Granola

My absolute top choice for wholesome, crunchy, real-food granola!

2 egg whites
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp pure almond or coconut extract
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup pumpkin puree

1/2 cup unsweetened coconut
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (can replace or supplement with chopped almonds)
6 cups organic oatmeal

1. Preheat oven to 325.
2. In a large bowl, froth the egg whites. Add extracts, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin puree. Stir thoroughly.
3. Add coconut, nuts and oatmeal. Stir to combine.
4. Bake granola on a seasoned stoneware bar pan until browned, about 45-50 minutes. Remove from oven to thoroughly stir and rotate every 20 minutes, clumping into small clusters, as desired. Granola will crispen as it cools. Let cool then store in a sealed container.

Coffee Hour Cake

Berry COFFEE CAKE

Cake:

 2 c. flour (whole wheat blend is better, plus ground flax seeds)

1 c. sugar (organic coconut sugar, or maple syrup crystals)

1 Tbsp. baking powder

3/4 tsp. salt

1/2 c. butter (coconut oil works well too)

1 c. milk

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

 2 c. strawberry pie filling (too sweet), drained or any frozen or fresh berry

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 13 X 9 pan.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder &salt in large bowl.

With pastry blender, cut in butter to coarse crumbs.

Make a well in the center. Add milk, eggs & vanilla. Stir until moistened.

Fold in frozen blueberries. Spread batter in pan. Top with topping below.

Topping:

1/3 c. packed brown sugar

1/3 c. sugar

2 tsp. cinnamon

1/2 c. finely chopped walnuts

2 Tbsp. melted butter (coconut oil)

Combine above topping ingredients until blended. Sprinkle evenly over batter in

pan. Bake 40-45 minutes until toothpick inserted comes out clean.

This cake is even better the next day! Very moist! Hope you all enjoy it!

Sangria

Holiday Sangria

A festive adult beverage perfect for the holidays. Makes a perfect hostess gift too! Inspired and adapted from FoodandWine.com

Ingredients

• For the spiced simple syrup:
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup sugar
• 2-3 cinnamon sticks
• sliced orange peel (orange part only)
• 1 inch piece of peeled fresh ginger
• 1 tsp whole cloves
• 1/2 tsp whole peppercorns
• For the sangria
• 1 750ml bottle red wine (merlot or cabernet)
• 1/3 cup simple syrup
• juice from 1 orange
• 1/4 cup rum or brandy
• 1/4 cup orange flavored liquor (triple sec, Cointreu, Grand Marnier)
• sliced oranges, chopped apples (red and green), chopped pears
• frozen blackberries for serving

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, combine water, sugar, cinnamon sticks, orange peel, ginger, cloves and peppercorns and bring to a boil. Continue to simmer while stirring and dissolving sugar. Boil until reduced a bit and slightly syrupy, about 15 minutes. Let simple syrup cool, strain and store in a glass jar in refrigerator. (You can use syrup for sangria or to sweeten tea, or sparkling water.)
2. To make sangria: In a large pitcher combine all ingredients. Let refrigerate for at least 4 hours or overnight for best flavor.

Notes

Tip: Great to bring to any holiday party! Save your empty wine bottles and corks (or purchase cute corks) to use as a container for transporting the sangria. Chop the fruit small enough to fit into the bottles and use a funnel to pour sangria into wine bottle. Makes a great hostess gift!

http://aggieskitchen.com/2010/12/03/holiday-sangria/