Beginning With Granola

What is this blog all about? It's essentially about healthy eating. Over the years, I've been asked many times why I'm a vegetarian and eventually, a vegan. There are a wide variety of reasons, ranging from ethical to the fact that I was raised a vegetarian (that's right, all you parents out there raising veg kids, I'm living proof that your children won't grow up into adults and resent you for all those hamburgers they missed out on), but my main goal is to lead a healthy, fulfilling lifestyle, one that I feel good about. Because of that, most of my recipes are not only free of major animal products, but they are free of most heavily processed foods (such as white flour and sugar) and many of them are low in added oils.

I decided to start writing down and sharing these recipes because I've had a number of friends and acquaintances request some of them, and I frequently find myself making promises to email recipes. Promises that I typically don't keep. Though I enjoy cooking and baking, and doing so in a healthy way, I've been terrible at helping others to create satisfying, healthy foods.

I have one close friend in particular who made up his own holidays for each day of the week (like Mixed-Message Monday and Romantic Walk Wednesday) including Vegan Friday. He asked me for some healthy vegan recipes to try out on Fridays, but I never got around to giving him any. That's where this blog comes in. I'm not an amazing chef who's going to introduce you to the most exotic, gourmet vegan recipes you've ever seen, but I am someone who knows what it's like to cook healthy on a limited budget, with limited time, who just wants a simple, healthy, satisfying recipe.

So whether you're a seasoned vegan, considering making some lifestyle changes, or just wanting to celebrate Vegan Friday, I hope that you can benefit from my experiments in healthy cooking. And it really can be delicious. I promise.

To begin, I'll share with you a recipe that's been in demand lately among a few of my friends wanting a cheap, healthy cereal option. I give you: granola.

Hannah's Granola for Attractive People*

Dry Ingredients:
10 cups oats (I typically use 5 cups of old-fashioned oats and 5 cups of quick oats for a more dynamic texture, but 10 cups of any kind will do)
1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut
2 Tbs. cinnamon
2-3 tsp. salt
1-3 cups raisins/walnuts/pecans/dry fruit of your choosing (if you like granola with "things" in it)

Wet Ingredients:
1 to 1 1/2 cups honey** (depending on desired sweetness, I tend to like mine on the sweeter end of the spectrum)
1 cup frozen juice concentrate (I've used apple, apple-raspberry and cherry-pomegranate)
1-2 Tbs. Earth Balance (buttery spread) or oil (I frequently omit for a more low-fat granola)

Directions:
Preheat oven to a heat between 300° and 325°.
Stir dry ingredients together in a large bowl. In a small saucepan, boil the wet ingredients, stirring frequently. Pour the wet, sweet and delicious mixture over the dry ingredients and stir. From there, taste it. If you think the flavor is lacking, add some cinnamon, salt or coconut. If you want it sweeter, add some more honey or juice concentrate. Have fun adapting it to your flavor preferences.
Pour granola into two large rectangular baking pans and bake for 15-30 minutes (depending on how hot your oven is). Stir the granola after 10 minutes to promote an evenly delicious consistency. Remove the granola when it is very light brown, being sure not to overcook (the granola may seem soft when you remove it, but it will become a little more chewy/crunchy as it cools).
Voila! Eat, share and store.


*The title my brother, N, came up with when I asked him what I should name my granola recipe.
**I know that honey isn't technically a vegan food. I also kill spiders. And growing up as a Texas girl, I tried quite a few ways to eliminate the fire-ants creating a dozen or more mounds in my childhood backyard. For any hardcore vegans reading this, please substitute agave nectar.