First of all apologies for the long break in posting. Summer is a busy time of the year with family and friends visiting us from all over the world. This was a big year for us - my oldest graduated from high school and is only a couple of months away from going away to college! We had grandparents, aunts, and cousins visiting us to celebrate this occasion. It is also the year we said our goodbyes to the Elementary school system as our youngest moved on to Middle School. Yes, on both occasions there were tears of joy and nostalgia as we looked back at old school pictures and heard teachers bidding their farewells to the new graduates.
After the graduation ceremony, my family came back home and decided that each one would say a few words to the new graduate to prepare her for the next few years of college life away from home. One analogy that my dad suggested to my daughter was that life was like driving a car; in the beginning years, the kids are the passengers while the parents drive. And as she moves away from home it will be her turn to hold the wheel and drive to her new destination. She would have to learn many things - the right time to press on the break or the accelerator (meaning when to push ahead or hold back), to look at her mirrors (to make sure she is making the right judgement call), signal her indicators (communication) when she wanted to change lanes, use the navigation when lost ( seek advice from her parents as problems arise) , and keep the cell phone (tempting distractions) at bay. What a cool way to give some sound advice! May God be with her always in the coming years.
On the cooking front, it’s been pretty busy as well as I have been entertaining a lot. However, one recipe that stands out this month is the home-made granola I made for my husband. Even though there is a vast variety of granola in the supermarket, I am never quite satisfied with the offerings. Some don’t have the almonds that I like in my granolas, while others don’t taste very fresh or have too much sugar in them. As a result, I decided to experiment by making a homemade one.
I had been meaning to try out this recipe from Eleven Madison Park Restaurant for quite some time. The restaurant gives away a jar of the granola as a goody bag and I had devoured mine in just a couple of days. I found the recipe online and decided to make it first.The only thing I changed was to lessen the salt the recipe called for. Turned out fantastic!
The second recipe was inspired from a granola I loved at Vana Retreat in India. Chef Kuntal was very kind to share his recipe with me. I made a few changes to make it to my liking and I simply love it. Let me know if it works out for you!
Homemade Granola
Dry Ingredients:
1 cup almonds, sliced to medium sized pieces
⅓ cup pumpkin seeds
1 cup coconut flakes
2 Tbsp sesame seeds
2 Tbsp flax seeds
2 Tbsp amaranth
½ tsp Sherpa pink salt
Wet Ingredients:
⅓ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup honey
4 Tbsp unsalted butter
Procedure:
Preheat the oven to 300℉
In a big bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
In a small saucepan melt the butter with the maple syrup and honey.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry bowl and mix well to coat evenly.
Spread the mixture onto a large baking tray lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat.
Bake for around 35-40 minutes, stirring the mixture occasionally in between.
When the granola acquires a light golden color, remove from the oven and allow it to cool.
Store in an airtight container.
Serve with milk/yogurt or simply enjoy it as a snack.
