Vanilla Almond Granola

I'm on a granola kick and I just can't quit. Granola may just be one of the most overpriced things at the grocery store and lately, I started making it myself. It couldn't be easier and the options and mix-ins are endless. I experimented with a few recipes and ultimately came up with my own concoction that has become a favorite in our house. I love it sprinkled on berries for a snack or on top of a bowl of green yogurt. My kids also eat it by the handful and LOVE it. For another treat, warm up some apple slices on the stove with a little cinnamon and top with the granola and some coconut cream...BRB I think I'm going to do that now! 

Give your breakfast bowl a makeover with this healthy granola recipe. The key here is to let the granola sit and cool completely once it comes out of the oven- don't mix it or move it- just let it be. This allows it to "set". This recipe is as easily halved as it is doubled. One batch makes a bunch. The other best part is that you can totally make this your own. Add cacao nibs, mini chocolate chips, dried fruit, honey instead of the maple syrup- whatever your little hearts desire. It's simple and delicious. 

Oats + almonds + coconut + chia seeds + cinnamon + maple syrup + coconut oil + vanilla + almond extract = Never buying granola from the grocery store again.

Almond Coconut Granola

4 cups old fashioned gluten free oats
1 cup slivered almonds
1/3 cup chia seeds
1 Tbsp. ground cinnamon (I add a little more because cinnamon is my fave)
1 tsp. salt
1/2 cup melted coconut oil (you can also use olive oil but I have done both and like coconut the best)
1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the oats, almonds, chia seeds, cinnamon and salt. 

In another mixing bowl, mix together the oil, maple syrup and almond and vanilla extracts. 

Pour the liquid mixture into the oats mixture and mix until combined. Spread it all out evenly on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, stirring halfway through. 

Transfer baking sheet to a wire baking rack and cool approximately two hours without touching. 

Stir in any fruit or other mix ins and store in an airtight container! Mason jars work perfectly for this. 

Dark Chocolate Coconut Bites

Easter candy is a slippery slope for me. Once I start, I can't stop, so it's just best to avoid it all together by making sure it doesn't make its way into the shopping cart! Peeps are my weakness and on Easter Sunday, I very well may polish off an entire package on my own. 

Here's a healthy-ish bite sized treat to sweeten up your Easter week. I made a batch to keep in the fridge last week and they were the perfect sweet bite at the end of the night. 

Chocolate Coconut Bites

recipe from Pinch of Yum

2 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

4 Tablespoons REAL maple syrup

5 Tablespoons coconut oil

1 tsp. vanilla

4 oz. dark chocolate for melting (I used Ghiradelli 60% cocoa chocolate chips)

In a food processor, pulse coconut until it's a thick flour consistency. Transfer to a bowl and add maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla. Stir until you have a thick paste. Using your hands and a 1/2 Tbsp. as a scoop, form the mixture into balls. Place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and stick them in the freezer for 30-60 minutes to let them firm up. 

When you are ready to coat the coconut balls in chocolate, create a double boiler by placing the chocolate chips in a glass bowl sitting on top of a small saucepan filled with water. The water should not touch the bottom of the bowl as it sits atop the pan. Slowly melt the chocolate.

Using two forks, roll each coconut ball in the melted chocolate until completely covered. Roll them off of the fork and onto a parchment lined baking sheet. Let chocolate harden and store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Coconut Macaroons

Coconut macaroons remind me of being a kid, and my first 12 years of life in the lovely state of Michigan. Every time we ventured into Detroit's historic Greektown, a trip to the Astoria Bakery was a must after dinner. And without fail, I always came home with a giant coconut macaroon of my own. This was qyite easily one of my favorite treats of all time. I love, love love anything coconut! I had some extra egg whites left from a batch of gelato and I knew they needed to be whipped up into some coconutty goodness. 

Just in time for Easter, here's a simple coconut macaroon recipe to add to your files. I made half of this batch plain and the other half with chocolate chips. Next time, I'm going to drizzle some extra dark chocolate atop each cookie. And can you imagine how adorable these would be made into bite sized coconut easter nests with a few jelly beans in the center!?

These macaroons are just a good little cookie. Simple and sweet.

Coconut Macaroons

recipe adapted from Martha Stewart

3/4 cup sugar

2.5 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

2 egg whites, room temperature

1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Pinch of salt

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients and mix together with your hands. 

Form mounds, about 1.5 tablespoons each, and place on baking sheet about 1 inch apart. 

Bake for 15-17 minutes, rotating halfway through, until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Coconut Oil Hair Treatment

Coconut oil and I are having a moment right now. I have been using it more in the kitchen and a jar of it now sits in my bathroom cupboard! It's great for dry hands, chapped lips and my itchy, quickly growing baby belly. Now to add to the list? Hair.

Right next to pre-natal vitamins, coconut oil is the best thing that has happened to my hair. Dare I say, better than last year's obsession with guacamole hair. Peace out, avocado. This simple treatment has been floating around the interwebs recently and after my sister raved about the results, I decided to treat my hair myself! With all of the blow-drying, straightening and curling I put my hair through, it's good to give it some extra TLC.

While washing the oil out of my hair, I was worried I would be left with a greasy mess, but as soon as I started blow-drying, I was happily proved wrong. My hair was left feeling smooth, thick and incredibly healthy.

The tutorial I used can be found HERE. 

Coconut Shrimp with Sweet Grapefruit-Ginger-Honey Dipping Sauce

This is one of those meals in which I assessed what we had on hand, and created it on the spot. I enjoy kitchen challenges like this that force me to think quickly, and use up what we have. Plus, a Saturday night in sounded great to us. Coconut and shrimp is always a match made in heaven and a sweet dipping sauce sounded like the perfect finishing touch. Everything came together beautifully (in under an hour!) and I've already added this to our mile long dinner rotation.

Coconut Shrimp

1 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined

1 cup unsweetened almond milk (milk, buttermilk, whatever you have in hand)

2 eggs, beaten

1.5 cups raw, shredded, unsweetened coconut

1 Tbsp. Creole seasoning (Emeril's Essence is my favorite)

Soak peeled shrimp in 1 cup of milk for 15-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat 2 eggs in a medium sized mixing bowl, mix coconut together with creole seasoning and set up a dipping station. Transfer shrimp to egg bowl. Take a few shrimp at a time and coat in coconut. Place on a baking sheet, lined with parchment paper. Bake for 20 minutes, or until nice and crispy.

Sweet Grapefruit-Ginger-Honey Dipping Sauce

1/4 cup honey

Fresh lemon zest (about 1/2 lemon)

1 Tbsp. fresh grated ginger

1/2 fresh grapefruit, juiced

1/2 fresh lemon, juiced

Whisk up and use for dipping. This would also be an excellent salad dressing.