I’ve been a bad bad bakestress.
Life events have kept me from updating the blog. However, they have been fun, exciting events, so at least that’s a good thing.
This summer has flown by. My sister had her first baby, a girl. She allowed me to be her doula at her birth. It was an amazing experience and I will be forever grateful and forever bonded with her.
Our school, Windsong, had it’s annual rummage sale to benefit the school. It was a success. We had many shoppers and one of the other parents and myself baked treats to sell.
We also visited the lake, started a project using plans from Ana White, went to weddings, birthday parties, and family gatherings, and spent many hours in the outdoors. After all of this I am ready for fall. I am ready to bake up pumpkin treats and smell baked apples and cinnamon. Fall is my favorite time of year. It will really sink in when the kids head back to school next week!
Many of the parents at our school are vegetarians or vegans. I have been trying my hand at some vegan recipes lately and this recipe for Vegan Maple Almond Granola is amazing. My kids gobble it up and it sold like hotcakes at our rummage sale. It’s fabulous by itself or eaten with milk as cereal.
Vegan Maple Almond Granola
adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction
3 cups old fashioned oats/rolled oats (not instant)
*1/2 cup almond flour
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
*1/2 tsp salt
3/4 cups almonds, chopped or slivered
*1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
*1/4 cup maple syrup
*1 tsp vanilla extract
*Notes: 1) You can create your own almond flour by putting 1/2 cup almonds into a processor to grind into flour. Don’t process too long or they will turn into almond butter. If you choose to omit this step, you can substitute in whole wheat flour for the almond flour. I have made the granola both ways and I can’t tell a difference in taste. 2) If you use almonds that are already roasted/salted, you should omit this salt. 3) Don’t skip the canola oil. You could use melted coconut oil in place but you will need oil to coat the dry ingredients before you add the maple syrup. The oil keeps the dry ingredients from becoming a big sticky mess and helps toast the granola in the oven. 4) Do not use fake maple syrup/pancake syrup. Use the real deal. 5) Also, the granola can be made without the vanilla extract. I like it both ways, so it’s really a matter of preference.
1. Preheat the oven to 300˚ F. Line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
2. In large bowl, toss together oats, almond flour, whole wheat flour, almonds and salt. Add canola oil and stir to evenly coat the dry ingredients.
3. In a small saucepan, on medium heat, combine maple syrup and brown sugar. Stir until sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add vanilla extract.
4. Pour maple syrup mixture over the dry ingredients and stir well to coat.
5. Press granola into pan and use a spatula to evenly flatten.
6. Bake for 40 minutes, rotating the pan every 10 minutes. Remove pan and use a spatula or wooden spoon to break up the granola. Put the pan back in the oven for 10 more minutes.
7. Remove from ovwn and let granola cool before eating.
