Monthly Archives: August 2012

Granola Coins

Posted in Vegan Baking by

These granola coins are so easy to make and are so handy to have in the house.  I throw them into my purse in case I need a snack on the go.  I found a recipe in Today’s Parent but had to change it up to suit my vegan needs. The original recipe called for eggs so I use flaxmeal in my recipe. I also added shredded coconut to my recipe as well because I think it add’s incredible flavor and texture to the coins.  Another change to the original recipe is that I added cinnamon too! We LOVE cinnamon! Making this recipe really got me thinking about other combinations I can make as well. I will be trying out some different ideas before my kids head back to school.  Sadly summer holidays are almost over. I’m starting to think of new easy to make snacks that the kids would be able to take to school. I think that these granola coins would be a great snack to throw into their lunch boxes! They are super yummy and very healthy for them too!

Granola Coins

*You will need a muffin tin for this recipe*

  • 3   TBSP  Flaxmeal
  • 7-8 TBSP Water
  • 1 TBSP Vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 1 cup oats
  • 2 TBSP Pumpkin seeds
  • 1 TBSP Sesame seeds
  • 2 TBSP Shredded coconut
  • 1/4 cup dried cranberries
  • 1/4 cup 100% pure Maple syrup
  • Cinnamon to taste … I add at least 1 teaspoon to mine 🙂
  1. In a small bowl add the 3 TBSP of Flaxmeal with 7-8 TBSP of water. Add 7 and if it’s still a tad dry add more water. Mix well and let sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C).
  3. In a medium bowl add maple syrup and oil. Mix.  
  4. Stir in the oats, pumpkin seeds, cranberries and sesame seeds, cinnamon, shredded coconut and add the flaxmeal.  Give it a good mix.
  5. Coat your muffin tin with coconut or veggie oil
  6. Add the granola mixture into the muffin tin, dividing it equally.
  7. Use the back of a teaspoon to press the mixture firmly down into the muffin cup.
  8. Bake at 35o F  for about 12 minutes
  9. Let the coins stay in the muffin cups for at least 5 minutes after taking them out of the oven. This will let the shape fully set.
  10. Transfer to a storage container

* Makes 12 granola coins *

Smashed Slow Cooker Beans

Posted in Lunch/Dinner by

I really like using my slow cooker to make many different types of beans and they always turn out great! For this recipe I used black beans which happen to be my favourite type of bean. I prefer using dry beans and I soak them over night in water so I can use the next day. If I don’t get around to soaking them then I just grab a can of beans and make do. If using canned beans be sure to rinse them very well! I throw them into the slow cooker and add lots of healthy garlic , olive oil and spices. The canned beans cook up faster than the soaked dry type. Every slow cooker is slightly different and some of the newer types have many different settings. I find in mine the canned are ready in 4-5 hours on High. The soaked type will take a bit longer at about 6 hours on High. I sometimes like to “smash” my beans up when I want to make bean burritos. I will add the bean spread to my tortilla wrap, veggies and even some brown rice sometimes. I also use any left over beans as a dip for my crackers. I also like to cut up tortilla wraps into triangles and place them on a baking sheet. Then brush on a touch of olive oil on them and pop them into the oven at 350 F. Bake for about 10 minutes or until crisp and browned. I then use these tortilla chips to go with the left over black bean mixture. Yum! I think that is a great snack idea to throw together fast and the best part is it’s HEALTHY!

 

Smashed Slow Cooker Beans 

 

You will need:

  • 1 can of black beans or equivalent in dry and soak them in water over night
  • Fresh Garlic (As much as you like but I use about 6 cloves in mine)
  • 2-3 Tbsp of olive oil
  • Spices of choice (I use paprika, Himalayan salt, black pepper, chili powder, dry oregano and a touch of cayenne pepper)
  • 1/2 cup -3/4 cup Vegetable broth (add a bit more or add water if it starts to dry up too much during the cooking process)
  • 1/2 onion diced very finely (Optional) or add some onion powder along with the other spices
  • A little bunch of Fresh parsley and Thyme 
  • Any veggies you have on hand (I use diced tomatoes or I cut cherry tomatoes from my garden in half, bell peppers cut up in strips and lettuce or mixed greens)
  • A potato masher

 

  1. Add beans to slow cooker with a couple tbsp of olive oil and spices and optional onion if desired
  2. Add garlic and vegetable broth
  3. Add fresh herbs
  4. Cook for approx. 4-5 hours on the high temp setting, longer if using soaked type of beans
  5. Once the beans are cooked turn off your slow cooker and use your potato masher to “smash” the black beans up
  6. Spread the black bean mixture onto a soft tortilla wrapper and add any vegetables you have on hand. Roll it up and ENJOY!