Showing posts with label breakfast. Show all posts
Showing posts with label breakfast. Show all posts

Sunday, April 3, 2016

Greek Baked Eggs


Spring has sprung here in the valley.

Oddly enough, it brought with it 80-degree weather, an itch to start this year's garden and has turned my little backyard brood into egg-making machines!

If you don't raise your own chickens you might not realize that winter brings an egg-lull. I try my best not to buy eggs each winter, but usually I need a carton or two to get by. It is always a low point. I supplement my hens, keep them warm and look forward to when the eggs are plentiful again. Mmm... custards, rich egg breads, omeletts, etc.



But the warmer weather and longer days have my hens busy! When not picking off bugs in the yard, they can usually be found guarding their nest boxes. My two young hens below really want to hatch some chicks. The older girls above are just happy to lay and run.


Of course, the downside to high production is that I am always in search of a great new egg recipe! I promise, there are only so many eggs you can give away.

Which brings me to Amanda from Dancing Veggies. This month she unknowingly came to my aid with her delicious Greek Baked Eggs recipe. It was the perfect choice for April's Secret Recipe Club creation and to help me use some of the fresh eggs I am amassing.


Amanda is an ovo-lacto-vegetarian, so she utilizes a wide variety of veggies and grains, as well as the occasional egg and some dairy products. Her blog is full of delicious recipes! Some other recipes of hers that I would love to make for my family include her Sweet Potato Latkes - my kids are on such a sweet potato kick right now,  and her Ricotta Kugel because it just sounds amazing! 

But ultimately her Greek Baked Eggs spoke to me this month.


She mentioned being inspired by a new set of oven-to-table dishes when trying this recipe. I have my own fondness for my mixed ramekins and cocottes in white, dark blue and Carribean Blue. I own a set of each, but prefer to mix them up. They are as varied as the eggs my hens lay.

This recipe was the perfect choice for lazy Sunday. Paired with toasted bread for dipping, it was amazing.



The only changes I made to Amanda's recipe was omitting the mushrooms and adding kalamata olives and a bit of roughly chopped kale. Overall I tried to stay with her original intent and only omitted the mushrooms because I didn't happen to have any more on hand.  Another current favorite of my kids!

When I think Greek food, I always yearn for a salty kalamata olive to cut through the other flavors and kale happens to be my garnish of choice at the moment. I have been using it in everything that calls for Italian parsley.

But the eggs remain delicious, full of flavor (yay! for Feta cheese!) and simple for either a breakfast, brunch or easy supper.

Ready to get cooking?



Greek Baked Eggs
recipe adapted from Amanda at Dancing Veggies

You Will Need:



  • 2 tsp. butter + more for greasing the dishes
  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 onion, finely diced
  • 1 c. bell peppers
  • 1 tsp. chopped garlic
  • 1/4 c. feta cheese
  • 6 Kalamata olives, roughly chopped
  • 1 - 2 kale leaves, roughly chopped
  • Greek seasoning blend *optional
  • salt & pepper to taste




    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease 4 ramekins, cocottes or oven safe dishes. Set aside.

    Start by heating the 2 teaspoons butter in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and begin to sweat them down. Once they start to soften, add the garlic and bell peppers. Continue till they are all softened and fragrant. Remove from the heat.

    Divide the onion mixture between the 4 dishes. Top with a little feta cheese, kale and kalamata olives, reserving half of each to garnish the top. Sprinkle with a little Greek seasoning, if desired. Then add one egg to each dish, season with salt and pepper and top with reserve ingredients. *At this point you could leave the yolks intact, or scramble them, as desired. 

    Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the egg is cooked to your preferred doneness. I like to have a slightly runny yolk for dipping my bread in, but that is just me.



    I suggest serving this up with some nice, crusty bread and coffee. That pretty much made my morning complete.

    For more great recipes, check out Amanda's full recipe list at Dancing Veggies.

    Ready for some more delicious meal ideas? Check out The Secret Recipe Club recipe linky below:


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    Andrea
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    Sunday, March 6, 2016

    Middle Eastern Breakfast: Pita, Fool and Labneh


    Sometimes as the end of the day approaches, I need a family meal everyone will enjoy and will make enough for my hungry crew. Getting everyone around the table at the same time, from the pickiest eaters, to the hungriest among us, is also a challenge. For all these reasons, I am a huge fan of breakfast for dinner.

    Of course, breakfast for dinner doesn't just mean pancakes, waffles or frittata. This past month I was thrilled to have had a glimpse at a few items often found on a Middle Eastern breakfast table. We tried pita bread, fool and labneh.

    For my March Secret Recipe Club reveal, I was matched up with Sawsan from Chef in Disquise. Looking through her blog recipes I flipped at all the amazing recipes I haven't tried or even heard of before. Her Egyptian Layered Pastry (Feteer meshaltet) sounds amazing, as do her Macarons with Biscoff filling. But it was breakfast that really caught my eye. She had a gorgeous 3 part breakfast series with an amazing spread of items typical for a weekend breakfast.

    It was like taking a culinary trip around the world, minus the jet lag!

    Now, Sawsan mentions that the staples of hummus, fool and falafel are often available for purchase at a local restaurant, bright and early, for weekend meals. Since I don't have access to my own favorite neighborhood restaurant, I had the opportunity to make them for myself. Most of the work was passive time, rising and simmering away. As we got closer to dinner time, everything came together pretty quickly.


    My biggest challenge was just hunting down the ingredients I needed. I felt very "small town" America when I tried to hunt down fava beans. Though I have grown my own in the garden, I had a hard time finding them canned or dried in my grocery stores. I was finally able to find some in the city at Whole Foods in the dry bulk section. I also had good luck finding things like zataar on amazon.com.

    By the way, if you have never tried zataar before, pictured below, it is amazing! It is a Middle Eastern spice blend with differing balances of thyme, oregano, marjaram, sesame seeds, etc. It is wonderful with the labneh or mixed with olive oil for dipping bread.


    Labneh is one I had to try, I have often heard of "yogurt cheese" but this was unique. Drained for several hours then hand rolled into balls, it is stored in olive oil. I knew immediately I wanted to try this one with fresh yogurt.

    Labneh Balls
    recipe from Chef in Disguise

    You Will Need:

    • 2 c. plain yogurt or greek yogurt
    • 1/2 tsp salt
    • olive oil to cover the balls
    Stir together the salt and yogurt. Drain the yogurt with cheesecloth for 3-5 hours or overnight in the fridge. Put a small amount of olive oil on your fingers and form uniform balls, about a tablespoon in size. I used a small melon baller to achieve consistent sizes. Store in an airtight jar covered with olive oil. Make sure the top of the balls are covered with the oil.




    Then of course I had to make fresh pita to go with the labneh and fool! Pita is very easy to make and I have made it before, but this recipe has an addition of honey and is very easy to follow.




    Pita Bread
    recipe from Chef in Disguise

    You Will Need:

    • 2 1/2 tsp. dry yeast
    • 1/2 c. warm water
    • 1 tsp. sugar
    • 1 Tbsp. honey
    • 4 - 4 1/2 c. all-purpose flour
    • 2 Tbsp. olive oil
    • 1 tsp. salt
    • 3 Tbsp. powdered milk
    • 1 1/2 c. lukewarm water
    First, proof the yeast by combining the yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, sugar and honey in a bowl. If the yeast is active it will bubble up in a few minutes.

    In a large bowl, combine the flour, olive oil, salt and powdered milk. Use your fingers to rub in all the oil till well mixed.

    Then create a well in the middle of the bowl and add the proofed yeast and 1 cup of lukewarm water. Mix to bring the dough together (with a wooden spoon or in a stand mixer).

    Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and begin to work the dough. Slowly add more water (from the reserved 1/2 cup) as necessary. Knead till a smooth and elastic dough has formed.

    Place the worked dough into a large oil coated bowl. Turn the dough to coat lightly with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise till doubled in size.

    Preheat the oven to 520 degrees and move the rack to the lowest position. Place a baking sheet into the oven during preheating.

    Divide the dough into small portions. Mine were a little larger than a golf  ball. I like smaller pita pockets. Let these rest under a damp towel for about 10 - 15 minutes.

    Once they have rested, roll out to thin circles of dough (3-4 mm). Then cover again with a damp cloth to rest for another 10 minutes.

    Carefully place the dough,  on the baking sheet. Be careful to lay it on the hot baking sheet without folding or crimping. The hot baking sheet and hot oven will create the dough to puff up as steam is trapped inside the dough. Bake for 2 - 5 minutes, then flip and bake for another 1 - 2 minutes.

    Remove from the own and place under a clean dry towel. The bread will stay pliable if kept covered.

    Repeat the steps with the remaining pita dough. Once cooled, place in storage bags and use within 2-5 days.

    Also, if you only want to make a few at a time, pinch off what you need and store the remaining dough in the fridge.




    Fool (or Fool Medames)
    recipe from Chef in Disguise

    Fool is a dip of cooked fava beans and a very filling addition to the breakfast foods. I started my recipe from dried beans because it was all I had access to. Sawsan's recipe begins with a can of already cooked fava beans. If you need to start with dry, too, start with this step:

    Rinse and soak 1 pound fava beans the night before. Cover the beans with warm water and 1 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar. The next day drain and rinse the beans. Simmer them for 4-6 hours covered, on low till tender.

    Then you can continue with the recipe....


    You Will Need:

    • cooked fava beans
    • 1 clove garlic minced *optional
    • 1 medium tomato, chopped finely
    • 1 lemon juiced 
    • 1 Tbsp. tahini *optional
    • 1/4 c. mint leaves chopped
    Heat the fava beans, cooking liquid (or remaining liquid in the can) and garlic till it comes to a boil. Turn it down to a simmer. Take off the heat and mash the beans coarsely. Stir in the tomatoes, lemon juice, tahini and mint leaves. Drizzle the top with olive oil and garnish with a little more chopped tomato.

    Fool can be used as a spread in the pita with tomato and cucmber slices.




    Now that is my idea of breakfast for dinner! I hope this inspired you to try some of these recipes. This was my first time and it was a lot of fun.

    Be sure to check out the whole blog, Chef in Disguise, for more wonderful recipes and Middle Eastern cuisine as well as beautiful baked goods and other treats.



    Andrea
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    Friday, January 29, 2016

    Cinnabun Coffee Cake #TheBookClubCookbookCC


    This no-muss, no-fuss Cinnabun Coffee Cake is the perfect pairing for early morning coffee and a good book.

    The past few weeks have been drenched in cold, windy, Oregon rain and added activities associated with family life. I really enjoyed stealing moments here and there to read Leif Enger's Peace Like a River. It was this month's selection for The Book Club Cook Book Cooking Crew and I have to thank Sarah, The Pajama Chef, for selecting it. It is the sort of title that I might have never had the opportunity to read, if it wasn't for this group and the diverse choices from the members.

    I really enjoyed the goose hunting description early on in the story. With my own children always begging to go out in our corn fields for the honor, it is always interesting to hear about the surprises and mishaps.

    Though I don't think my daughter would ever chase after a runaway bird, she did have an experience with a goose popping back up and jumping on the blind she was sharing with another little girl. They were quite surprised, but luckily one of the hunting dogs was quick to react before either girl could be pinched.



    As with all the reading selections for #TheBookClubCookbookCC, there is one or more recipes inspired by the story, or recreated from it. Our group also is free to find our own inspiration from the food references to create or share our own recipes.

    The recipe originally paired with the book was Mrs. Enger's Cinnamon Rolls with Coffee Frosting. I have to admit, the recipe sounds yummy! Despite multiple attempts to make it.... I wasn't able to fit in the time.

    It suggests you have the dough ready by 6pm, so it can rise overnight and then be baked at 5am the following morning. Despite living on a working farm, I am not up that early... and neither is my husband. I am lucky to roll out of bed at 5am for a half-hearted shuffle on the treadmill.

    Yeah, the cinnamon rolls just didn't happen.

    I finally decided that as a busy Mom with small children and irregular sleeping habits (the children, not necessarily me!) I needed a recipe that would make itself. Okay, it doesn't quite bake itself and all that... but, I did create this coffee cake with the help of more capable hands than mine .... my breadmaker. Thank goodness for modern conveniences!

    The coffee cake is simple, but it does taste like a warm cinnamon roll and even tastes better with a little coffee frosting drizzled over the top.

    Be sure to keep reading till the end for the giveaway.


    Cinnabun Coffee Cake

    You will need:
    7/8 c. whole milk
    1 tsp. vanilla bean paste
    1 large egg yolk
    2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, cut into cubes
    2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
    1/4 c. sugar
    1 tsp. salt
    2 tsp. active yeast
    3/4 c. all-purpose flour
    3/4 c. brown sugar
    1/2 c. rolled oats
    1/2 c. chopped pecans
    1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
    1/2 c. unsalted butter, at room temperature
    1 c. confectioner's sugar
    strong black coffee, as needed to create the right consistency

    Place the whole milk through active yeast in your bread machine bread pan as directed by the manufacturer's instructions. My machine goes from wet to dry ingredients with yeast being added last. Set the machine for the dough cycle.

    Spray a 9x13" baking dish with non-stick spray.

    Create the crumble topping by mixing together the 3/4 c. flour, sugar, oats, pecans, and cinnamon. Rub the butter into the mixture with your fingers to make moist crumbs.

    When the dough cycle is complete. Flour your fingers and spread half the sticky dough into your baking dish. Stretch and push it into the corners. Sprinkle with a thin layer of topping, then top with the other half of the dough. Place the remaining topping on top. Let the dough rise in a warm place for 30 minutes.

    Towards the end of the rising period,  preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

    Bake the cake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

    While still warm, whisk together the confectioner's sugar with just enough strong coffee to make it pourable. Drizzle over the top of the coffee cake before serving.

    Enjoy!


    Giveaway
    This month Sarah at The Pajama Chef, this month's host, is giving away a copy of the book.* Enter to win a copy of the cookbook so you can join us in future months, if you wish!

    One of our lucky readers - US and Canada only! - can enter to win a copy ofThe Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp, courtesy of Tarcher-Penguin. Giveaway runs from January 1st till January 31st at 6 o'clock PM, Pacific time. Please see terms and conditions in the rafflecopter widget below. Many thanks to Tarcher Books. You may find Tarcher: on the web, on Facebook, on Twitter, and on Pinterest.

    a Rafflecopter giveaway
    *Disclosure: Sarah received a complimentary copy of The Book Club Cookbook, Revised Edition: Recipes and Food for Thought from Your Book Club's Favorite Books and Authors by Judy Gelman and Vicki Levy Krupp as an opportunity to give a copy away. Opinions are our own. We received no further compensation for our posts.


    Andrea
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    Thursday, July 23, 2015

    4 Simple Breakfast Hacks To Make Summer Smoother

     This breakfast solution shop for busy families has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #WrapNGo #CollectiveBias


    In the flurry of summertime activities, Jr. Golf, Cub Scout Day Camp, playdates and doctor's appointments, breakfast can be a Mom's worst nightmare when trying to get the family out the door fast. My kids are always up for cereal, but it is cold and far too messy for the car. My kids prefer a hot breakfast and my daughter is particular to pancakes, but when do I have time for that on a weekday morning?

    Instead my breakfast strategy for on the go mornings changed. I have 4 easy breakfast hacks that any Mom can prepare ahead of time. With these tricks, you can have the family out the door with a delicious breakfast in hand in no time at all.

    ...And be sure to keep reading to learn how to save money with the Ibotta coupon app on your next grocery trip!


    Simple Breakfast Hack #1:

    Holy hand-held-goodness-on-a-stick! 

    Foster Farms®, a brand I love, has a new breakfast option, Foster Farms® Pancake Wraps. All the goodness of a Foster Farms® turkey link wrapped in sweet pancake batter. And the best part, it comes on a handy stick.

    My kids will eat anything presented to them on a stick and I love how portable this makes a warm breakfast. It is a delicious way to make our busiest mornings run smoother, and I think it is something we can "stick" with.




    Simple Breakfast Hack #2:

    Buy pre-frozen smoothie mixes that only require juice, or freeze your own fruit/vegetable mixes ahead of time in small zip topped bags. I mix 2 cups of our favorite frozen fruit with a cup of juice to make enough smoothies for the whole family in the morning.


    See how easy it is to have a fruit smoothie, turkey sausage and pancakes for the whole family even when you are pressed for time?


    Simple Breakfast Hack #3:

    Serve your Foster Farms® Pancake Wraps poked through a cupcake wrapper to catch any syrup drips after dipping. I promise your car upholstry will thank me! 


    Then to make this easy breakfast even more portable, put a small amount of syrup in a re-sealable plastic container and take the smoothie to go in a bottle with a wide straw and bite valve. True, the kids may through the containers on the floor after they are finished, but at least the contents will stay safely in their containers.



    I found the new Foster Farms® Pancake Wraps Original Sausage at my local Walmart in the freezer section. Also keep an eye out for the Pancake Bacon, Egg and Cheese variety. I can't wait to try those myself! 


    Simple Breakfast Hack #4:

    And if you want to save money on your breakfast purchases, be sure to download the Ibotta coupon app. Hey, everything goes more smoothly when you have more money in your wallet, right? Right now you can  "Buy 1 package of either variety and get $1.00 off" coupon. 

    Using the app is easy! Just,
    1. Download the free app for your smartphone.
    2. Search for the product under "Foster Farms®"
    3. Select your coupon and complete the task asked, then scan the barcode to verify the product.
    There are so many coupons and rebates to choose from, it is a great way to start saving on your next grocery trip.



    Now that I have shared my 4 Simple Breakfast Hacks, I would love to hear what tricks you have for getting your family fed and out the door quickly.

    What tricks work with your family?


    Andrea
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    Tuesday, April 14, 2015

    DIY Apple Pie Spice - Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats


    This might seem like an out of place Fall recipe post, but I just had to share one of my favorite breakfasts this past week. Spring brings a combination of crisp morning weather and warmer afternoons. The floor downstairs are still cold on our toes and slippers add to us being able to venture forth from our carpeted upstairs to face the day.

    Once Summer hits, and berries are in season locally, I will be filling my breakfast bowl with fresh berries, granola and yogurt. But, for now, I am still needing a warm and filling breakfast. This Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oat bowl is perfect.

    It is also the perfect way to get back into the Daring Cook's monthly challenges. For the month of April, Sawsan from Chef in disguise challenged us to spice things up by making our own spice blends from scratch. Now, I make some of my own spice blends; dry ranch seasoning, taco seasoning, and Italian Seasoning, but there are still several mixes that I buy.

    I know right? Why spend the extra money, right?


    Well, this was a great nudge in the DIY direction to have me create my own Apple Pie Spice. My kids love this sprinkled over sauteed apples for their pancakes or just by the spoonful.

    I have a lot of work to do on my poor neglected herb garden, but I hope to have enough to dry this Summer and Fall so I can make even more of our own mixes.


    So this mix is really quite simple. Just whisk it up and store in an airtight container like a small Mason Jar.

    Apple Pie Spice

    You Will Need:

    • 4 Tbsp. ground cinnamon
    • 2 tsp. ground nutmeg
    • 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
    • 1/4 tsp. ground cloves
    • 1 tsp. ground ginger
    • 1 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
    Whisk together and store in an air tight container.



    Like I said, this is such an easy breakfast, yes, steel cut oats take a few minutes to simmer, but while you have that cooking go ahead and simmer some fresh apples with the Apple Pie Spice, brown sugar and a dab of butter.

    Apple Cinnamon Steel Cut Oats

    You Will Need:

    • 1 apple, chopped
    • 1 tsp. unsalted butter
    • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
    • 2 tsp. Apple Pie Spice
    • 1 Tbsp. boiled cider
    • steel cut oats, cooked according to package directions
    In a skillet, heat the butter, brown sugar and apple pie spice. Toss with the chopped apples and boiled cider. Simmer gently until apples are tender. Serve over steel cut oats.



    Enjoy! 




    Andrea
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    Friday, March 13, 2015

    A Whole New, Whole Grain Option - Honey Bunches of Oats Breakfast Biscuits

    The following is a sponsored post on behalf of Honey Bunches of Oats Breakfast Biscuits. Opinions and experiences  expressed are my own.


    It seems like keeping my family fed takes up a majority of my day. Once my alarm goes off, I am headed downstairs to make sure everyone has breakfast, milk, juice... or coffee. Then by the time I get everything put away and everyone is reasonably happy, it is time to do it all over again for a snack... then lunch... an after school snack and finally dinner.

    Don't even get me started about when the kids whine about being hungry right before bed.

    Some days though I just don't have time to serve up a complicated meal. I need something to make my day a little easier. It also has to be something that everyone loves. Bars or biscuits are a great way to fill this need.

    Confined to a bowl no longer, Honey Bunches of Oats is now making Breakfast Biscuits! There are three flavors; Honey Roasted, Strawberry and Chocolate Chip. I know we all love snacking on the cereal, but these bars are even handier for packing and snacking.

    Made with 100% whole grain, each pouch of 4 biscuits can provide lasting energy for the day ahead, a little energy boost when you need a snack. They are not too hard, but they are also not as flaky as a granola bar. My kids tend to make a giant mess out of anything flaky, but these pass the crumb test.


    My favorite is by far the chocolate chip. Not too sweet or messy, it just has enough dark chocolate flavor to satisfy my sweet tooth. If I'm not careful, Elliott has learned how to steal a biscuit or two out of my pouch when I'm not looking. Since I like them, he knows they have to be pretty good.

    He also highly recommends dunking them in yogurt, by the way.

    And if my day isn't busy enough, my poor husband usually leaves the house without breakfast. At least a pouch of Honey Bunches of Oats Breakfast Biscuits are portable enough to take over to the greenhouses.


    Though we have enjoyed all 3 flavors, I like the variety they offer by keeping all three handy in my pantry. I also stashed an extra in my purse and packed a few away in my diaper bag. I just never know when someone is going to complain about being hungry.

    And some days, that is probably going to be me!

    For nutritional information and store locator, check out the Honey Bunches of Oats site.

    Have you tried the Honey Bunches of Oats Breakfast Biscuits yet? If not, what flavor would you like to try?
    Andrea
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    Wednesday, March 11, 2015

    Vanilla Bean Granola with DOVE® Fruit Cranberries

     This DOVE® Fruit inspired recipe shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #LoveDoveFruits #CollectiveBias


    My husband is not a huge breakfast eater. Well, I take that back... he usually finds something to eat along the way. Every morning he lingers in our kitchen long enough to fill up his travel mug with coffee and then he is out the door for a long day on the farm.

    Without fail every week I still ask him if he wants anything for breakfasts. Occasionally he will request granola. 

    Now, since he rarely requests anything on our weekly shopping trips, I am inclined to say yes. But, do you know how easy it is to make your own granola? Do you know how good it tastes when you find your own perfect combination?


    Of course, it wouldn't be perfect without DOVE®, would it?


    I love my granola with nuts, a variety of nuts. Pecans and almonds are my first choices. They are just so good lightly toasted. Then I like to add pumpkin seeds and I even threw in some chia seeds for good measure.

    But what I really enjoy in my granola is dried fruit.

    So when I saw the DOVE® Fruit in my local Walmart, the wheels started turning in my mind. What if I combined the fruit I love with the dark chocolate my husband and I both enjoy into our homemade granola?


    Magic! Pure magic, I'm telling you.

    If you haven't noticed one of these displays in your local Walmart, keep an eye out and grab a few bags of DOVE® Fruit. They are available in cranberry, cherry and blueberry. I picked up a bag of each for my own snacking enjoyment.

    You can download a coupon to save on your next DOVE® Fruit pouch purchase. Now, isn't that sweet?


    But, I was also really excited to throw some in my homemade granola. It had excellent breakfast, dessert and snacking possibilities!

    Here is my cast of characters for granola, now you can put more in or less, but don't forget the easy vanilla bean paste so you don't have to sit and scrape vanilla bean pods.



    Mix all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. The DOVE® Fruit cranberries will go in last. We wouldn't want to mess up that beautiful dark chocolate coating.


    Then combine all the wet ingredients, except the vanilla bean paste in a small saucepan. Bring it up to a simmer then turn off the heat. Stir in the vanilla bean paste and the salt. Pour over the oats and nuts and mix to coat evenly.


    Then spread out the wet granola mixture on an old baking dish. 

    Why old? Well, it can stick a little. If you are extra clever you could line your baking tray with a non-stick mat or parchment paper. But, that is why I keep this trusty, well-used baking tray.


    Vanilla Bean Granola with DOVE® Fruit Chocolate Cranberries

    You Will Need:

    • 4 c. old fashioned oats
    • 1/2 c. raw almonds, roughly chopped
    • 1/2 c. raw pecans, roughly chopped
    • 1/4 c. raw pumpkin seeds
    • 2 Tbsp. chia seeds
    • 1/2 c. coconut oil
    • 1/2 c. brown sugar
    • 1/4 c. water
    • 1/4 c. honey
    • 2 tsp. vanilla bean past
    • 1 1/2 tsp. salt
    • DOVE® Fruit Cranberries
    Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

    In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts and seeds. 

    In a small saucepan whisk together the coconut oil, brown sugar, water and honey over medium heat. Bring it up to a simmer and then take off the heat. Whisk in the vanilla bean paste and salt and pour over the dry mixture.

    Spread onto a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake for about 12 minutes, then stir and bake for another 12 minutes or until the nuts and oats are lightly toasted.

    Let cool. Then brake up any granola chunks. Toss in as many DOVE® Fruit cranberries (as your heart desires) and store in a air tight container.



    So, how do I like my granola? In the morning it is great mixed into my favorite yogurt or just with some milk. I also love to snack on it in the afternoon. For an added treat, spoon some granola over your favorite frozen yogurt or ice cream.

    Yum! 

    For more great ideas for enjoying Dove, check out the DOVE® Fruit social hub.


    Now, how would you enjoy DOVE® Fruit?

    Andrea
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