Eatyet’s Weblog

The hubby loves cereal (mainly Nature’s Path Optimum Power) and soymilk in the morning, afternoon, late at night, and whenever he feels like eating something. He doesn’t really miss it when we go weeks without buying any but when it’s there he’ll go thru a box in two days (maybe three). I tried buying in bulk, but it still doesn’t feel like much of a deal. The cheapest organic cereals are plain puffed grains of some sort. I prefer granola, but most of the granola I see at the stores aren’t organic and they are still expensive. A one pound bag of organic rolled oats is moderate in price. To make a bowl of oatmeal you would use less than you would normally consume in a bowl of granola.

So here’s my attempt in trying to solve my cereal dilemma, involving some cheap organic puffed brown rice and organic rolled oats. However, with the added costs of nuts, fruits and other extras, I don’t think I can conclusively calculate it as a real savings. But it’s tasty and makes use of my new glass container.

Granola cereal with almonds, coconut, and raisins

• 2 1/2 – 3 cups rolled oats (I eyeballed it)
• 2 cups puffed rice or kamut
• 1 cup slivered almonds
• 2/3 cup flaked coconut
• 2/3 cup raisins
• 1/4 cup golden syrup or maple syrup/rice bran syrup (more or less according to your taste)
• 1 tsp molasses (optional)
• 1 tbsp of oil or more if needed

Makes about 2 1/2 quarts (roughly)

Preheat oven to 350º. Coat large mixing bowl with the oil. Mix everything except the raisins together in the bowl with the liquids. Pour and spread evenly onto a parchment lined sheet pan. Bake for 20mins (or till golden brown), stirring it half way thru. When cooled mix in raisins, and store in an airtight container if you intend to keep for long. The non-airtight container is ok for a day or two (which is exactly how long it’s gonna last here).

Will be making more soon, but I ran out of raisins, and walnuts might be cheaper.

-L

For a change of pace from all the recent eating out entries, here’s something homemade.

On Amazon I bought some baking items in bulk. I got 4 containers of Spectrum Organic Shortening, 4 bars of Green Black Organic 72% Baking Chocolate, and 5 canisters of Ghiradelli Cocoa Powder. With these, I can start my own chocolate truffle business. But instead I’ll be baking chocolate goods for months to come. I was going to go all organic but they didn’t carry Green Black Cocoa Powder and the other organic brands weren’t ones that I’m used to baking with. The Ghiradelli was great price for the quality and quanity, I gave one to my cousin (also an avid baker).
I mainly use Spectrum Organic Shortening for my baking because the hubby refuses to eat butter. Sometimes I like to use Earth Balance Whipped Spread for a buttery flavor or as a ghee alternative in curries. Here’s a quick brownie recipe I threw together to use some of that cocoa.

Quick Brownies

1 1/4 cup organic shortening
1 1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 cup hazelnut flour
3/4 cup flour
1 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract
pinch of salt 

These are moist soft fudgey dense brownies, so you don’t have to worry about leavening agents. Preheat oven to 350°F. Cream the shortening and sugar till smooth then add in one egg at a time incorporating fully before adding another (using a mixer). Then gently fold and stir in the cocoa powder with a spoon or spatula (it can fly everywhere using the mixer).  Mix in the vanilla and pinch of salt, then add the flour and hazelnut flour and finish mixing with mixer. Pour and spread out the thick batter evenly onto a greased 8×8 inch pan. Bake for 20-25mins, test with a toothpick after 20mins and determine if it’s done or needs another 3 or 5mins. It shouldn’t come out completely dry and clean when you poke it. After taking it out of the oven, let cool for 10mins and you have warm brownies.

 -L