Coconut Macaroon Granola

I rarely buy it or make it but granola is one of my favourite things to eat, especially the clumpy crunchy kind. This one isn't the clumpy kind but it is crunchy and also full of coconut (another serious love of mine). I ate it with pineapple and yogurt once, but I preferred eating it with some almond milk because then I can really taste the coconut mmm.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Perfectly Crunchy Granola
Coconut Raspberry Walnut Power Bars
Caramel Walnut Chocolate Chunk Granola
Low-Fat Winter Fruit Granola

Coconut Macaroon Granola
Adapted from Healthy Food For Living

Makes about 8 cups

3 cups old fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp pure almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

Preheat oven to 325F. Prepare a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.

In a large bowl, whisk together the applesauce, coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt.

Add oats and coconut to the large bowl and stir until evenly coated. Spread mixture on the prepared baking sheet in an even layer.

Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the edges of the granola are beginning to turn golden brown. Remove sheet from the oven, stir, and bake for an additional 10 minutes, or until the granola is golden brown and crisp (for a chewier granola, shave off 3-5 minutes from each baking time). Remove from the oven and cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Most Delicious Sandwich

I am currently ridiculously obsessed with this smoky maple marinated tempeh bacon (made by Turtle Island Foods). Specifically eating the tempeh bacon as my mom used to make it in a toasted sandwich with mayonnaise, lots of fresh sliced tomato, and freshly ground black pepper. (Pan frying the bacon first of course and no lettuce!)

I'm not usually one to buy pre-marinated tofu or tempeh, and try not to buy too many fake meat products, but this is one that I will be buying all the time.

I've tried other fake bacons before (the storebought ones, not homemade) and wasn't impressed and found them nothing like bacon. Okay obviously tempeh bacon does not = real bacon, but it's seriously pretty darn close!! This is some GOOD fake bacon. And I must admit that I did used to love bacon. So this isn't really a recipe, it's more of a I-can't-get-enough-of-eating-this-so-I-have-to-share-it-with-you post.

PS - For those of you that live in Canada, you should check out Silver Hills Squirrelly bread. It's the best whole grain bread! (And it's sprouted too.)

Soy-Mirin Tofu with Snow Peas and Peanut Sauce

I haven't had any peanut butter in the house for the past couple of weeks and I knew I always loved peanut butter, but now I know I feel incomplete without it. What am I supposed to dip my apples in? What am I supposed to spread on a freshly toasted bagel? How am I supposed to make peanut sauce??

So it's no surprise that I really enjoyed this meal smothered in peanut sauce. The tofu is glazed with a soy-mirin mixture, which I didn't really taste. The peanut sauce was delicious (hard not to be though) and I loved the crushed peanuts sprinkled on top. We ate it with other roasted vegetables and stretched it out to make 4 meals (or 2 meals for 2 people).

A blog reader commented and asked about how I do my meal planning. I wish I had some fancy system to describe, but all I do is find 3-4 recipes (usually 3) that I know will make enough for lunches and dinners for 2 people for at least 5 days (work days). I don't plan when we'll eat them though, and now that I get home from work so late we make everything on Sunday (which is working out really well!)

A glimpse into my kitchen during our Sunday cookfests. I guess I should move my Kitchenaid and blender off the counter (where they usually live). Actually there's a lot on the counter that shouldn't be there like a box of shortbread from my grandma and tea from E's parents. I love my rice cooker that cooks brown rice!

I usually go for 1 pot/dish type meals (ie. stir fry, casserole, soup) but sometimes I'll put a couple of recipes together. I try to get a variety of protein, choosing a maximum of 1 tofu recipe, and then 2 bean/lentil recipes or sometimes (rarely) something with cheese like lasagna. I often try to pick 1 soup recipe because I know it will last for at least 3 meals. How do you guys do your weekly meal planning?

The stove often looks much messier than this in the middle of cooking 3 meals! I'm actually impressed with how clean it looks.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Maple-Miso Glazed Tofu with Broccoli and Butternut Squash
Lettuce Wraps with Hoisin-Mustard Tofu
Orange Sesame Tofu & Coconut-Lime Basmati Rice
Broccoli Cashew Teriyaki Tofu Stir-Fry

Soy-Mirin Tofu with Snow Peas and Peanut Sauce
Adapted from Vegan Yum Yum

Makes 4 servings (with a side of vegetables like roasted beets and carrots)

1 cup brown rice
2 cups water

1/4 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp seasoned rice vinegar
1/4 tsp powdered ginger

1 block extra firm tofu, cut into small squares
2 cups snow peas, trimmed, cut into 2 inch pieces
1 tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce
1 tbsp mirin
Crushed peanuts

Cook the rice in the 2 cups of water (I used a rice cooker).

Make the peanut sauce by blending together the peanut butter, 1/4 cup water, sugar, 1 tbsp soy sauce, rice vinegar and ginger.

Mix together 1 tbsp soy sauce and the mirin and set aside (to be used to glaze the tofu).

Once the rice is almost finished cooking, heat a wok over high heat. Add the tofu and cook until browned on at least 2 sides of every cube. Turn the heat off, and add the snow peas. Pour the soy-mirin mixture over the tofu and snow peas, and mix.

To serve, plate the rice, tofu and snow peas. Top with peanut sauce and crushed peanuts.

Curried Pumpkin Hummus

I love a good hummus. And this is a really really good hummus. I kept seeing pumpkin hummus on blogs (mind you this was back in the fall) so one day when I had an open can of pumpkin, I knew what I had to do with the leftovers.

I didn't taste the pumpkin, but I loved how creamy the hummus was and it had a really great flavour from the curry powder, cumin, garlic, almonds and tahini. The original recipe doesn't have any oil, and I tried to make it that way but it just wasn't coming together in the nice smooth way that I like. So I added a tablespoon of oil and it was perfect.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Roasted Red Pepper & Almond Hummus
Spinach Artichoke Heart Dip
Hummus
Sweet Potato Black Bean Salsa

Curried Pumpkin Hummus
Adapted from Diet, Dessert and Dogs

Makes about 3 cups

Scant 1 cup dry chickpeas, soaked 8 hours, cooked and drained (or 2 1/2 cups cooked, rinsed and drained)
3/4 cup canned pumpkin purée
1/4 cup raw almonds
3 tbsp tahini
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp sea salt, or to taste

In a food processor, add all the ingredients. Process until smooth.

Hearty Pumpkin and Bean Stew (Porotos Granados)

Yesterday I was super excited about 2 things (well I'm still excited today). One is that I started the Runners World 8 week beginning runner's training program! (E is going to do it with me too.) I used to run 3 times a week but then I overdid it and hurt my knee. I've tried to get back into running many times but my knee always ends up hurting so it's discouraging. I think I've just been trying to do too much too soon so I'm going to try and take it really slow and stick to this program. Right now I'm doing it on a treadmill - and for those of you who run on a treadmill, what do you think is a good beginner's jogging/running pace? I saw 4.5 mph as a suggestion but that feels so slow to me. Which is probably good.

The other thing I'm excited about is crocheting!! It's been too long since I crocheted. I want to crochet these hexagons and/or a turtle. And now to awkwardly segue into talking about this soup...

Doesn't hearing a recipe name in another language sound so much more exciting? I'd much rather eat porotos granados, than hearty pumpkin and bean stew.

This soup was good but I didn't love it, which doesn't mean you won't, because I'm picky about my soups and don't love super beany things usually. Which this was. It has navy beans, onion, tomatoes, pumpkin and corn - and I liked the idea of this combination. But to make it again, I'd add more herbs/spices (paprika, oregano, cumin, basil).

I look forward to trying the other soups and stews from this cookbook! If you've tried any please let me know your favourites and I'll try those first.

If this sounds good, you might also like:
Pureed Sweet Potato & Peanut Stew with Chickpeas
Curried Chickpea Soup
White Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup
Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Hearty Pumpkin and Bean Stew (Porotos Granados)
Adapted from Viva Vegan!

There's basil in the photo, but I don't think it added enough to the soup to make it worth it so wouldn't bother adding it.

1 lb navy beans, soaked at least 8 hours, then drained
6 cups cold water, plus 2 cups water
2 bay leaves
Scant 1/8 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 large (1/2 lb) yellow onion, finely chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
1 1/2 tsp paprika
2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried basil
3 roma tomatoes (about 1/2 lb), seeded and diced
1 lb pumpkin (or other squash), peeled, seeded and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
2 cups frozen corn kernels, thawed and briefly pureed
1 tsp salt

In a soup pot, add the beans and 6 cups water, bay leaves and baking soda. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 45-60 minutes, or until the beans are tender. Skim and discard any foam.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a pan over medium heat. Add the onions and jalapeno pepper. Stir and cook for 10 minutes, or until the onions are soft and transparent. Add in the paprika, oregano, cumin and basil, stir and cook for 30 seconds, then turn off the heat. When beans are done, add the onion mixture, 2 cups water, tomatoes, pumpkin and corn.

Bring the stew to a boil over high heat, stir and lower heat to a simmer. Cook for 30 to 40 minutes, until the pumpkin is very soft and easily mashes if pressed against the side of the pot. If desired, puree a portion of the stew.