Quinoa Salad with Organic Honey Pecan Granola

by Dea Castrejon

When we decided to start this blog series, “30 Ways in 30 Days,” it was much easier to come up with sweet ideas/recipes for granola.  This was expected.  The savory dishes, or recipes that didn’t revolve around baking something (although there is nothing wrong with that!), were a little more difficult or imaginative.

Well, one day when I was browsing pinterest for recipes, I came across this simple and healthy quinoa salad that caught my eye.  I couldn’t imagine that some of our Organic Honey Pecan Variety wouldn’t add the perfect salty and sweet crunch to this salad.  Besides a few additions or substitutions, this salad is a replica from the great blog, iFOODreal.

Granola, Avocado, Blueberry, Toasted Pecan, and Quinoa salad

*makes about 3 cups of cooked quinoa plus your additions

1 cup uncooked quinoa

2 cups water

1 1/2 cups Organic Honey Pecan Granola

1 cup toasted pecans

3/4 cup blueberries

1 avocado

Honey Lime Basil Dressing

1 1/2 tablespoons basil, chopped

1/2 lime, juiced

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 tablespoon honey

To start, bring 2 cups of water to boil in a pot.  Add 1 cup of quinoa, and simmer until thoroughly cooked (about 15 minutes).  Pour cooked quinoa into a mixing bowl and allow to cool.

 

 

While waiting, let’s make the dressing.  In a small ramekin, combine all ingredients in no particular order and mix together.

Next, let’s preheat the oven to 350ºF to toast the pecans unless you prefer to buy them already roasted.  Place in oven for only 5-10 minutes or until they are slightly darkened.

Finally, wash blueberries and set aside.  Cut up your avocado and put aside, as well.

Once your quinoa has cooled, mix all your ingredients together in a bowl including the dressing.  How easy and delicious right?  Serve and enjoy!

 

*Recipe obtained by http://ifoodreal.com/blueberry-avocado-and-toasted-pecans-quinoa-salad/.

Glazed Blueberry Cake Donuts Topped with Native Berry Granola

GRANOLA SPRINKLED CAKE DONUTS

by Dea Castrejon

My husband and I recently moved to Bethlehem from the middle of nowhere Texas.  Thank goodness (although we did meet some of our favorite people there)!  I am sorry for any Texas readers out there, but as native Californians, life in Texas was very different for us, so we are happy for our new experience on the east coast.

During our short time in the Texas panhandle, my husband and I discovered one of the best donut shops!  The only problem was (and this was very common in the town we lived in), the hours were always unpredictable.  On occasion that the shop was open, we loved to indulge in their glazed blueberry spuddies.  These miniature donuts, made with potato flour and fresh blueberries, were fried to perfection.  Upon the first bite, they oozed a little bit of the absorbed fry…stop, I know what you are thinking (gross!)…but no, they were so melt-in-your-mouth delectable!

Lately, I have been craving these decadent donuts, and since I never plan to return to our little town in Texas (am I too blunt?), I decided to put my own hands to work.  Although I think it would be fun to experiment with potato flour for the donut base, I think I will stick with all purpose flour, since it is much more commonplace in my home (and probably yours, too).  Because I can put my own spin on this recipe, I have aspired to make glazed blueberry cake donuts sprinkled with Granola Factory’s Native Berry Variety.

Here we go…

Glazed Blueberry Cake Donuts with Native Berry Granola Sprinkles

*makes about 16 donuts

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1/3 cup white sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

4 tablespoons salted butter, melted

1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk…whatever you have on hand)

1 egg, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups washed blueberries

1 cup GF Native Berry Granola, food processed

canola oil for frying (1 quart)

Sugar Glaze

2 cups powdered sugar

4 tablespoons water

1/8 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

I want to start by preparing our toppings: the glaze and the granola.  Food process granola until it is in smaller bits and pieces.  Set aside in a bowl.  For the glaze, simply add powdered sugar, water, and vanilla extract to a mixing bowl.  Stir until you have a thick, runny liquid.  I wanted to start prepping here, because it is important to quickly dip each donut into the toppings after it has been fried.  I get so anxious when I forget to put together a part of a time sensitive recipe, so I am hoping this initial step eliminates any potential stress!

Now, let’s mix our dry ingredients in a bowl: flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon.  Follow suit with the wet ingredients: mix milk, egg, and vanilla extract.

 

 

 

 

 

Pour melted butter into the dry mixture and stir until clumps appear in the ingredients.

Now, add your wet mixture and blueberries.  Combine with your hands and bring the dough together in a ball.

 

 

 

 

 

At this point, I would start heating up your oil in a deep set pot, so that by the time you have your donuts shaped, you are ready to start frying.  Heat on medium until temperature reaches 375ºF.

While oil is heating, flour a clean surface, and roll out dough until about a 1/2 inch thick. Use a round cookie cutter (about 3 inches in diameter) to cut out donuts.  If you do not have a cookie cutter, use the top of a drinking glass for a sufficient shape.  For the hole of the donut, I used the top of a plastic bottle of water.  Set cut out donuts on floured parchment paper.  Continue reworking dough (rolling into a ball and rolling out again) and cutting out your donuts until you have used all of the dough up.

When oil reaches 375ºF, gently place one or two donuts at a time into the pot.  Fry both sides for 45 seconds each or until golden brown.

As previously mentioned, immediately dip both sides of the donut into the glaze, and set on a cooling rack.  Then, quickly take a small handful (probably 1-2 tablespoons) of native berry granola bits and sprinkle on top of the donut.  Let cool  for a couple minutes…or not!  Dive in and enjoy!

Wow!  I am impressed!  These donuts turned out so well.  The slightly dense element of the cake dough coupled perfectly with the crispy exterior.  But, I think my favorite part of this donut was the sugar and spice: the sweet  glaze blending with the powerhouse flavors of vanilla and spice from the the native berry granola.  Yum!

The best part?  No more unpredictable donut shop hours.  These glazed, blueberry granola donuts are reliable, soooo pretty, and undoubtedly delicious!

English Muffins With Native Berry Granola & Fresh Blueberries

by Suzanne Virgilio

If you’ve ever wanted to make yeast breads but thought they would be too complicated, this recipe will change your mind and impress your friends.  The possibilities are endless for varying the ingredients; change the fruit, add fresh herbs, a different citrus zest.  They also package nicely for gift giving!

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups milk (of choice, whole, 1%, buttermilk, soy)
• 2 cups water
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 5 Tbsp butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 pkg. or 2 1/2 tsp active dry yeast
• 8 cups flour
• 1 ½ cups Granola Factory Native Berry Granola
• 2 cups Fresh blueberries
• Zest of 2 lemons

Prepping The Dough

1. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk, water, sugar & salt to a simmer. Off heat and stir in butter. Allow to cool to lukewarm.
2. Crack eggs into a small bowl and beat with a fork. Add beaten eggs to milk mixture and mix well.
3. In a large bowl, combine yeast, flour, granola, zest and blueberries. Stir to combine.
4. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the liquid mixture. Using a rubber spatula, gently stir mixture until well combined.
5. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in refrigerator overnight.

Baking The Muffins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

• Remove batter from refrigerator.
• Line baking sheet with parchment. Using vegetable spray, generously spray muffins rings and roll rings in a bowl of cornmeal to coat the inside of each ring.
• Divide batter among muffin rings, sprinkle tops with granulated sugar. Spray plastic wrap with vegetable spray and cover muffins with plastic wrap (*sprayed side against muffins, this will prevent wrap from sticking and deflating muffins when wrap is removed).
• Allow muffins to rise until almost double in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.
• Carefully remove plastic wrap, place muffins in preheated oven and bake until lightly golden (about 25-30 minutes). Remove from oven and place muffins on a cooling rack. When you able to, remove muffin rings to allow muffins to fully cool.
• Muffins are very high and may be sliced into three slices (if preferred); serve with topping of choice…but honey butter adds a nice touch!