Nutty Granola and Oatmeal Cookies: Similar Ingredients...Completely Different Results

"Yeah, yeah...I know...I've heard this speech before," my daughter said to me in a tone dripping with teenager attitude. Frustrated I fired back at her, "And that's exactly the kind of attitude that won't help out your cause." She pursed her lips and rolled her eyes. I left the room and headed toward the stairs.


Passing by the living room, I caught a glimpse of the 5-year-old standing erect with his arms at his side, hands clenched. His older brother was sitting nearby with a glimmer in his eye and a smirk on his face. A Zhu Zhu Babies commercial was playing on the television. This didn't look good. At the top of his lungs the 5-year-old screamed at his brother, "Just stop it! Just stop it you stupid-head!" stuck out his tongue and then pushed past me to run up the stairs. The 11-year-old couldn't help but break into a full smile at that point. With feigned innocence he turned to me and said, "What?"


I gave him "the look" and continued up the stairs. Tired. Out of "parenting" ideas. And wondering "Who are these children?"

I plopped down on my bed and went through the actions I'd taken over the past few months to try to guide my children into better, more respectful, more responsible behavior. The reminder signs. The consequences. The reasoning. But really...nothing seemed to be working all that great.


Reluctantly, I reached over and pulled the book off my nightstand. I didn't want to do it. Hadn't I already read enough parenting books? But, I admitted to myself, I needed some fresh thoughts on the matter.

As I flipped through the pages, little nuggets of wisdom seemed to call out to me.


"They are growing up but they are not grown-up."


"Don't take your child's behavior personally."


"Be curious enough to try to understand your child's point of view."


"You may give them your love but not your thoughts, for they have their own thoughts."


And then I came across a sentence. A simple sentence but one that made me slam the book shut. To sigh and shake my head. To realize that a bit of the truth was staring me right in the face.


"Sometimes you get the best results by forgetting about the behavior and focusing on the relationship."

Wasn't it true that I'd been spending an inordinate amount of time on my stuff? My writing. My photographs. My appointments. My projects around the house. My incessant need to cook...stuff.


Oh, yeah, I had been putting up my responsibility reminder lists, making sure they got their hour of weeding in on the weekends, their homework done, their beds made, dishes done...but had I really been spending any time with them? Focused time?


I'd even caught myself recently thinking, "I really should take my little guy to the playground." But I didn't.

Knowing that the kiddos were out of school on Monday, I made a promise to myself. I would take them to do something fun. Something they would really like. And I would just enjoy each one of them. Their company. I would put aside all thoughts of "To Dos" and "Goals."


So, I put all of my chickens in the car and we headed downtown for a movie. And not just any movie. But the "Justin Bieber: Never Say Never" movie in 3D. (Let it be known that this was not the first choice of the 11-year-old. But he was a very good sport.) As I looked down the row at my three chickens with their glasses on, the 5-year-old munching away on his popcorn and everyone smiling, I couldn't help but smile myself. Later, we putzed around. Chatted. No real agenda except to be back in time for dinner.

That evening I learned that the 5-year-old had changed his name to Justin after discovering that he could "swish" his hair like his namesake. This is the type of situation that would normally set-off a litany of taunting and teasing by his older brother. But not this time. Instead, I found him kindly combing his little brother's hair into the proper swish, helping him put on a "Justin Bieber outfit" and then, leading him downstairs to pound away on our old, beat-up drum set.

And that night, instead of giving my daughter the rushed, "Good night," I laid down on her bed. With her. And we talked. She talked. Late into the evening. She covered all manner of subjects. Homework. Friends. All those stresses of middle school. And when I finally got up to go, she said to me, "Mom....?"


"Yes?"


"Thanks for today."


"You are so welcome."

So this morning, as snowflakes gently fall out my window, I mix up my oats, my cinnamon, my almonds. Individual ingredients that will eventually make-up a whole finished product. A batch of homemade granola. Or perhaps oatmeal cookies. Similar ingredients that produce uniquely different results. And I think to myself, "It's hard, isn't it? This delicate balancing act. Trying to figure out when to focus on teaching responsibility and respect and an entire encyclopedia of other attributes to our children and when...to let go of all of that and simply enjoy them. As people."


(Sigh....)






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Nutty Granola and Oatmeal Cookies: Similar Ingredients...Completely Different Results


Okay, this week, you're getting two recipes....you lucky people you. The first is a batch of homemade granola. I tossed in a little of this and a little of that...which is the beauty of granola...and "Voila!" delicious. So, if you don't have all of the ingredients, no biggie. Use what you have. Then, I got crazy and took that homemade granola and put it into oatmeal cookies. (Don't tell the Rooster though. He recently asked me for a batch of oatmeal cookies but said, "Nothing crazy. No crazy ingredients. Just a plain oatmeal cookie." I can't help myself.) Both are the perfect antidote for a pensive, snowy day.






A Nutty Homemade Granola


Delicious plain, on yogurt, with milk, sprinkled over ice cream. And as a side note, I tend to have a lot of different nuts around. (I mean the ingredient, not my children.) I buy them in bulk and store them in the freezer where they keep beautifully for months and months.


Ingredients:


3 c old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick cooking)
1 c raisins
1/2 c unsweetened, shredded coconut
1/2 c pecan pieces
1/2 c walnut pieces
1/2 c almonds, chopped or not, your choice
2 tbsp golden flax seed
1 tbsp wheat germ

1 tbsp brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c pure maple syrup
2 tbsp olive oil


Directions:


Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Either grease a cookie sheet or line it with parchment paper and set aside.


In a large bowl, mix together your dry ingredients: oats, raisins, coconut, pecans, walnuts, almonds, flax seed, wheat germ, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt. Then add in your maple syrup and olive oil. Stir until mixture is evenly coated with syrup and oil.


Pour out onto cookie sheet and spread evenly. Bake in oven for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through baking time. Allow to cook a bit and then, start snacking. Once cooled completely, store in an air-tight container. Enjoy.....


Yield: 5 cups or so






Crunchy Granola Oatmeal Cookies
Inspired by Mrs. King's Irresistibles in Rose's Christmas Cookies


Obviously, I used the homemade granola I had made at home but you can use store-bought granola. Just make sure it's unsweetened or lightly-sweetened or it will be too sugary. If your granola does not have any nuts in it, you might want to consider decreasing the granola amount to 1 1/2  cups and adding in 1 cup of your favorite toasted nuts...walnuts, pecans, almonds.




Ingredients:


2 c homemade granola *see note above
1 c old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 c semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 2/3 c all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 c brown sugar, firmly packed
3/4 c granulated sugar
1 c unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract




Directions:


Preheat oven to 375 degrees.


Into a small bowl, pour in your flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk together well. Set aside.


In a mixing bowl, beat your sugars until well blended. Add in your butter and beat until smooth and creamy. Scraping down the sides. Beat in your eggs and vanilla until well incorporated. At low speed, add your flour mixture and mix just until combined. With a wooden spoon or spatula, gently fold in your granola, oats and chocolate chips just until evenly distributed in the dough.


Drop the dough by large, rounded tablespoons onto ungreased cookie sheets, 1-2 inches apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes or just until the tops are turning light brown. (Better to underbake than overbake.)


Cool for a few minutes on the cookie sheet, then, transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool completely.


Can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a few weeks or in the freezer for several months.


Enjoy.....


Yield: About 3 dozen








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Thank you, thank you, my dear friends!


I can hardly believe it but this post marks my 99th. Holy Catfish, is all I can say!! Holy Catfish and thank you! Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for reading my musings (especially when I get a little long-winded.) For trying out my recipes. For kindly viewing my photographs. For buying my calendars. For thoughtfully letting me know when something I wrote made you laugh or cry. When you thought a photograph was "extra-purdy." Or a recipe extra-scrumptious.


I must do something extra-special for the 100th post. You deserve it. I deserve it. But what?


xoxo
Carrie






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A Quick Note


Just in case you were curious...my all time favorite parenting books are from the Positive Discipline series. A dear friend of mine who is a teacher turned me on to them when my eldest was still a baby. Of course, as with any type of advice book, I don't necessarily agree with everything the author has to say...but definitely with most of it. I just recently bought the Positive Discipline for Teenagers. So telling....eh?  The author uses the word "discipline" in its true sense and that is, "to teach." And really, as parents, that's what we are...teachers. Right? Well, sometimes I'm a pack mule too, but that's a different story.






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AM Northwest


Stopped by AM Northwest last week to mix up a pot of Hearty Lentil Soup with Helen and Dave. Was a hoot, as always.







If a video screen does not appear above this line, click here to be taken directly to the site.
















All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

A Modest Little Almond and Cherry Cake

There are days, afternoons, evenings when I simply want all of my chickens and the rooster home...but I want to be left alone. 


No extraneous chicken friends. Just the 5 of us. Here in our coop.


And I don't want to play Candy Land. And I don't want to have Family Movie Night. I don't want to sit around the kitchen table and have a meaningful conversation.


I just want to do "my thing." Alone.


And at this moment, I'm not concerned with the amount of TV they've watched this week or how many video games they've played. Whether or not they've had enough fresh air or eaten enough servings of fruits and vegetables. 


I just want them to be occupied. Quietly. Without needing me.


And, I want to be able to unwrap my new kitchen wall clock. The one I finally decided upon after years...yes, years....of contemplating this purchase. And I want to unwrap it, brush it off and hang it without any "help". Just me and the clock.

And I want to happily enter "To Dos" into my recent discovery. That discovery being Things. A "To Do List Lover's" nirvana. And I want to do this with out any video game sound effects or 30-sec blips of music coming from the computer next to me.


And I want to step out the front door without having to watch for bikes and scooters and take note that while the rest of the country is under a blanket of snow, here, it's beginning to look like spring. I want to notice the green shoots that will grow into daffodils pushing their way up through the ground. I want to breath in the faint perfume in the air. And admire the rhodies with their first blush of pink.

And I want to bake a cake. A simple cake. With cherries and almonds. Not one with a lot of pomp and circumstance. 


(Although, if I were looking for a chocolate cake that was the most incredible tasting cake I had ever tasted and came with plenty of pomp and circumstance...well, then I wouldn't make a cake. I would order one up from talented Mary over at Sweet Ambrosia. And no, she didn't pay me to say that, but I'm sayin' it because it is 100% true.) 


But since I just want a simple cake. One to go with a cup of tea or a piping hot cup of coffee. I'll make it myself. And I want to be left alone. To listen to my music. Over and over again. And get lost in my thoughts as I mix and stir.


But, you see, I want them home. My chickens, that is. And the rooster.


Because.


I don't want to worry.


I want to be left alone, to do "my thing" and I don't want to worry.


I don't want to worry that my littlest guy is running around at recess with his shoes untied, once again. And worrying that today is the day he's going to trip on those laces and scrape up his face.


And I don't want to worry that my middle guy, who is all things speed, is going to come screaming down the driveway on a motorized go-cart and continue down the street where he might possibly slam into a mailbox or worse yet, an on-coming car. Prickles of panic start to wash over me when I envision those possiblities.


And I don't want to worry about how nervous my teenager is or whether she stumbled over her words or somehow embarrassed herself. The teenager who left the house flustered and almost in tears because she had a speech to give that day at school. 


And I especially don't want to worry about the plane the rooster is boarding. Will it make it to its destination? Will there be turbulence? Bad weather? Ice on the wings? Ice on the runway?


No.


I don't want that.


Which is why, I just want them all here. Safe and sound. Sittin' in front of a TV even.


So, I


can just do "my thing", 


alone...and, worry-free.

A Modest Little Almond and Cherry Cake


I have to admit I'm not one to eat a lot of cake. Most days, I'd rather have pie. But for some reason, I got the hankering for a slice of cake. A simple one. No frosting. Not a lot of special preparations or precise measurements. Something to go with a cup of tea. Or a piping hot cup of coffee with plenty of half-and-half. And so I came up with this one. It's hard to beat cherries and almonds together. And the rooster told me I could make this for him anytime he loved it so.


Ingredients:


3/4 cup whole almonds, toasted
1 1/4 c all-pupose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
4 large eggs
1 c sugar
1 1/2 sticks of unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 c milk
1/4 tsp almond extract
1/2 c chopped, dried cherries
1/2 c sliced almonds, toasted


Directions:


Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Butter and flour a 9-inch cake pan. Or if you're like me and don't own a cake pan, flour and butter a deep pie plate.


Put your whole almonds in a food processor and pulse the machine until the nuts are finely ground. Transfer the nuts to a medium bowl. Add your flour, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine and then, set aside.


In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar until the mixture becomes pale and yellow. Add the butter, milk and almond extract. Stir to combine. With a wooden spoon or spatula, stir in the cherries. Then, gently add your dry ingredients. Pour the batter into your prepared cake (or pie) pan. Evenly sprinkle the 1/2 c of sliced almonds over the top. Bake for 45-50 minutes or until a golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Then, loosen the edges with a knife. Flip the cake onto a cake stand. Take a few steps back to admire your heavenly creation. Then, slice and serve while still a bit warm. Enjoy.




Yield: One 9-inch cake....




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Calendar Wrap-Up


Thank you, thank you...a million Thank You's....to all of you who purchased La Pomme de Portland calendar(s) in December. All the checks are in, the numbers have been tallied and through your generosity the calendars profited $1500.00...which means I was able to send a check off to the Oregon Food Bank and the Northwest Sarcoma Foundation for $750.00 each. I am humbled. Thank you....




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Super Bowl Menu Ideas


And just in case you have decided to host a Super Bowl Party on Sunday but are still undecided about what to make....


Here's a menu direct off La Pomme de P:


App: Cowboy Caviar with tortilla chips
Main Course: Lighten Up Chili, Greens with Homemade Vinaigrette, a fresh baguette
Dessert: Vanilla Ice Cream and NYT Chocolate Chip Cookies


And if you do seriously consider making the Chocolate Chip cookies, make them today. Right now. Get going. By the time the big game rolls around the ingredients will have had the perfect amount of resting time. Your guests will think they've died and gone to cookie heaven.


And just in case you were hoping for even more Super Bowl inspiration, my friend Lori, over at RecipeGirl, has gone to extreme lengths to round up 101 Best Super Bowl Recipes on the Internet. Go Lori!




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A Quick Little Note


I finally put together a Recipe tab at the top of this here website. A few of you gently mentioned to me that it was challenging to find past recipes here on LPdeP. I hope this helps. Let me know if it does. 


I also added a tab for AM Northwest since a few of you Portlanders have kindly been asking me for the dates of my next appearances. I've now gathered that all in one place as well as videos from my past appearances.




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Organizing Project


So I decided last week that I was rushing things a bit and needed to take a week for mental planning as in....Where will I put the items I haul out of the under-stairs closet? So my revised schedule for organizing goals looks like this:


Jan 24-30: Mentally prepare to pull items out of closet.
Jan 31-Feb 6: Pull half the items out.




...




And Just Because...


I can't get enough of this talented gal's desktop calendars, here's Shanna Murray's latest:

which you can download here.


And which Shanna collaborated on with one of my favorite food and design bloggers, Nikole Herriott at Forty-Sixth and Grace.




....






Whew! That's all for this week! xo












All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2011

A Humble Yet Decadent Homemade Granola

The older kids are off to school and the house holds just the 4-year old and myself. I look at my To-Do list...at least 143 items long. Where do I even begin? I hadn't taken the time on Monday to organize the list into more manageable bits and now here it is mid-week..."sigh." My mind wanders to a recipe, darling Shannalee recently posted on her poignant blog, Food Loves Writing. Olive Oil Granola. Ever since my daughter made homemade granola last summer, I have been intrigued with making my own "cereal"...so to speak. Hers was so delicious and easy to make, it now seems silly to buy it. When I saw Shannalee's recipe, I knew I had to try it out as well.

When I feel overwhelmed by the tasks of life, I simply check out from them. I procrastinate. And, usually when I'm procrastinating, you'll find me cooking. So, instead of checking anything off my list, I hauled out the humble ingredients for the granola. I mixed them together and popped it all in the oven. Then, I called over to my littlest one who was quietly drawing at the kitchen table. "Let's go outside and check out the birds." Ever since my daughter studied birds in 6th grade and we hung some feeders to attract the winged-critters for her observation, I have become a bird watcher. I get a thrill out of watching the flocks of chickadees land in our branches. The red-crested woodpecker poke-poke-poking his beak into the suet. What exactly does that say about me...my bird watching that is...and should I be admitting it?"

So, there we sat, side-by-side, on the front porch gazing across the way at the birds. Enjoying the cherry blossoms and the wave of daffodils the deer have fortunately left alone. (Yes, the daffodils resulting from my crazy bulb planting last fall.) He in his Star Wars jammies and me in my jammies exercise clothes. The rich smells of cinnamon and cardamom wafting out through the door left ajar. I glance at his profile. No longer the toddler he once was. Those plump round cheeks are giving way to a more defined look. He says to me, "Do I get to go to school today?" "No, sweetie, not today." "I like school." "I know." We can feel it. The time is coming. Time for him to start elementary school. And, after 13 straight year of having a little buddy by my side, it's time for me to move onto the next stage. But, it's okay to want to hold onto this one a little longer, isn't it? I kiss the top of his head and go in to stir the granola. He follows behind me.

A wise friend of mind once said that life is but a series of stages. She always seems so at peace with the passing of each stage and the introduction into each new one. I know that it's time. Time for what life brings me next but when you've been in one stage for so long it can be a bit daunting...wondering what's next. We carry little bowls of the sinfully delicious granola back outside. Fragrant and chewy but with a hint of crunch from the nuts. We sit down on the front steps just in time to see a squirrel making away with an entire suet block almost twice his size. "So, that's who's been clipping the rope to the feeder and making away with the food." And, I thought it had been the crows. We continue to sit there. Side-by-side. He and I. My littlest one and me. Watching the squirrel's progress. And, I try to be in the moment. Enjoying my procrastination, my little buddy...and every bit of my homemade granola.

Olive Oil Granola

Inspired by Shannalee and originally published in the New York Times

I love this granola. So, did all of my kids....well, except for the one allergic to nuts for obvious reasons. We mixed it with plain yogurt, drizzled with honey and topped with sliced bananas. I used the yogurt/granola mix as a dip for sliced apples for snack one day. We ate it straight out of hand. But probably the best way that my daughter and I enjoyed this granola was sprinkled over a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The bits of salt and spice mixed with the smooth, creamy vanilla...unbelievable. I think you need to go make this right now. Go ahead. Get going. And, let me know if you agree...about the granola and ice cream that is.

Ingredients:

3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup chopped, slivered almonds

1 cup coconut flakes

3/4 cup pure maple syrup

1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

1 tsp kosher salt

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 tsp ground cardamom

3/4 cup chopped, dried apricots (I would use raisins next time. Just my personal preference.)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. In a large bowl, combine all ingredients except apricots. (If using raisins, I would add them to the bowl at this point.) Mix to combine. Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet in an even layer. You can spread the mixture on top of parchment paper or a Silpat to make clean-up easier. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes of so, until golden brown and well toasted.

Transfer granola to a large bowl and add apricots, tossing to combine. Enjoy.

Yield: About 9 cups.

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010

Cookin' Up Some Aussie Bites

The day had started out with fog and heavy, dark clouds and continued on that way until late in the afternoon which is why I was surprised when a bright beam of sunlight burst through our living room windows. While I'm always thrilled to see the sun, any sun, at this time of year...this particular kind of sun..bright, white, blinding and late afternoon...is the kind of sunlight that illuminates every speck of dirt on my windows and countertops. As I turned around to face the sun and looked across the room through the haze of dust and dander, I could see something shiny glinting in the sunlight. Curious as to what it was, I made my way over to the couch only to find...the foil remnants of a granola bar wrapper. And, on the table beside it, was a collection of sticky, empty fruit leather wrappers. It was as if I'd stumbled upon Templeton the Rat's paradise.

While I pride myself on making sure my family is well fed at breakfast, lunch and dinner, it's the 4th meal of the day...the ole "afternoon snack"...that I just can't wrap my arms around. I just don't want to make another meal and yet, I find, that as my kids are entering the "adolescent years", they're starving...constantly. You should see my 10-year old take out an entire box of granola bars in one sitting...leaving only the box on the shelf...literally.

As I was speeding the baby to preschool the other day, he alerted me, with a piercing scream, that his "special lego guy" had just fallen into an unidentified crack. Once we arrived at his school, instead of just turning around to look in the back, I actually got in the back in an attempt to locate the missing "guy." There, under the seat, was the precious lego guy nestled amongst a handful of empty snack wrappers. "What is going on here?"

Other countries have formalized this...hour of the day. Halfway between lunch and dinner. The longest stretch without food. Afternoon tea in England. Goûter in France. When I had the good fortune to be an exchange student in Portugal, my host family would sit us down to "lanche" at 4 o'clock in the afternoon for a full meal. Only to be followed at 8 o' clock by a full dinner. I developed a special fondness for "lanche". Looked forward to it every day because, while there was always meat, cheese and bread laid out, this "meal" was especially heavy with the delectable Portuguese cakes.

On Sunday, I spent 5 hours in the great outdoors weeding and whining bitterly to myself joyfully communing with nature. Our yard had been attacked by weeds and the irony was that neither neighbor on either side had a single one while we had a sea of green swaying in the wind across our entire back side. Having already filled one yard debris bin, I threw down my gloves and stomped off to get the back-up bin. As I was walking, begrudgingly to the front yard, and was just about to launch into this tirade again, my daughter skips down the stairs and says, "Hey, Mom...want some help?" I wanted to kiss her feet. Sending her off to continue weeding, I grabbed the bin from the garage and started rolling it back in her direction when a little flash of light caught my eye from the depths of the bin. I kid you not...another granola bar wrapper. "Gads." It was then that I knew some changes needed to be made.

I believe it was last summer, I was watching an interview with Jamie Oliver in regards to his "food revolution". He emphasized to the interviewer that "...at some point, someone has to get in the kitchen and cook food if we're going to save ourselves from this food crises we've managed to get ourselves into...and it doesn't always have to be the woman." (I like to tack that last part onto the quote.) I guess the time has come to actually make something for snack instead of relying on little foil wrapped bits of...oats. This will be a new venture for me and, while I still don't want to be standing over a stove at 2:30 in the afternoon, perhaps I can find a happy medium. I'll share my discoveries with you as I go along but first up was the challenge to recreate the "Aussie Bites" I've picked up from time to time at Costco. The beauty of these little golden bites is that the homemade version can't even be compared to the store-bought they are so incredible and, bonus....no foil or plastic wrappers to be found.

Golden Aussie Bites...Carrie Style

Inspired by this eHow recipe 

After searching the internet for the infamous Aussie Bites recipe, I came across what appeared to be the original "butter baked" recipe and an updated version with a nod toward healthy eating which called for coconut oil instead of butter. Now, I love butter just as much as the next person, but I happened to have some coconut oil leftover from a recipe I'll post sometime in the near future. Because I like to torture myself and research even the most seemingly-insignificant items of my kitchen, the people in the know lead me to this coconut oil as the best...hands down. Once you're done using it in the kitchen, you can even rub it all over your body when you get out of the shower...a repurposing kind of thing. After pulling the first batch of bites from the oven, I stood at my kitchen counter and sunk my teeth into one..."Hmmmm....a bit birdish." I just didn't care for the sunflower seeds. Could be that at the exact moment I was taking my first bite, I was also staring out at my new "Squirrel Buster" bird feeder filled with black oil sunflower seeds and flocked by little song birds. So I did a bake-off, just for you, dear friend, and because I am a glutton for punishment I simply love to bake. With seeds, without. With nuts, without. One with butter, one with coconut oil and after all of the batches were made and laid across the counter for my dear children to sample...the version below came out on top. I did, however, include the "butter" version, which was tasty as well, in case you find mine to be a bit too crazy...you know, with the coconut oil and all.

1 1/2 cups oats

1/2 cup golden, flax seeds

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 cup shredded, unsweetened coconut (I use this kind.)

3/4 cup slivered almonds

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp vanilla

1 cup finely chopped dried fruit - I used apricots, raisins and cranberries

1/4 cup honey

1 cup virgin, cold-pressed coconut oil (I use this kind.) (See note below.)

(Or, instead of coconut oil, 2 sticks unsalted, butter.)

1 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp hot water

3 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix first 8 ingredients together (oats-vanilla)

Melt honey and coconut oil together

Mix baking soda with hot water and add to coconut oil mixture. (Yes, this does have the appearance of a mad scientist experiment.)

Pour coconut oil mixture into dry ingredients, add eggs and mix well.

Plop a tablespoon of the mixture into each little mini-muffin well and flatten slightly. (I use non-stick muffin tins and did not grease them but if you are at all concerned you may want to lightly grease yours. Oh, and I didn't flatten mine. Didn't seem to matter.) Bake for 10 minutes or until golden. (For regular muffins, bake for 15 minutes.) Let cool in tins for a minute or so then, remove from tins and let cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container or freeze some for later. Enjoy.

Yield: About 4 dozen mini-muffins.

Aussie Bites - Take 2
Delicious recipe by Min of The Bad Girl's Kitchen

Ingredients:

2 cups oats

2 cups whole wheat pastry flour

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 3 1/2 oz can of unsweetened coconut or 1 1/4 cup flaked

1/2 cup sunflower kernels

1 cup finely chopped dried fruit (apricot, raisins, dates, figs, cranberries, etc.)

1/4 cup honey

2 sticks unsalted butter

1 tsp baking soda

2 tbsp hot water

3 eggs, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Mix first 6 ingredients in a bowl.

Melt honey and butter together in microwave.

Mix baking soda with hot water and add to butter mixture.

Pour butter mixture into dry ingredients, add eggs and mix well.

Place a tablespoons of mixture into each non-stick mini muffin well (lightly greased) and flatten mixture slightly. Bake 10 minutes at 350 degrees or until golden. Cool on wire racks.

Yield: About 4 dozen

NOTE: While I am by no means an expert on the subject, here is my take on coconut oil. There is the unhealthy, hydrogenated coconut oil, which, for years, was being used extensively in "industrial food" and especially gained a bad name for itself when it was being used on movie theater popcorn. Then, there is the healthier, coconut oil that this recipe calls for - virgin, non-hydrogenated, cold-pressed coconut oil. While many of the experts are still undecided on coconut oil, in my own humble, so very humble opinion, I believe that it will go much the same way as avocados, walnuts & such - once feared for their fat content and now, the "powers that be" are recognizing their nutritional value. I could be wrong but I'd keep your eye on this little guy. You can find cold-pressed, virgin coconut oil at most health food stores, Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, New Seasons - here in Portland, and on-line.

NOTE: By no means should you feel any obligation to comment; however, I know some of you, dear friends, have tried to leave me your enlightening words and it has been brought to my attention that my "commenter" is rawther, temperamental. I am in the process of getting it fixed, but until that happens, should you like to leave a comment, try this: after you type your comment, hit publish, the computer will say it can't process it so hit "preview" and then, try to publish it after that. That's what I have to do to leave a comment on my own blog......gads.

All original text and photographs copyright: Carrie Minns 2009-2010