Granola

I got this recipe from Chris Ebbers.  I love granola for all it’s oaty fiberous goodness, but it’s usually so full of oil that it’s not good for you.  Not this one!

6 cups oats (old fashion best)

1 cup wheat bran or wheat germ

1 cup whole wheat flour 

¼ tsp salt 

1 cup raw or not salted sunflower seeds

 

1-2 cups nuts ( you can use what you want.  I like slivered almonds and chopped pecans) 

Combine the following and then pour over the above mix:

1 tsp vanilla

½ cup oil (olive or canola or veg.  You can replace the oil with apple sauce) (or you could use flax seed oil and feed your brain, yes it’s high in fat, but the good stuff that won’t go to your waistline)

1 cup water

¾ cup brown sugar or honey 

Put mix in shallow greased cookie sheet or pan and bake @ 200 degrees for 1 to 1 ½ hours.  Stirring occasionally, maybe every 20 minutes.   

After cooled, then add dried fruit:  ½ cup to 1 cup of each.  (Raisins, (white and black), apricots, craisins, cranberries, blueberries, etc)

Lemon Basil Salmon

Salmon is by far our favorite fish — we usually broil it in foil with lemon, butter, onions, and mushrooms, but I recently discovered and made this EXTREMELY tasty recipe. It was well loved by the whole crew, including my one-year-old who isn’t so keen on the spices. In total, our little family of three ate 6 fillets in one sitting! Goes exceptionally well with a garden salad, rice, and a nice Chardonnay.

6-8 fillets salmon
1/4 c olive oil
1/4 c lemon juice (freshly squeezed or bottled)
1 1/2 tsp grated lemon peel (not necessary)
1T fresh minced basil OR 1 tsp dried basil
dash of pepper

Combine all ingredients but salmon, making a marinade. Place salmon in plastic bag and cover with 1/2 to 3/4 of the marinade. Refrigerate for 1 hour or more. Remove salmon from bag (discard the marinade in bag) and grill 5 minutes, skin side up, over medium coals (or you can broil). Turn and baste with remaining marinade, grill 5 minutes more or until it flakes easily with fork.

(From Zion Cookbook, p 184 — I made a few slight changes to the recipe.)

Chicken Salad

This recipe is the epitome of my no-rules creations in cooking.  I’m sorry I lack more measuring rods for it, I hope you are still able to make and enjoy!  We had this the other night with corn on the cob and watermelon — made for a light dinner on a hot, summer evening.  If only we had lemonade…

4-6 Chicken breasts, boiled (or 8-10 tenderloins)
Sliced almonds, however many you want
Grapes, however many you want, cut in half
Celery, whatever you want, chopped
Mayo, to taste
Dash of salt and pepper
Dill, to taste

Boil chicken until it looks like its done, testing the middle for pinkness.  Don’t do it too long or it’ll be dry — we want it juicy!  Cool the boiled pieces with cold water or ice cubes — tear apart with your hands when they are cooled.  Add chopped celery, halved grapes, sliced almonds, mayo, etc, and mix.  Add more of whatever you’d like to make it to your tasting, making sure to have PLENTY of mayo!! :)

Serve inside dinner rolls, hamburger buns, or sliced bread — or as a topping for a mixed greens salad.

Rainbow Jell-O

Today was my second attempt at making this recipe–originally seen here. I think my problem the first time was that I was too impatient in letting the layers cool, so blue and yellow made green. (I also discovered that Jell-O can in fact be too old. I had a box of cranberry that had become ickily sticky, so I ended up using sugar-free raspberry for the red instead.)

1 package (6 oz.) blue Jell-O

1 package (6 oz.) yellow Jell-O

1 package (6 oz.) red Jell-O

3 packets Knox gelatin

In a medium bowl, combine the blue Jell-O and one package of the Knox gelatin. Add two cups boiling water. Dissolve gelatin. Add 4-5 ice cubes, and stir until mixture is thick (or until the ice cubes dissolve). Pour into a 9×13 pan and let set completely. Repeat with yellow Jell-O and pour it over the set blue. Repeat with red Jell-O and pour it over the set yellow.