Crispy Banana Granola

I'm about to move to a new Chicago flat.  You know that point in packing where you realize there are far too many bananas in your freezer? I hit that point.  Of course the first thought was to make banana bread for everyone I know.  However, I had already used my flour stash, and want to avoid buying any more bulk items until I am stocking my new kitchen.

The solution? Granola! I added in whatever ingredients were in my pantry, which turned out to make a delicious granola while taking care of dwindling bags of nuts and seeds.  

Though bananas are a main wet ingredient here, the banana flavor is very mild and hardly discernible.  Rather than a strong taste, they impart a subtle sweetness that blends nicely with the olive oil and maple syrup for a well rounded, not too sweet breakfast staple.

Let's get going... 

Put 3 cups of oats in a large mixing bowl.

Add about 1 cup of nuts of your choice, roughly chopped.  I had some sliced almonds, some whole raw almonds, and some pecans on hand.

Add some seeds! About 1/2-1 cup of seeds of your choice here.  I finished up a bag of chia seeds, which didn't quite measure up to 1/2 cup.  It's all good... granola is perfect for finishing random bags of chia seeds.

Add your wet ingredients.  You could mix the wet items together first and then add to the dry, but I was into a one-bowl situation.  I added about 3 tbsp olive oil, 3 tbsp maple syrup, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.  Eyeball it, it doesn't have to be perfect (plus then you don't have to wash measuring spoons...).

Add some salt to highlight the sweet flavor of the banana (trust me).  I added about 1/2 tsp.

Banana time.  You could mash the banana first then add, but I just tossed it all together.  Since my bananas were previously frozen, they were very soft and easy to mash.  Stir well so that there are no remaining clumps of banana, and so all ingredients are well combined and coated with the liquids.

Simply bake at 400F for 20 minutes, stirring every 5-10 minutes.  When finished baking, be sure to let the granola cool completely before putting it into a container.  This ensures it stays nice and crispy.

I've been enjoying my granola with almond milk and figs every morning this week.  Give it a try- it's absolutely magical. 

S's Birthday Lust List

It is so fun to have sister birthdays so close to one another.  We have always shared parties, enjoyed joint dinner celebrations, and talked over birthday wish lists together.  L just posted her birthday wishes, so I thought I would join her birthday fun and add my own.  Here are some birthday lusts!

Girls on DVD- I don't have a TV or cable, but I do have a computer! I love watching TV shows on my laptop.  I have been dying to see Girls since I saw the pilot, and would love to get into a new show.

Paris- Anyone with me? I'm planning on leisurely afternoons in the D'Orsay, baguette, cheese, and champagne picnics sitting outside, pretty Parisian styling, and plenty of cafe au lait with croissants.

I love simply spending time with those I love on special occasions.  Dinner (anything! could be fancy, could be simply bread, cheese and olives) paired with a bottle of champagne is sure to be a huge birthday success.

A Massage- I have been craving a massage for months.  A birthday is the perfect time to coax someone else into gifting a massage, right?

Dainty Jewelry- Remember the jewelry lust list I made last week? I'm still eyeing those gorgeous pieces, especially the arrow necklace, ampersand ring, and teeny tiny rose gold bands.

New Chambray- My sister gifted me a chambray shirt last year, and I have worn it to pieces.  Literally- there are gaping holes in each arm, and not in the fun distressed sort of way.  I wear them so much that a new shirt would definitely get plenty of attention.

Book of Mormon- A pre-birthday gift that is actually happening! Tomorrow I am seeing the Book of Mormon with my parents and some close family friends, preceded by a fun dinner.  I can't wait- what a fun way to celebrate with friends and family.

Project Apartment: S's Apartment Tour!

Finally! It's only a few months late, but now that I feel settled and (mostly) decorated, I'm ready to share my living space with all of you- and I'm so excited about it.

I just finished this gallery wall yesterday! I love how it incorporates a lot of textures and shapes.  I'm planning on using that white canvas for an art project... It will be shared here of course! 

Do you remember this rug?

I was so lucky to have family in the area who helped me collect items to furnish my new place.  This gorgeous armoire is such a wonderful statement piece in my living area! I don't have a TV right now, so instead I filled it with some books, journals, DVDs, etc. to keep the entertainment concept in place.  And set up two colorful posters to brighten up the dark space. 

I filled the cubbies of this coffee table with tons of books, since I don't have any bookshelves.  It is mostly full of cookbooks, but you can see there are some nerdy academic books in there too.  A healthy mix!  I love how they fill the cubbies almost perfectly, and look almost a little purposefully chaotic with some books stacked vertically while others are horizontal.

A small ledge that was meant for photo display has now become a great inspiration area above my desk.  The votive candles are great for extra ambiance when entertaining.

The hanging candle holders add a nice soft glow when I'm reading or catching up on Hulu.  I like to fill them with beeswax candles from The Foundry for a nice, natural scent.

So there it is! Welcome to my home. I hope you find it as warm and appealing as I do.  Wishing you all a magnificent weekend!

Use and Reuse: Almond Hummus

I loved making almond milk over the weekend (shout out: way to go Mom and Dad for learning how to make it, and for making a fresh batch last night!), but didn't think about the fact that the process would yield both delicious nut milk and a bunch of ground nut pulp.  I wanted to do something to make use of the almonds to make sure they didn't go to waste.  The result: almond hummus! Here's how...

Nut Pulp Hummus

Inspired by My New Roots

Ingredients

1 small garlic clove

2 tablespoons tahini

Juice of 1 lemon

5 tablespoons water

1 teaspoon olive oil

Salt, pepper, spices to taste

1.  Mince garlic by pulsing in the food processor a few times.

2.  Add tahini, lemon juice, water, olive oil, salt, pepper, and other spices if you like (I used a small pinch of cumin and a small pinch of cayenne).  Process for a few seconds until combined.

3.  Add nut pulp gradually, processing with every few spoonfuls added.  If the texture seems to dry and crumbly, add more water/olive oil until the texture smoothes out and is to your liking (it took me another drizzle of oil and 1-2 tablespoons of water).

We enjoyed the hummus tonight as a snack while waiting for dinner to cook, scooping up the deliciousness with carrot and red pepper sticks.  I would also love this spread on toast with avocado for a light lunch!

Homemade Almond Milk

'

I have been an almond milk aficionado for a few years now.  I have almost exclusively used almond milk instead of cow's milk for baking, drinking, cereal, oatmeal, hot chocolate, coffee creamer... you get the idea.  I love the clean slightly nutty taste, and find that I digest it much more easily than cow's milk. I have also noticed my skin has improved since making this switch! Bonus!

I finally made the leap and made my own almond milk over the weekend.  It turned out great, and was beyond simple.  Here's how...

Homemade Nut Milk 

Makes 4 cups

1. Cover 1 cup of almonds (or choose any other nut or seed you like!) with water, soak 8 hours.

2. Rinse soaked nuts/seeds thoroughly.

3. Combine soaked nuts/seeds with 4 cups water in a blender.  Blend approximately 3 minutes, or until the liquid is white and milky, and the nuts/seeds have been broken into very small pieces.

4. Strain using a nut milk bag, cheesecloth, pantyhose, anything with small pores! I used cheesecloth over a fine strainer, and it worked great.

5. Refrigerate and enjoy! 

(keeps 3-4 days)

I love how this recipe can be adapted to any nut or seed.  It is also easily adapted for quantity.  If you know you won't go through 4 cups of milk, decrease the quantity! Just keep the ratio of nuts/seeds to milk 1:4.  I plan to make 2 cups of milk every few days, using 1/2 cup soaked nuts and 2 cups water.

More fun ideas using homemade almond (or nut/seed of your choice!) milk to come.  

Have a great week!