Pecan & Date Granola

This easy-to-make, homemade Pecan & Date Granola is brimming with toasted golden oats, crunchy pecans, & sweet dates...

Can we talk about raisins for just a quick second? In general, I don't like them. I mean, they have their place in the culinary world, but for me that wouldn't be straight from the box. Or baked into any kind of bread or bagel (oatmeal cookies though are a-okay with me ;) ). Or as part of a trail mix (I always pick around them). And especially not in my granola!

Do you know how difficult it can be to find a box of store bought granola that does not have raisins in it?? Nearly impossible. Believe me- I have tried. 

If you have an aversion to raisins in your morning granola like I do, then you are going to love the recipe that I am sharing with you all today! This homemade Pecan & Date Granola is brimming with toasted golden oats, crunchy pecans, & sweet dates.... and absolutely no raisins whatsoever! ;)

Mounds of Almond Joy Granola

I think it is pretty well known by now that I absolutely adore a good homemade granola.  I love that you can make it at home for a fraction of what you would pay for that little box of granola at the grocery store.  I love that I can control exactly what is in my granola.  I am not a fan of raisins in my granola.  And it seems like just about every store bought version has raisins.  So, now I make it at home... sans the raisins. ;)

It is also no secret that I am pretty much obsessed with the Budget Bytes blog. (Think tasty recipes... all budget friendly.)

So when I came across this recipe for Choco-Coconut Granola on the Budget Bytes blog, I knew I had to do my own little spin on it. :)  If you are like me and wish that you could get an Almond Joy in the dark chocolate that covers a Mounds, then you will love this granola recipe.   And this granola is definitely healthier (and just as good, if you ask me) as the candy bars it was named after.

What you will need:

2 cups of old fashioned oats

2/3 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup chopped almonds

3 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp honey

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp cocoa powder

2 tbsp water

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp coconut extract (or you could skip the vanilla & add an entire tsp of coconut extract)

1/2 cup mini semi sweet or dark chocolate chips (optional)

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.  Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  Usually coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so you will need to melt it first.  

Once melted, add the honey, brown sugar, salt, cocoa powder, and water to the saucepan.  Continue to heat and stir over medium heat until the sugar is completely melted.

Remove from the heat and stir in your extract(s).

In large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut, and almonds.  Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the oat mixture and stir well.

Spoon the wet granola mixture onto the lined baking sheet and spread out in an even layer.  You will bake the granola for 40-45 minutes, stirring the granola about halfway through.  If you prefer big clusters of granola, press the mixture down firmly with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon after you have completed the halfway stir during baking.

Once the granola is done baking, allow it to cool on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes.  Then gently lift the parchment paper from the baking sheet and onto your counter and allow it to cool completely.

Once cooled, you can break up the granola into chunks of your liking and transfer to a large bowl.  Pour in your chocolate chips and then stir to evenly distribute them.  

You can store the granola in an airtight container for up to a month.  I like to use a couple of glass mason jars for this and leave them sitting pretty out on my counter. :)

What candy bar (or bars) would you like to see transformed into a healthier granola? 

Mounds of Almond Joy Granola

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 40-45 minutes

6042666

Ingredients (Approx 6-8 servings)

• 2 cups of old fashioned oats
• 2/3 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup chopped almonds
• 3 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp cocoa powder
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp coconut extract (or you could skip the vanilla & add an entire tsp of coconut extract)
• 1/2 cup mini semi sweet or dark chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat. Usually coconut oil is solid at room temperature, so you will need to melt it first.

Once melted, add the honey, brown sugar, salt, cocoa powder, and water to the saucepan. Continue to heat and stir over medium heat until the sugar is completely melted.

Remove from the heat and stir in your extract(s).

In large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut, and almonds. Pour the warm chocolate mixture over the oat mixture and stir well.

Spoon the wet granola mixture onto the lined baking sheet and spread out in an even layer. You will bake the granola for 40-45 minutes, stirring the granola about halfway through. If you prefer big clusters of granola, press the mixture down firmly with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon after you have completed the halfway stir during baking.

Once the granola is done baking, allow it to cool on the baking sheet for about 20 minutes. Then gently lift the parchment paper from the baking sheet and onto your counter and allow it to cool completely.

Once cooled, you can break up the granola into chunks of your liking and transfer to a large bowl. Pour in your chocolate chips and then stir to evenly distribute them.

You can store the granola in an airtight container for up to a month.

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Chocolate Strawberry Skillet Granola

Studded with sweet dried strawberries & mini chocolate chips, this easy to make Chocolate Strawberry Skillet Granola only tastes like a decadent treat... 

I am a BIG fan of the chocolate and fruit combos for Valentine's Day (or any day really ;) ). Cherries with chocolate? YES! Strawberries and chocolate? Heck yeah! 

Chocolate covered strawberries are just synonymous with Valentine's Day, am I right? So I decided to take a cue from this popular sweet treat for this time of year and transform it into a tasty & healthy granola perfect for pouring milk over, serving over top of your favorite yogurt, or for putting into pretty glass jars for easy gift giving. 

Typically I bake my homemade granola, but for this Chocolate Strawberry Skillet Granola I broke out my trusty cast iron skillet. I have been wanting to try and make a skillet granola for a while now. 

The cook time for a skillet toasted granola is about 1/3 of the usual baking time for granola. And the results? Whoa! I was not disappointed in the slightest with this skillet granola. :)

Studded with sweet dried strawberries & mini chocolate chips, this easy to make Chocolate Strawberry Skillet Granola only tastes like a decadent treat... 

Cherry Almond Granola {The Leftovers Club}

It is the first Thursday of the month, and you all know what that means, right? Yep, time for The Leftovers Club big reveals.  This month I was paired up with Danielle from Dining With Dani.  I decided to send her a jar of my homemade Cherry Almond Granola.  My original inspiration for this recipe was the Cherry Almond Granola I used to buy from Trader Joe's when I lived in the big city.  I used to love it and haven't had it in quite some time, so I decided to try and recreate it in my kitchen.  I would say it turned out pretty successful. ;)

What you will need:

2 cups of old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup shredded coconut

1/2 cup of chopped or sliced almonds

2 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

4 tbsp coconut oil

1/2 cup of maple or pancake syrup

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp almond extract

1/2 cup dried cherries

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

In large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.  Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil (sometimes it is solid at cooler temperatures) and the maple syrup together over medium heat.  Mix and heat until the coconut oil is melted.  This should only take a few minutes.

Remove from the heat and mix in the extracts.

Pour the liquid mixture over the oats mixture and mix until evenly coated.  

Spread your granola mixture evenly over your prepared baking sheet.  Bake for 30 minutes, stirring & flipping the mixture after 15 minutes.  

Allow the granola to cool completely before removing from the baking sheet.

Once cooled, transfer the granola to a large bowl and then mix in the dried cherries.

Store your Cherry Almond Granola is an airtight container for up to a month.  I prefer to use mason jars for storing and gifting my granola.  

Look, I even got all crafty and used washi tape and baker's twine to pretty up the jar that I sent to Danielle. ;)

Serve this granola over your favorite yogurt or pour milk over it and have it in the morning.  (Or be like me and snack on it while you are waiting for it to cool completely...)

Cherry Almond Granola

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

6048283

Ingredients (6-8 servings)

• 2 cups of old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 1/2 cup of chopped or sliced almonds
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/2 cup of maple or pancake syrup
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/4 tsp almond extract
• 1/2 cup dried cherries

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

In large bowl, mix together the oats, coconut, almonds, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil (sometimes it is solid at cooler temperatures) and the maple syrup together over medium heat. Mix and cook until the coconut oil is melted. This should only take a few minutes.

Mix in the extracts.

Pour the liquid mixture over the oats mixture and mix until evenly coated.

Spread your granola mixture evenly over your prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, stirring & flipping the mixture after 15 minutes.

Allow the granola to cool completely before removing from the baking sheet.

Once cooled, transfer the granola to a large bowl and then mix in the dried cherries.

Store your Cherry Almond Granola is an airtight container for up to a month. I prefer to use mason jars for storing and gifting my granola.

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Be sure to check out all the other recipes in The Leftovers Club below!  You will find tons of tasty treats that also travel well. ;)

Cookie Butter Walnut Granola

If you happen to follow me on Facebook or Twitter, then you may have noticed my recent obsession with cookie butter.  For months I kept hearing about this new foodie must-have, but was unable to pick up a jar because I couldn't find it at any of my local stores.  Luckily, I have a sister who travels to Columbus at least once a month and always stops at a Trader Joe's there while she is in town.  On one of her visits a few months ago, I asked her to pick me up a jar of their crunchy cookie butter and that was all she wrote, folks...

Obsessed may be a mild way to express my love for this stuff. ;) I love to just spoon some out into a small bowl and dip pretzels in it.  It is delicious spread over waffles.  Or you can do like I do about once a day and just eat a spoonful out of it straight out of the jar.

I know some of you may be wondering just what is cookie butter.  The best way I can describe it has the consistency of a peanut butter, but with the flavors of a graham cracker, shortbread, and cinnamon and spices.  Yum!

Once I got past my need to eat it straight from the jar, I started to experiment with it a little in some recipes.  One of the first things I made with it is my ~Cookie Butter Walnut Granola~...

What you will need:

2 cups of rolled oats

2/3 cup chopped walnuts (pecans would also be delicious in this)

1/2 cup shredded coconut

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tbsp honey

1/2 cup cookie butter (crunchy or smooth)

4 tbsp coconut oil

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.  Set aside.

In large bowl, mix together the oats, walnuts, and coconut.  Set aside.

Heat the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Once melted, still in the brown sugar, honey, salt, and cookie butter.  Heat and stir together for 1-2 minutes.  

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the heated mixture over the oats mixture.  Mix well until the oats, walnuts, and coconut are well coated.

Spread the granola mixture evenly onto your prepared baking sheet.  Bake for about 40-45 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes or so.

Allow the granola to cool completely and then break into spoon-sized pieces.  Store in an airtight container for up to a month. (I like to store mine in pretty glass Mason jars on my counter. ;) )

Have you tried cookie butter yet?  Am I the only one in need of an intervention here? ;)

Cookie Butter Walnut Granola

by Frugal Foodie Mama

Prep Time: 12 minutes

Cook Time: 40-45 minutes

6045501

Ingredients (6-8 servings)

• 2 cups of rolled oats
• 2/3 cup chopped walnuts (pecans would also be delicious in this)
• 1/2 cup shredded coconut
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup cookie butter (crunchy or smooth)
• 4 tbsp coconut oil
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside.

In large bowl, mix together the oats, walnuts, and coconut. Set aside.

Heat the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, still in the brown sugar, honey, salt, and cookie butter. Heat and stir together for 1-2 minutes.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour the heated mixture over the oats mixture. Mix well until the oats, walnuts, and coconut are well coated.

Spread the granola mixture evenly onto your prepared baking sheet. Baking for about 40-45 minutes, stir every 15 minutes or so.

Allow to cool and then break into spoon-sized pieces. Store in an airtight container for up to a month.

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Love making your own homemade granola?  Be sure you also check out my recipes for...

Mounds of Almond Joy Granola

Gingerbread Pecan Granola

                 

Gingerbread Pecan Granola

Lately I have been a little obsessed with making my own granola.  Since I have discovered how super simple it is to make (and to tailor to my tastes exactly), I am making a new batch just about every week now.  

One of my favorite holiday flavors is gingerbread.  Gingerbread men.  Thick, soft gingerbread cake.  So why not gingerbread granola?  I added buttery pecans for a little extra crunch.

What you will need:

2 cups of rolled oats

2/3 cup of chopped pecans

2 tbsp brown sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp ginger

1/4 tsp cloves

1/4 tsp salt

4 tbsp coconut oil

1/4 cup molasses

1 tsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

In large bowl, mix together the oats, pecans, sugar, and all the spices.  Set aside.

In a small saucepan, heat the coconut oil over medium heat.  (Often times coconut oil is solid during the colder months & needs to be melted to use.)  Once the oil is melted, add the molasses and mix.  Heat for 1 minute.  Remove from the heat and add the vanilla.  

Pour the liquid mixture over the oats mixture and mix well to combine.  Spread the granola mixture evenly over the parchment paper.  

Bake at 300 degrees for about 30 minutes, taking the granola out and stirring it about every 10 minutes.

Once baked, let it cool completely on the baking sheet.  Break it up into smaller pieces, and then store in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

A bowl of this Gingerbread Pecan Granola is perfect any winter morning! 

Granola also makes a fabulous foodie gift for the holidays.  Just pour it into pretty jars and tie a ribbon around the lid!  :)

Have you made homemade granola before?  What is your favorite flavor combination to make?

Tropical Paradise Granola Clusters

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Sunsweet Growers for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

Need a mini escape to the tropics now? You can't go wrong with these crunchy Tropical Paradise Granola Clusters infused with sweet tropical flavors... 

It has been in the single digits & teens around here this week, and these cold, frigid January temps have me daydreaming of a tropical paradise escape. I mean, it has been so cold that it literally makes my face hurt. And to quote that popular meme, "Why am I living where the air hurts my face?" It could be worse... I could be living in Fargo, or in Buffalo bracing for lake effect snow, or even the Arctic, right? ;) So, I will just bundle up, bake up some tropical paradise inspired granola clusters, and dream that I am enjoying a big bowl of these while swinging in a hammock on a white sand beach.

These Tropical Paradise Granola Clusters are so simple & easy to make with a little help from the new Sunsweet Philippine Tropicals flavors- Philippine Green Mango & Thai Coconut Chip. And for good measure, I added in some of their dried Philippine Pineapple to the mix. ;) Sunsweet does want to help you Find Your Paradise with an amazing sweepstakes to win a tropical paradise getaway (more on that at the end of this post.) But if you happen to be stuck in the bitter cold of winter (like me) and need a mini escape to the tropics now, you can't go wrong with these crunchy granola clusters infused with sweet tropical flavors...

ALDI Compare & Share {May Edition}

**This post is in no way, shape, or form sponsored by ALDI.  The opinions below are expressly my own, and I was not compensated for this post in any form.  ALDI is not responsible for the content in this post.

There was a discussion not so long ago on my Facebook page about the quality of ALDI's products and how they did or did not stack up to their name brand counterparts.  This got me thinking of what an absolutely fantastic monthly blog series this could be!  (If you happened to miss my first post in the series- April's Edition- just CLICK HERE to get all caught up. ;) )

I will say in the past month or so I have really been expanding what products we have been trying from ALDI.  I would estimate that I am now purchasing about 80% of our weekly groceries from there at this point.  And it is saving us TONS on our grocery budget! 

I will be using a neat little 1 to 10 rating scale for this.  If an item receives a 1, it wasn't even close to the name brand product & we won't be buying it again.  If it gets a 10, that means we couldn't even tell a difference & we will definitely be buying it again.  A 5 warrants a take it or leave it kind of response.  You know, like a meh. ;)  I had myself, my husband (P), and my son (J) rate each item where applicable.

So let's get started on some of the new things we have tried this past month...

L'oven Fresh Whole Grain White Bread, $1.69 a loaf - 4

Honestly, we just found this bread to be weird.  The slices were oddly smaller than a regular loaf of bread.  We prefer to stick with the L'oven Split Top Wheat Bread.  This was the first and the last loaf of the Whole Grain White Bread that I have bought from ALDI.

Millville Cocoa Rice Cereal, $1.79 for 11 oz - 6

My son is the only one in the house who eats this cereal, so this is based on his rating alone. He said that there isn't a huge difference in taste between the Millvale Cocoa Rice Cereal and it's name brand counterpart.  We will definitely be buying these again.

Benton's Everyday Vanilla Wafers, $1.49 for a 12 oz box - 10

Me- 10

P- 10

Yep.  ALDI's vanilla wafers received a perfect 10 from us.  We even think that these are better the big name ones. ;)

Peanut Delight Natural Creamy Peanut Butter, $1.99 for a 16 oz jar - 6.5

Me- 6

P- 7

This was actually better than we had expected, but we do prefer the big name brands better.  This is a very nice natural peanut butter choice though- no need to stir and no pool of oil at the top of the jar every time we opened it.

L'oven Fresh English Muffins, 99 cents for 6 muffins - 10

Me- 10

P- 10

Yeah... we pretty much love these.  We found them to be better than the brand name ones.  They were fluffy and fresh.  I pretty much pick up a pack of these every week at ALDI now.

Berryhill Chocolate Flavored Syrup, $1.39 for a 24 oz bottle - 6

My son is a chocolate milk fiend, so he has been the one primarily using the chocolate syrup in our house.  He says this is pretty good.  I actually kind of think that J is a little stingy with his ratings, but that is just my opinion. ;)

Millville Chewy Chocolate Chip Granola Bars, $1.69 for 10 granola bars - 6

Me- 5

P- 7

These were alright.  They definitely did not taste as good as the big name chewy granola bars.  But the texture was about the same.  We could take or leave these.

Savortiz Orginal Woven Wheat Baked Crackers, $1.25 for a 9.5 oz box - 10

Me- 10

P- 10

Again, an unanimous perfect 10.  We perceived NO difference between these crackers and the brand name ones.  None at all.  We will definitely be putting these on the regular snack rotation.

So, what did you think?  Have you and your family tried any of these products as well?  What would you have rated them?

*This is the second post in a new monthly blog series I have started.  Be sure to check back here the first Tuesday of each month for a new ALDI Compare & Share Post from me.

A Fresh Start for the School Year With Box Tops For Education & Food Lion®

It seems like every single year after my oldest's holiday break, it is a slight struggle to get him back into school mode. After almost two weeks off from the daily school grind, I get it. I feel the same after we return home from a week at the beach in the summer.  

But the return to school once the New Year has arrived is also an opportunity for a fresh start for the rest of the school year.  Given the right tools and motivation, it is a chance for him to start off the second half of his school year on the right foot and with a better mindset. 

Box Tops for Education® and Food Lion® understand this struggle, and this year they want to help our schools start off on the right (and properly equipped) foot as well this month. That is why between 1/7/15 - 1/13/15 you can get 20 Bonus Box Tops® ($2.00 value to BTFE eligible school) when you buy ANY 5 participating General Mills® products in a single shopping visit using your personal MVP Food Lion® card AND be automatically entered for a chance to win 100,000 Bonus Box Tops ($10,000 value to BTFE eligible school).

And purchasing participating General Mills® products from your local Food Lion® can not only help you earn more Box Tops for Education® for your child's school, but you can also help you get creative with the after school snacks for the kiddos. I gathered up a few of my favorites to share with you all...