancer properties. Shiitake mushrooms are an excellent source of selenium and polysaccharides and are a good source of iron as well as vitamin C, dietary fiber and protein.

Spinach is extremely nutrient dense. It contains high levels of vitamin K, carotenes, vitamin C, and folic acid. It is also a very good source of magnesium, iron, and vitamin B12. Spinach is one of the richest sources of lutein, which promotes healthy eyesight and prevents macular degeneration. Spinach is also a strong protector against cancer — at least thirteen different flavonoid compounds have been identified in spinach that work as antioxidants and anticancer agents. One study of women in the 1980s showed that the higher their intake of spinach, the lower the incidence of breast cancer. Spinach is also one of the most alkaline-producing foods, which makes it helpful in regulating body pH.

Creamy Roasted Root Vegetable Soup

This soup is amazing! It is so full of flavor and nutrients and very easy to make. A great fall/winter soup that is warming and comforting.

Creamy Roasted Root Vegetable Soup
adapted from a recipe by Ruby Ellis

1 butternut squash
1 delicata squash
1 medium to large sweet potato
2 medium onions
4 tbls olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth
1 can coconut milk
1/2 tbl dried oregano
1 to 2 tbls turmeric
salt & pepper to taste
1 bunch kale, swiss chard or spinach washed and chopped (optional addition)

1. Rinse vegetables well. Cut squash lengthwise and removed seeds and pulp (peeling the squash is optional based on your own preferences — I found that after roasting, the skins were tender enough to blend into the soup just fine). Chop the squash, sweet potato, and peeled onions into chunks about 1/4 inch thick. Place veggies in two roasting pans and spread evenly so as not to overcrowd. Add olive oil, oregano, turmeric and salt and pepper and toss to coat. Place in oven and roast at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes to 1 hour or until veggies are carmelized and very tender.

2. Remove from oven and place all veggies in a large soup pot, add vegetable broth and coconut milk and bring to a simmer. Transfer the soup to the blender and puree in batches (takes about three batches).

3. Transfer the soup back to the pot and add the chopped greens and cook on low heat for about 10 or 15 minutes until greens are tender. Add salt and pepper to taste and serve immediately.

Nutrition Nuggets

Winter squash, particularly the darker-fleshed varieties, contain very high amounts of carotenes, which have been show to have a protective effect against many cancers, particularly lung cancer. Diets rich in carotenes are also protective against developing heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Winter squash like butternut, delicata, pumpkin, acorn and spaghetti also contain high levels of vitamin C and B1, folic acid, potassium, and fiber.

Sweet potatoes are also very high in carotenes, vitamins C and B6, as well as B12 and fiber. Due to their unique root storage of proteins in combination with their abundant amounts of carotenes and vitamin C, sweet potatoes are very effective in boosting antioxidants in our bodies and fostering strong immunity. In addition, animal studies have shown that despite their sweet flavor, sweet potatoes actually help stabilize blood sugar.

Onions contain sulfur compounds like allicin which have strong effects on boosting immunity. They also contain one of the highest amounts of quercetin of any food — a flavonoid which helps to calm allergies, reduces inflammation, and is also a powerful antioxidant providing protection against cancers and heart disease. Clinical studies have shown that onions lower blood pressure and prevent clot formation as well.

Turmeric is a member of the ginger family and has many strong medicinal properties. It is used as an anti-inflammatory and to treat a wide range of ailments in both the Chinese and Indian systems of medicine. Curcumin is the yellow pigment in turmeric which has shown to be as potent an anti-inflammatory as drugs like ibuprofin. Unlike these drugs however, which have toxic side effects, the use of curcumin produces no toxicity. Curcumin is also a powerful antioxidant and has proven in clinical studies to protect healthy cells from free radicals that can lead to cancer. It has shown to be particularly beneficial in the colon and in the prevention of colon cancer. Curcumin also helps the body destroy mutated cancer cells so that they cannot spread throughout the body; it has also shown to inhibit tumor growth. More studies are needed, but curcumin shows great promise in the treatment and eradication of cancer. Curcumin also helps lower cholesterol and shows potential as a brain-protective agent. In elderly Indian populations, where turmeric is a common spice used in the diet, neurological diseases like Alzheimer’s are very low.

Coconut Milk is very high in the medium-chain fatty acid, lauric acid, this is an extremely healthy fat that is only found in coconut and human breast milk. Lauric acid acts as an antiviral and antibacterial agent in the body. The antiviral properties of medium-chain fatty acids like lauric acid are so potent that they are being studied as a treatment for AIDS patients. Coconut also protects against heart disease and promotes weight loss due to the thermogenic (fat-burning)  effects of medium-chain fatty acids.

As you can see this soup is a nutritional powerhouse, no wonder it tastes so good! Please enjoy.

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I’ve been trying to perfect the chocolate chip cookie minus the sugar and white flour and this is the winner! I used only maple syrup to sweeten them and spelt flour for the base. The texture is nice and they are plenty sweet. I used organic dark chocolate chips and extra thick cut organic oats, yum!

1 stick butter, softened
1 egg
½ cup maple syrup
1 tbl coffee
½ tbl milk
1 cup spelt flour
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
pinch sea salt
9 oz dark chocolate chips
1 ½ cups oats

Beat butter until creamy, add maple syrup and beat. Add the egg, coffee, and milk and beat well. In a separate bowl combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine; gradually beat into batter. Stir in the chocolate chips and oats by hand. Drop the batter onto un-greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees for about 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden.

Yield: about 16 cookies
recipe can be easily doubled

While I limit my intake of sweets and baked goods, every once in a while I like to bake an indulgent treat. I created these cookies with the hope of making a “healthier” version of the chocolate chip cookie that even kids would like — and I am happy to report success. The 9-year-old I made these for loved them and didn’t detect any difference! Please enjoy!

Simplest Sauerkraut

This really is the simplest sauerkraut recipe I have ever seen. I adapted it from Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions cookbook (a must have!) and all you need are two ingredients. Once you try it and see how easy it is, the process of fermentation seems much less intimidating. You can make this in about 15 minutes and it is ready to eat in as little as three days (though the longer it ages the better). All you need is cabbage, sea salt, a mixing bowl and a mason jar and you can create and witness the process of fermentation.

So, what is fermentation? The type I am referring to here is essentially the process of preserving vegetables without freezers or canning machines. After adding salt to the vegetables and pounding and massaging to release their juices, lactic acid — which is naturally occurring in vegetables — acts as a preservative while the salt protects against harmful bacteria. This allows Lactobacilli to proliferate. Lactobacilli are a great source of naturally occurring probiotics (that are now bottled, encapsulated and sold at high prices — make your own!) that aide in digestion and promote the growth of good bacteria in the digestive tract.

It is important to use organic vegetables, sea salt and filtered water so that the Lactobacilli have plenty of the nutrients they need to grow. Generally, room temperature (around 72 degrees) is all that is needed for the bacteria to proliferate — this usually takes about three days. If your kitchen is colder it may take several days longer, if it is much warmer, it may take less time. This recipe works for me when I leave it on the counter for three days and then transfer it to the refrigerator. I have eaten it right away and it is delicious, though the experts say that six months is needed for sauerkraut to truly mature — mine have never made it nearly that long.

Traditionally, people have eaten lacto-fermented foods as condiments to their meals, which helps aide in digestion — in modern culture this has largely been abandoned. Even store-bought sauerkraut is pasteurized thus killing all the beneficial bacteria that were originally there. Digestive problems are so prevalent in American culture and are often at the root of chronic diseases and conditions. Reintroducing lacto-fermented foods into our diets is a great, easy and affordable way to enhance the health of our intestinal tract and our overall health.

Simplest Sauerkraut
Adapted from Nourishing Traditions

Makes 1 quart

1 medium cabbage, cored and shredded or chopped into bite sized pieces
2 Tbl Sea salt

Place the cabbage in a large bowl with the salt. Massage and squeeze cabbage with your hands or pound it with a wooden pounder for five to ten minutes to release the juices. Place in a quart-sized, wide-mouthed mason jar and press down firmly with the pounder until the juices come to the top of the cabbage. The top of the cabbage should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar (important!). Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for 3 days, then transfer to cold storage. The sauerkraut may be eaten immediately but improves with age.

*Please be aware that when you open the jar after it has been fermenting for three days, there will be pressure and some of the juices may burst out. It is best to open it slowly over the sink, I learned the hard way!

I have included a series of picture because it’s fun to watch the process! Kids will love it too!

chop the cabbage

place in bowl with salt

massage to release juices

press into mason jar and seal

Rustic Apple Cake

Here’s another easy fruit-filled cake — a simple and delicious recipe, minimally sweetened with honey and apples with added richness and tang from cream cheese. It gets even better the next day as the moisture from the apples soaks into the cake.

1 1/2 cups flour (half spelt flour, half whole wheat pastry flour)
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 stick butter, softened
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3 tsp cinnamon
3 to 4 cups apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 to 1 cup honey, depending on desired sweetness

First peel, core and slice the apples. Put in a bowl with 2 tsp cinnamon and about 1 tbl honey, mix to combine and set aside. Beat cream cheese, butter and remaining honey until smooth and creamy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt. Add the flour mix to the batter and mix until incorporated, don’t over mix. Fold the apples into the batter and pour into a well-buttered spring-form pan, 9 x 9 inch pan or bundt pan. Sprinkle 1 tsp of cinnamon on top of the cake and bake at 350 for about 45 minutes.

Nutrition Nuggets

We all know the old saying — “An apple a day keeps the doctor away,” well recent research indicates that this is actually true. Eating apples is associated with a reduced risk of heart disease, cancer, asthma, and type 2 diabetes. In a Finnish study, researchers found that men and women who ate the most apples as well as other foods rich in flavonoids, like onions and tea, had a 20 percent lower risk of heart disease than those who ate small amounts of these foods.

Apples are also very high in pectin, a soluble fiber which can lower cholesterol levels significantly — adding just one large apple a day to your diet can reduce cholesterol levels by 8 to 11 percent. Eating two a day has been shown to reduce cholesterol levels by up to 16 percent.

Eating an apple a day is essentially like taking a high quality multivitamin since apples are high in vitamin C, phytochemicals, flavonoids and potassium, as well as many other important nutrients. Eating raw apples also helps keep your teeth and gums clean and healthy.

Cinnamon has a long history of medicinal use for a variety of ailments. Research has confirmed that cinnamon helps stabilize blood sugar. When taken at high dosages (1 to 6 grams per day) it has been shown to reduce fasting blood glucose levels in diabetics by 18 to 29 percent and LDL (know as bad) cholesterol by 7 to 27 percent. As one of the oldest know spices, it was used in ancient Egypt as a medicinal herb and embalming agent. In Chinese medicine the use of cinnamon dates back to 2700 B.C.E. This is another example of how spices have been used traditionally to nutritionally complement certain foods — it is no wonder that cinnamon is often paired with foods containing sugar as it helps modulate the body’s response to rising insulin levels. Cinnamon’s healing properties come from the essential oils found in its bark.

Apples and cinnamon are a delicious and healthy combo — enjoy!

Banana Tea Bread

Recently I’ve been overwhelmed by the desire to bake. Odd, given that is it close to 100 degrees here in LA. Maybe it’s because fall is quickly (if not evidently) approaching and there’s something about baking breads for fall that is so comforting.

Before I really started studying holistic health and nutrition, I had my own baking business in Brooklyn and I ate quite a bit of my baked goods. Everything I made was made from the best organic ingredients, but my cookies, brownies, cakes, scones, muffins and biscotti were still full of sugar and white flour. Since I’ve learned so much about the health hazards of those two prominent baking ingredients I’ve been experimenting with alternatives.

What I’ve been in the mood for lately are quick, sweet, fruit-filled breads. Banana bread is a staple I’ve made for years and substitutions work well in this recipe. So this is the first recipe I’ll share here.

In the bread pictured above, I added some strawberries as well. I only had two bananas in the freezer and this recipe is much better with four, so I substituted some fresh strawberries for the missing bananas and mashed them into the bananas. You could do this with any fruit, just aim for about one and a half cups of mashed fruit. I used spelt flour and it came out really delicious. The only sweetener needed is honey — along with the fruit it is perfectly sweet.

Banana Tea Bread

1 3/4 cup sifted spelt flour          1/3 cup honey

2 tsp. baking powder                  2 eggs, well beaten

1/4 tsp. baking soda                   1 1/2 cups mashed ripe bananas (about 4)

1/4 tsp. salt                                   4 tbl butter, softened

Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cream the butter, add the honey gradually and continue working, blending well. Add the beaten eggs and beat well. Add the flour mixture alternatively with the bananas (or banana/fruit combo), a small amount at a time, stirring in each addition until smooth. Do not over mix.

Turn into a well-greased or parchment-lined loaf pan (8 1/2” x 4 1/2” x 3”) and bake about for about 1 hour at 350 degrees. The loaf is done when the cake tester or toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs. Let cool for a few minutes before turning out of pan. Cool completely before slicing.

Yield: 1 loaf

A Bit about Bananas

I know bananas are not local or seasonal (at least not until I start growing my own banana tree), however, I had some overripe bananas in my freezer so I thought I’d start there. I love bananas but have been trying to buy less of them since they are so environmentally un-friendly — from the way they are grown to how much fossil fuel it takes to ship them here. And I’m talking about organic bananas. Conventionally grown bananas are an environmental nightmare. They’re one of the most heavily chemically treated crops, destroying tropical rain forests in Central and South America, and poisoning the workers and families who live near the banana plantations. I came across this video while researching banana production. Please watch it and tell everyone you know to boycott conventionally grown bananas. I’m not sure if it’s better to stop buying bananas altogether or to support the farmers who are growing them organically and paying their workers a fair wage. I can see arguments for both sides and I’d love to hear feedback on this.

But before I completely give up bananas, this is a great and simple banana bread recipe — and keep checking back for more fruit-filled breads and cakes. I plan on doing a series of different fruit breads and cakes using healthier ingredients. I’m thinking about peaches, nectarines, blueberries, zucchini, and strawberries — just to whet your appetite.

Vegetable Scrap Mineral Broth

before

This is a great and easy way to make a mineral-rich broth with scraps from your vegetables that would normally end up in the compost or trash can. The taste of your broth will depend on what kinds of scraps you throw in the pot, and I’ve never made one I didn’t like. The one note of caution is to avoid too many bits of kale, cabbage, onion skins, or other more bitter vegetables, which will result in a bitter broth. The one pictured above has the tops of carrots, cauliflower and broccoli stalks and leaves, Swiss Chard stems, a couple of onion ends, a chunk of ginger, and some sea salt and kelp granules. I like to keep a bag or glass jar in the freezer, and as I’m cooking I throw the scraps in and store them until I’m ready to make a broth.

Once the broth is finished I store it in mason jars in the refrigerator to be used within five days, or in the freezer where it will keep for at least a month. It’s really convenient to have the broth ready to use whenever you need it. I’ve heard of people freezing the broth in ice cube trays or 1 cup sized containers so it can be easily popped in a pot for use. I just remember to take the broth out of the freezer in the morning so it’s defrosted by dinner. I can’t tell you how useful it is —  I use it to cook grains like brown rice and quinoa for an added boost of minerals and nutrients as well as the base to soups and sauces. Your homemade broth will be much more nutrient dense than store-bought brands, will taste much better, and best of all — it’s free!

This is a loose recipe that is based on whatever vegetables scraps you’ve got:

1 freezer bag full of vegetable scraps
1 Tablespoon sea salt
1 Tablespoon dulse or kelp granules
Enough filtered water to cover your vegetables in the pot

1. Place all the vegetables in a large soup pot, cover with filtered water.

2. Add salt and kelp.

3. Bring to a boil. Stir ocassionally and reduce to a simmer for at least one hour (the longer the better, see below)

4. Strain the broth through a wire mesh sieve or cheesecloth and store in mason jars — can be kept frozen for about a month.

Nutrition Nuggets

Homemade vegetable and mineral broths (as well as bone broths and meat stocks) are some of the most nutritionally valuable staples to prepare. The type of stock that I’ve described above is extremely rich in minerals like potassium, calcium and magnesium.  Many of the heat-sensitive vitamins (like vitamin C) are destroyed by the cooking process, but the minerals are drawn out of the vegetables during the long cooking period. Many Americans are severely deficient in minerals, which are crucial to all of our body’s vital functions. They play a key role in the proper composition of bone and blood as well as normal cell function. Without minerals our bodies can’t utilize vitamins properly. This broth is like the best mineral supplement you can buy — times ten, and it’s great to sip warm like a tea, so drink up!

after

Please also visit Cheeseslave’s Real Food Wednesdays for other great nutrient-dense food ideas and recipes.

Basil Pesto Sauce

pesto sauce over buckwheat noodles

It’s basil season! Last week at the farmers market I bought two huge bunches of organic basil for $4.00. Add that to the pine nuts, olive oil, parmesan cheese and vegetable broth that I already had at home and I made two cups of pesto sauce. That was enough to have two big bowls at dinner and then freeze the rest for another meal.

I used buckwheat noodles because I am trying to limit my wheat and gluten consumption, but by all means use whatever type of noodle or pasta you like here. The flavor of the buckwheat stood up nicely to the pesto sauce, so I would recommend them. You could add any other type of vegetable to this dish. I also found cherry tomatoes at my farmers market so I was in luck.

Pesto Sauce

½ cup pine nuts, soaked and dried
½ cup olive oil
½ cup parmesan cheese
4 cups basil, rinsed well
½ cup vegetable broth
1 clove garlic, roughly chopped
1/4 tsp sea salt

Additions

cherry tomatoes
fresh mozzarella
buckwheat soba noodles (or other noodles or pasta)

Boil water. Add all the ingredients for the pesto sauce to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add noodles to boiling water and cook al dente. Meanwhile, chop the tomatoes and cut up the mozzarella. Drain pasta and toss with pesto sauce and top with tomatoes and cheese.

Nutrition Nuggets

Basil is a potent healing food. It has been used medicinally as a digestive aid, as a mild sedative and for the treatment of headaches. The oil of basil has antibacterial properties and it is effective in treating intestinal ailments. It contains flavonoids that protect against free-radical damage, making it an important anticancer food.

Pine nuts contain the most protein of any nut and are a good source of B vitamins, magnesium, zinc, vitamin E and potassium, among other nutrients.

This is a simple, protein and nutrient rich vegetarian meal. Please enjoy!

Good Morning Granola

This is a really delicous granola recipe that I adapted from Berkeley’s famous Cheese Board. Their recipe is called Killer Granola and it calls for quite a bit of brown sugar. I substituted with a combination of honey and maple syrup. You could vary the type of nuts and seeds you use to your own taste, but I think pecans make this recipe extra decadent, especially in combination with the maple syrup. If you’re making this for more than one person, I would recommend doubling the recipe — it’s a little bit addictive and it goes fast. I’ve been having it for breakfast with some plain yogurt and fruit. Because of the honey, maple syrup and butter, the granola clumps nicely and is good to munch on straight for a snack — it tastes like a cross between a cookie and granola bar in the best way.

Good Morning Granola
(adapted from the The Cheese Board Collective Works)

Makes 3 cups granola

3 tbl butter
pinch salt
1 cup chopped pecans or other nuts (I used pecans & walnuts)
2 heaping tbls honey
2 tsp maple syrup
¼ tsp vanilla
1 ¼ cup oats
½ cup sunflower seeds
¼ cup sesame seeds and/or pumpkin seeds ( I used both)

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small saucepan, melt the butter with the salt over low heat. Add the chopped nuts, increase to medium heat and cook, stirring frequently for 5 minutes or until lightly toasted. Add the honey and maple syrup, reduce the heat to low and stir until combined. Remove from heat and add the vanilla. In a large bowl combine the oats and seeds. Add the liquid and nut mixture and toss until the oats are evenly coated. Spread the granola on the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake on the middle rack for 15 minutes. Remove from the oven and stir to redistribute the granola. Bake for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on baking sheet. Store in an airtight container.

This is an easy recipe that takes about 30 minutes total. It is so much healthier (and less expensive) than store-bought varieties, which are almost always loaded with added sugar, as well as poor quality vegetable oils. For added health benefits, soak the nuts and seeds overnight and then dry in the oven at a low temperature for several hours. See my post on the benefits of soaking for more information on this. This recipe is also gluten-free if you buy gluten-free oats.

This granola is full of healthy fats and protein. It makes for a hearty breakfast when served with organic whole-milk plain yogurt. I’ve been buying Saint Benoit yogurt from the Berkeley Farmers Market and it is amazing (it is also available at Whole Foods). I love that they use glass and ceramic jars that you can return for a deposit, which they then reuse. I hope to see more companies pick-up this trend.

Please enjoy!