Cashew Coconut Granola Bars

Wow, first post as a home-owner! I've really been out of the game for a while. I was absconding with my friend's kitchen for a while (that's where that last, beautifully photographed potato-egg post came from. Thanks Julie!! Camping/travel foods in exchange) but I've been so busy getting the house and the community together, I've hardly had time to actually USE anything!

BUT, with the Fourth of July weekend coming up, and things getting more settled, I think I'll have time to get back to some old routines and hobbies (as well as develop new ones!) One of the things I want to do is weekly/monthly, make granola bars/granola for snacks and homemade yogurt. This is my favorite way to start the day (along with a cup of green or jasmine tea) after biking into work. Perfection. This stuff would be great crumbled up into granola, I think  I'll use this as my base/starting recipe for a while and update as I go : ) Keep watching for updates!

(pictured with cheese rosemary egg souffles! #roadFood)

Cashew Coconut Granola Bars
inspired by Ina Garten's food network recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 cup chopped cashews
1 cup unsweetened coconut shreds or flakes, loosely packed
1/2 cup ground flax
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 cup dried cranberries, roughly chopped
1/2 cup raisins, roughly chopped

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350F. Combine cashews and coconut in a 13" x 9" cake pan, and toast in oven for 10-15 minutes, stirring every 3-5 mins.
2.  Once toasting is finished, turn oven down to 310F and place oat mixture in a bowl and combine with flax.
3. Combine butter, honey, vanilla, and salt in a small sauce pan and bring to a boil over medium-heat. Pour over oat mix and stir well to combine.
4. Add in cranberries and raisins and stir to incorporate.
5. Line baking pan with paper or foil, dump granola mixture into pan, and press down with a spatula hard until flat and condensed.
6. Bake for 15 minutes. Take out of oven, and press down hard again on bars with spatula to compress mixture.
7. Bake for another 10 minutes, take out and press down bars again, and bake for another 5 or until deep golden brown.
8. Take bars out of oven and let sit for a few hours before cutting into desired shape (squares or rectangles)

Apple Almond Granola

This makes SO much granola, but it's delicious. I prefer it without the salt, and I would like to play around with it temperature and cooking time wise. I think lower temperature for longer, or perhaps taking it out and stirring ever 10 minutes would help it so the inside and outside of the pan is more evenly distributed with crispiness.


Apple Almond Granola
from Anecdotes & Applecores

Ingredients:
1 cup almonds, chopped
1/2 cup walnuts (or peacans), choped
4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 cup unsweetened coconut flakes, flakes or shredded
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup almond butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1.5 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. sea salt (optional)
1 cup dried apples, chopped

Instructions:
1. Pre-heat oven to 300F.
2. In a large bowl mix together almonds, walnuts, oats, coconut, and flax seed.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together honey, maple syrup, almond butter, vanilla, cinnamon, and salt. Pour over oat mixture and stir together with a large wooden spoon or spatula.
4. Divide between 2 cookie sheets, and spread into a thin, even layer. Bake for 30 - 50 minutes, until desired crispyness is achieved. (I only cooked mine for 30 minutes, and the edges started to burn by then)
5. Once removed from the oven, stir in the apples and allow to cool completely before storing in a container.