Posts Tagged ‘Cranberry Coconut Granola’

The Weekend Dish: Breakfast

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We have breakfast on the brain here at A & O as we gear up to make it for our clients this weekend! The forecast is in the 80’s so the weather will be perfect for peachy pink freshly squeezed Cara Cara orange juice and Italian breakfast paninis (pancetta, egg, arugula and slow roasted tomatoes) served on the deck overlooking the ocean.

Cara Cara Orange

I ADORE breakfast. Eggs are one of my favorite foods (as seen here and here.) Growing up my mom would make my brother and I popovers for breakfast on very special occasions! Hot from the oven and slathered with raspberry jam, the are truly one of the best things on earth.

popovers

My Dad used to make us creatively shaped chocolate chip pancakes which we topped with whipped cream (from a can of course) or little marshmallows.

chocolate chip pancakes

Now days I like to start the day with something lighter and healthier like our Cranberry Coconut Granola over Greek yogurt.

CranberryCoconut Granola

Or a green smoothie with seasonal or frozen fruit and lots of leafy greens during the week.

Green Smoothie

But weekends are a time to indulge in a big breakfast and the shared act of celebrating the morning with your loved ones.  If I was cooking for myself this weekend I might make Sarah’s Lemon Blueberry Pancakes…

Lemon Blueberry Pancakes

Or the sweet breakfast panino we featured this week with the mouthwatering combination of Nutella and Bananas!

nutella panini

This weekend make something special for breakfast at home or treat yourself to a breakfast date with a girlfriend. Enjoy one of the weekend’s best little rituals in honor of Sarah and I as we slave away in the slums of Malibu.

xo,

LEH

Meatless Monday: Cranberry Coconut Granola

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Confession: I am not cooking this year.  Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday and my favorite meal in a year full of cooking, but we’re just not doing it this year.  We’re running off to the desert for a few days of relaxation under the sun.

Playing holiday hooky.

But that doesn’t mean I’ll be forgoing every bit of Thanksgiving.  I’ll get my turkey and sweet potatoes and I’m already getting my cranberries by munching on our cranberry coconut granola. Slightly sweet and coco-nutty, this granola is great for breakfast and snacking on a Meatless Monday.

If I were hosting Thanksgiving, I’d have it out for breakfast and leave it out as an antidote to the hunger pains that only a roasting turkey can cause.  If I were a Thanksgiving guest, I’d scoop some into a jar, top it with a ribbon and present it as a hostess gift for a delicious morning-after breakfast.  The perfect warm up to your leftover turkey and mashed potato sandwich.

xoxosl

Cranberry Coconut Granola

Yield: 10 cups

Ingredients

4 cups rolled oats

2-1/2 cups unsweetened coconut flakes

2 cups nuts of choice (we like sliced almonds or chopped walnuts)

1-1/2 cups dried cranberries

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/8th of a teaspoon fresh nutmeg (2-3 swipes of a microplane zester)

1/2 cup coconut oil (make sure the bottle is marked good for medium-high heat)

Scan 1/2 cup honey

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a large bowl, combine the oats, coconuts, nuts and cranberries.  Add the cinnamon and nutmeg and toss to combine.

Add the coconut oil and honey, stirring with a wooden spoon until the wet ingredients are mixed throughout.

Pour onto the prepared baking sheets, spreading the granola so that it will bake in an even layer.  Bake until golden brown, about 25-30 minutes, removing the pan from the oven 1-2 times to stir the granola so that it brown evenly.  Let cool completely before storing in an air-tight container.  Granola will keep up to 1 week.