Basics: Homemade Granola

Yogurt has become more and more popular in the US over the last several years (although still substantially behind France and many European countries in daily consumption per person).  The most recent craze is Greek-style yogurt, with its thicker, more dense consistency.  Brands such as Fage and Chobani are now commonplace in supermarkets, Targets, and even many convenient stores.  And also my fridge.  I usually buy Fage, but I'm hoping that Whole Foods starts making the Greek-style yogurt in its 365 brand soon. 

Aside from its breakfast appeal, Greek yogurt is a wonderful ingredient in the kitchen (just make sure to buy the plain variety and not one of the flavored/sweetened varieties).  Try subbing it in recipes for your favorite homemade salad dressings and dips, which commonly rely on mayonnaise for that creamy texture.  Also think of Greek yogurt for meals that call for sour cream (e.g. chili, tacos, etc.).  It's not really all that different from sour cream in terms of absolute calories/fat, but it does offer its probiotic benefits.  And like sour cream, yogurt is available in full fat, low-fat (2%), and fat-free.  What's great about fat-free Greek yogurt is that because of its thick texture, it makes you think you're eating something deliciously fatty even though you're not.

Onto the actual topic for this entry.  Granola!  Delicious, decadent granola.  The perfect topping for yogurt, granola is a combination of oats, baking spices, sugar, nuts, and raisins/dried fruit.  A blend of very nutritious ingredients that offer a great, natural balance of carbs, fat, sugar, and other nutrients.

The first step is to buy quality ingredients. King Arthur (link) offers the best rolled oats I've ever tasted.  From there, it's all about personal preferences.  I love adding almonds, cashews, and pecans.  You could toss in walnuts, pistachios, pumpkin seeds, or any other favorite nut.  The one thing I would probably leave out would be peanuts.

For the sweetener, I love agave.  It's a great sugar substitute made from the agave plant (the same source as tequila), and it doesn't boost your blood sugar levels as dramatically as cane sugar.  Also, it's a liquid, so it makes for easier mixing/stirring in many recipes. Other options include honey and maple syrup (the real stuff...none of that sugar-water with maple syrup flavoring), which each offer a unique flavor and texture for the granola.

I love tossing in unsweetened shaved coconut and dried raisins.  Feel free to skip the raisins, or add a different dried fruit, such as cranberries, currants, chopped figs, blueberries, etc.  The dried fruit offers a nice sweet, chewy texture, different from the crunchy granola and nuts.

Last tip - make sure to stir every 15 minutes while baking.  You don't want your granola to burn, and with the added sugar, it does tend to stick to the baking sheet.  Enjoy some freshly baked granola on a bowl of Greek yogurt tomorrow!

-Jeff

Ingredients:

3 cups rolled oats

1/2 cup slivered almonds

1/2 cup cashews, slightly crushed

1/2 cup pecans, slightly crushed

1/2 cup shredded sweet coconut

1/4 cup agave

2 T real maple syrup

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1 tsp salt

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp ground nutmeg

1/4 tsp ground cloves

1 cup raisins

1. Preheat oven to 250 F.

2. Combine all ingredients, except raisins (or other dried fruit), in a large bowl.  Stir well.

3. Pour into a single layer onto a large baking sheet (preferably one with ridges to prevent the granola from spilling onto your oven).  You might need two baking sheets.

4. Bake for at least 1 hour 30 minutes, and up to 2 hours (until it smells delicious and has a nice roasted color & texture; sampling is encouraged).

5. Place in a large bowl and let cool, then add raisins. Place into an air-tight storage container(s).  Can be stored at room temperature for quite a while (I've had mine in the cupboard for over a month before).

Recipe inspiration: Food Network - Alton Brown's Granola Recipe

Melitzanosalata (Greek Eggplant Salad)

After returning a few days ago from an unforgettable sailing trip in the Greek Isles, I have been craving some classic Greek snacks.  Greece is a beautiful country, with thousands of tiny islands and an array of delectable food.  In the summer, the weather is seemingly always sunny and a bit hot, ideal for sunning yourself and swimming in the Mediterranean.

Sérifos, Greece

Melitzanosalata and pita bread

One of my favorite dishes from the trip was Greek eggplant salad, known as melitzanosalata.  Pureed eggplant mixed with fresh garlic, lemon juice, parsley, and of course, olive oil, was a delicious bite that I must have enjoyed a dozen times over the ten days I was in the country.  

What was fascinating about this dish in Greece was how much it varied from island to island, or sometimes even restaurant to restaurant.  Sometimes it would be incredibly smoky, other times not at all.  Some would add something creamy (maybe yogurt), others would add extra garlic.

And, of course you can’t enjoy melitzanosalata without pita bread.

During my search for a great recipe, I also read a little about the variations of melitzanosalata in other parts of the world.  Tahini seems to be a common theme outside of Greece, with the Turks and Armenians adding it to their versions.  The Hungarians and Romanians toss in chopped onions and use sunflower oil in place of olive oil.  Perhaps the most interesting variation is found in Israel, where they use mayonnaise!

A couple of the best recipes and articles came from fellow bloggers, specifically Whipped (Whipped - Melitzanosalata Recipe) and The Hummus Blog (The Hummus Blog - Roasting an Eggplant).  Make sure to read The Hummus Blog article, as it gives great instructions on how to roast an eggplant (critical for the smokiness of this recipe).  And to give credit, my melitzanosalata recipe is largely based on the link above from Whipped. 

As I mentioned, the pita bread is also important for this Greek snack.  I have not made pita bread before, but I figured it’s a very simple bread dating back to antiquity.  A little side trivia, pita means “bread” in Aramaic (the language from the time of Jesus).  So…with the rich history behind this bread, I thought it couldn’t be that hard to make.  And it’s not.  Only six ingredients, one of which is water, are required to make pita bread.  It only needs to rise for 30 minutes, and then it cooks in less than 10 minutes.  Anyone can make this.

Just as with anything that is homemade from fresh, high-quality ingredients, the melitzanosalata and pita bread turned out deliciously.  Serve as a snack or as an appetizer before enjoying a Greek salad, moussaka, pastitso, or kebabs.

Cheers!

Melitzanosalata – Greek Eggplant Dip

Ingredients:

1 large eggplant

1 T. fresh lemon juice

1 clove garlic, minced

2 T. olive oil

2 T. Italian parsley, chopped

½ tsp. smoked paprika

Salt & pepper

Instructions:

1. Roast eggplant over open flame on your gas stove (see The Hummus Blog article), or slice in half and roast in the oven at 400º F until soft, about 30-40 minutes

2. Remove the skin from the eggplant, and cut into small pieces

3. In batches, combine eggplant pieces and all other ingredients into a food processor

4. Puree until smooth

5. Mix batches together

6. Taste for salt & pepper

7. Chill in the refrigerator

8. Serve with pita bread

Pita Bread

Ingredients:

2 ½ cups flour (I use King Arthur’s organic whole wheat flour*)

2 tsp salt

1 T. sugar

1 packet active dry yeast (about 2 tsp)

2 T. olive oil

1 cup warm water

Extra olive oil, salt, & pepper for basting mixture

*http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/king-arthur-100-organic-whole-wheat-flour-5-lb

Instructions:

1. Mix dry ingredients together (flour, salt, sugar, and yeast)

2. Mix oil and water in a different bowl

3. Combine ingredients, stirring with a spoon and eventually moving to your hands once it’s starting to mix well

4. Knead the dough for 4-6 minutes

5. Cut the dough, using a scraper, into eight equal pieces

6. Roll into balls and let rise for 30 minutes under a damp cloth

7. Preheat oven to 500º F

8. Roll raised balls into circles, about ¼” thick

9. Place onto pieces of tinfoil

10. Bake for 1-2 minutes, then brush a dash of the basting mixture onto the top of the bread

11. Bake for an additional 3-4 minutes, until cooked through

12. Let cool before serving