About January, when all the other resolutioners came back to the gym, I had a different resolution (already at the gym most of the time, I really couldn't go anymore than I do). I decided to try and eat healthier, or "eat clean" as Tosca Reno says. I was inspired by my early morning gym workout friend Tami who is going to enter a figure competition in August (go Tami!).
Thus started a brutal "must get rid of all sugar and eat natural" dieting phase. As someone who ate pretty healthy before, but still enjoyed an occasional cookie, it was more challenging than expected . . . However, the results paid off, and by the first week of March I had my bodyfat tested and I was under 20% - yeah for me! Unfortunately, this is about the time that a diet of tuna, egg whites, and oatmeal alone isn't cutting it anymore, so I decided I needed to start finding some recipes for food that are still wholesome, but a little more interesting if I was going to manage to keep doing this without gnawing off my arm at some point
Thus started my search for the perfect granola. The aforementioned Tami was the first person who turned me onto this wonderful food with a recipe that I found was originated with Alton Brown - here is the link to that recipe on foodnetwork. However, the butter plus all the honey wasn't so good for fitting in to my diet.
I modified it slightly, but using 3/4 cup canola oil, some brown sugar splenda blend, and using Agave nectar instead of honey (for those of you that don't know about Agave, you should start using it RIGHT AWAY--fabulous!). The results were very good - definately not granola bars, pretty clumpy.
However, it still seemed high in oil to me. So, I turned to Anna at cookie madness for her granola recipes. Her new one definately seemed better - tried it and it was fabulous! Very sweet, loved the pecans. Made a small batch at first, then a bigger batch the next time. Worked great, loved it! Very crisp and clumpy.
Again though, still seemed like a lot of oil. Another commentor to her asked about a recipe called Andy's Deerfield Granola - after some searching, it turns out it originates in Nigella's Feast. And it only has 2 T oil! I may have met my match - I modified it slightly, used flax seeds instead of sesame, and made a 1/2 batch at first, but it has good promise so far!
below is my 1/2 batch measurements:
Andy's Deerfield Granola (as modified by Jennie)
Preheat over to 300 degrees
Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper
2.25 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole unsalted almonds
1/2 cup unsalted, untoasted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup flax seed (I used the dark ones)
Combine in large bowl and set aside
Wet ingredients:
1T canola oil
1/4 cup brown sugar splenda blend
1/3 cup applesauce (I used unsweetened)
1/4 cup agave nectar (can use honey)
Thus started a brutal "must get rid of all sugar and eat natural" dieting phase. As someone who ate pretty healthy before, but still enjoyed an occasional cookie, it was more challenging than expected . . . However, the results paid off, and by the first week of March I had my bodyfat tested and I was under 20% - yeah for me! Unfortunately, this is about the time that a diet of tuna, egg whites, and oatmeal alone isn't cutting it anymore, so I decided I needed to start finding some recipes for food that are still wholesome, but a little more interesting if I was going to manage to keep doing this without gnawing off my arm at some point
Thus started my search for the perfect granola. The aforementioned Tami was the first person who turned me onto this wonderful food with a recipe that I found was originated with Alton Brown - here is the link to that recipe on foodnetwork. However, the butter plus all the honey wasn't so good for fitting in to my diet.
I modified it slightly, but using 3/4 cup canola oil, some brown sugar splenda blend, and using Agave nectar instead of honey (for those of you that don't know about Agave, you should start using it RIGHT AWAY--fabulous!). The results were very good - definately not granola bars, pretty clumpy.
However, it still seemed high in oil to me. So, I turned to Anna at cookie madness for her granola recipes. Her new one definately seemed better - tried it and it was fabulous! Very sweet, loved the pecans. Made a small batch at first, then a bigger batch the next time. Worked great, loved it! Very crisp and clumpy.
Again though, still seemed like a lot of oil. Another commentor to her asked about a recipe called Andy's Deerfield Granola - after some searching, it turns out it originates in Nigella's Feast. And it only has 2 T oil! I may have met my match - I modified it slightly, used flax seeds instead of sesame, and made a 1/2 batch at first, but it has good promise so far!
below is my 1/2 batch measurements:
Andy's Deerfield Granola (as modified by Jennie)
Preheat over to 300 degrees
Line a large roasting pan with parchment paper
2.25 cups rolled oats
1 cup whole unsalted almonds
1/2 cup unsalted, untoasted sunflower seeds
1/3 cup flax seed (I used the dark ones)
Combine in large bowl and set aside
Wet ingredients:
1T canola oil
1/4 cup brown sugar splenda blend
1/3 cup applesauce (I used unsweetened)
1/4 cup agave nectar (can use honey)
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 tsp cinammon
1 tsp vanilla
Mix wet ingredients together, and pour over dry ingredients. Mix well until evenly coated, then spread in a thin layer on roasting pan.
Bake in over approximately 45 min, stirring once at 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, break up large chunks and add stir in 1 cup of dried cranberries.
Store at room temperature for up to a week, or in the freezer.
1 tsp cinammon
1 tsp vanilla
Mix wet ingredients together, and pour over dry ingredients. Mix well until evenly coated, then spread in a thin layer on roasting pan.
Bake in over approximately 45 min, stirring once at 25 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, break up large chunks and add stir in 1 cup of dried cranberries.
Store at room temperature for up to a week, or in the freezer.
The picture is of it the next morning - as you can see, it's not as clumpy as some granolas. But the taste is excellent!!!
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