Vegan Chocolate Granola / Granola vegan de Chocolate.

If you're following this blog for some time now, you know that I'm not vegan, vegetarian, Paleo or whatever.

I'm just someone that loves food in general!

I eat everything (well, not quite...) and I love to try all sorts of flavours and cuisines. I believe that in food just as in life, balance is the key for everything and therefore, in my house there's no place for fanaticism, fundamentalism's and other sort of (isms).

I cook and eat with my family and friends whatever we fancy to eat on the day. If it's meat we'll eat meat, if it's vegetarian will be and if it's vegan or other sort of tendency, it will be but, it's always what we want, when we want.

Saying that, I love vegan food more than I ever thought I would love it and although (as you know), I have lots of all sorts of books, when I'm craving vegan food, I always go to that same place where I know that I'll find fabulous, mouthwatering and delicious vegan recipes.

Weather for breakfast, meals or even vegan cakes and sweets, Kimberly's, The Little Plantation Blog is the place I always rely in order to cook and eat fabulous vegan food.

Not to talk about Kimberly, the blog owner herself. Such a thoughtful and kind person. Full of knowledge and a very talented food and prop stylist and photographer...

Just visit the blog and tell me if you don't want to cook everything Kimberly publishes there? Plus! Kimberly's blog posts are always a joy to read. Short or long, whatever the theme, for me, reading them, it's always a delightful and relaxing moment!

Honestly? If there is one person in this world that could make me go completely vegan, that person would be Kimberly and her blog!

I've already tried lots of Kimberly's recipes here at home and although my daughter and I, we are the keenest ones for vegan food, my husband and teenager son never ever complained about any of the recipes I cooked from The Little Plantation blog.

Actually, all of them were very much appreciated and devoured by everybody including the two fussy boys.

This granola is one of those successful recipes I tried from Kimberly's blog and I'm not writing here the English version of it because it's all written down and very well explained here.

I have to say that after taking the granola out of the oven, I couldn't stop munching it from the tray or even after being cooled, directly from the jar.

My kids (both), are having it for breakfast and snack all the time and soon, I'll have to make another batch.

Yes! That's how delicious it is!!

Kale and Quinoa with Savoury Granola / Kale e Quinoa com Granola Salgada.

Breakfast food that you know, for me is a perfect lunch!

As I promised here, today I'm sharing this super delicious savoury granola.

Actually, I made this recipe a while ago and if you're following my instagram, you can see it here, as I shared it the day I made it. Although I'm only sharing it today, this was the very first recipe that I made from Nina Olsson gorgeous "Bowls of Goodness" cook book. A book that I truly adore and from which I talked about in this same post.

This savoury granola is perfect, not just for this recipe but also to sprinkle over salads, soups, or whatever you fancy.

Rose and Pistachio Granola / Granola com rosas e pistachios.

Today and because I'm in a kind of "rose recipes" mood, I'm sharing the first recipe from Nina Olsson AMAZING book "Bowls of Goodness".

This is the first recipe I'm sharing here on the blog, but not the first I made from Nina's book. No! I already made lots of delicious recipes, that I'll be sharing here soon.

Nina's book is the most delightful vegetarian (with vegan and gluten free options) book I have.

You know the kind of book that you just want to be in the kitchen and cook your way through it? Well, Nina's book is one of that kind...

Kimberly from The Little Plantation blog, shared a gorgeous recipe from the book and wrote an amazing review about Nina's book and I totally agree with every single word that Kimberly wrote and as I also wrote here:

"Nina's book IS NOT just another "avocado on toast" or average vegetarian cook book and believe me, because I have over 600 cookbooks and a good share of them are vegetarian and vegan.

Bowls of goodness is a thoughtful book, full of captivating images, colourful and appetising recipes. Balanced and very well written recipes that makes me (a meat eater trying to eat less meat), become vegetarian!

I got my copy on Saturday and honestly, since then, I can't stop reading it or cooking from it. One, after the other, I just want to cook all the recipes from the book and I'd say that there's no better sign of how good a book is.

Do I recommend it?

Even for meat eaters like myself?

YES! A 100%!!"

So, today, the recipe I'm sharing with you, is Nina Olsson, Bowls of Goodness, Rose and Pistachio Granola.

A granola that, after the first time I made it, quickly became the favourite one here at home and I'm making it weekly now.

Oh, and by the way..., just wait until I share with you the next recipe which will be Nina's Savoury Granola...

You'll be totally in love with it but..., you have to wait a few more days...

Espresso Granola / Granola de Café.

After all the December excesses, we all need a little food cleansing this month and so, for January and the most needed detox and clean start, I'm leaving you with this delicious and very flavoursome granola.

The recipe is from Donna Hay "Life in Balance" cookbook and the coffee flavour is a very pleasant surprise.

Chocolate granola and Rhubarb & vanilla compote / Granola de chocolate e Compota de ruibarbo e baunilha.

Today I'm leaving you with two delicious recipes.

The first one, a delicious chocolate granola that is super easy and quick to make and that is very appreciated here at home.

Actually, is the one the kids are now asking to make all the time. I just use whichever dried fruits, nuts or seeds that I have at home and it's like a different granola every time.

The recipe is from Rosa, Be Nice Make a Cake, gorgeous "Chocolate Notebook". A delightful Notebook, full of chocolaty delights.

The second, is a April Carter recipe and it's from her little book "trEATs". A book that I truly treasure because, although it's a very small book, is packed full of brilliant suggestions.

A very delicious rhubarb compote that is delicious over yoghurt or with whatever you fancy it.

ingredients for the chocolate granola:

400g rolled oats (I used rye flakes and oats)

100g seeds (sunflower seed, sesame seeds, pumpkin seeds, flaxseeds)

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

60ml vegetable oil

60ml honey

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 tbsp cocoa powder

1 tsp vanilla extract or seeds scrapped from 1 vanilla pod

zest from 1 orange

grated chocolate, coconut flakes (optional) and nuts, to taste

method:

Heat oven to 180ºC.

Mix the oats, seeds and cinnamon in a large bowl.

Put the honey, vegetable oil, coconut oil, cocoa powder, orange zest and vanilla in a saucepan and heat until melted.

Add the melted ingredients to the bowl containing the oat mixture and mix well.

Tip the granola onto two baking sheets lined with baking paper and spread evenly.

Bake for 15 minutes, then mix with a wooden spoon and bake for another 10 to 15 minutes more. Remove and scrape onto a flat tray to cool.

When cool, mix in the grated chocolate, the chosen nuts and, if using, the coconut flakes.

Store in an airtight container.

Serve with cold milk or yogurt.

ingredients for the rhubarb and vanilla compote (fills 2 x 250ml jars):

500g rhubarb, trimmed and chopped into 5cm chunks

250g caster sugar

seeds scrapped from 1/2 vanilla pod

method:

Place the rhubarb, sugar and vanilla seeds in a saucepan with a lid.

Stir the mixture to combine the ingredients and set aside for 20 minutes.

Heat the mixture in the saucepan over a high heat.

Bring to the boil and then simmer over a low heat, shaking the pan occasionally, for about 10 to 15 minutes, or until the rhubarb is tender but still keeps its shape.

Allow the mixture to fully cool, then divide between 2 clean jars.

Seal and store in the fridge and eat within a week.

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Hoje deixo-vos, não uma, mas duas receitas maravilhosas.

A primeira, uma granola de chocolate divina (que cá em casa tem sido feita vezes sem conta, utilizando diferentes combinações de sementes e frutos secos) do Caderno das Receitas com Chocolate da nossa Rosa (Be Nice, Make a Cake) e a outra, uma receita de compota de ruibarbo e baunilha, absolutamente maravilhosa, do livrinho lindo, pequenino, mas recheado de maravilhas, da April Carter, o "trEATs".

A compota pode ser servida com iogurte, sobre granola, ou até comida à colherada. Usem a vossa imaginação e gosto pessoal e deliciem-se, pois é maravilhosa!

ingredientes para a granola de chocolate:

400g flocos de aveia (eu usei uma mistura de flocos de aveia e flocos de centeio)

100g sementes (sésamo, girassol, abóbora, linhaça)

1 colher sopa de canela em pó

60ml óleo vegetal

60ml mel

2 colheres sopa de óleo de coco

2 colheres sopa de cacau em pó (da melhor qualidade possível)

1 colher chá de extracto de baunilha, ou sementes raspadas de uma vagem de baunilha

raspa de 1 laranja

chocolate ralado, flocos de coco (eu usei mas não consta da receita original) e frutos secos a gosto

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 180ºC.

Numa taça, misturar a aveia, a canela e as sementes.

Num tacho, aquecer os óleos, o mel, o cacau em pó, a raspa da laranja e a baunilha, mexendo, até tudo estar derretido.

Adicionar esta mistura à mistura da aveia e envolver tudo muito bem.

Distribuir a granola por dois tabuleiros forrados com papel vegetal, espalhando bem.

Levar ao forno por 15 minutos, retirar do forno, mexer bem com uma colher de pau e voltar a colocar no forno por mais 10 a 15 minutos. Cuidado para não queimar.

Retirar do forno e transferir a granola para um tabuleiro frio e deixar arrefecer.

Depois de fria, adicionar o chocolate ralado, os flocos de coco (caso usem) e os frutos secos a gosto e envolver tudo muito bem.

Colocar em frascos de fecho hermético e servir com leite, iogurte, ou outras combinações a gosto.

ingredientes para a compota de ruibarbo e baunilha (enche 2 frascos de 250ml cada):

500g ruibarbo, arranjado e cortado em pedaços de 5cm de comprimento

250g açúcar refinado branco

sementes raspadas de 1/2 vagem de baunilha

preparação:

Colocar o ruibarbo, o açúcar e a baunilha num tacho com tampa.

Mexer tudo muito bem e reservar por 20 minutos.

Findo esse tempo, colocar o tacho ao lume e, sobre lume alto, aquecer até levantar fervura.

Quando levantar fervura, baixar o lume e cozinhar por cerca de 10 a 15 minutos, abanando o tacho de vez em quando. O ruibarbo deve ficar macio, mas sem ficar completamente desfeito.

Desligar o lume e deixar a mistura arrefecer completamente.

Depois de fria, dividir a compota por dois frascos esterilizados e de fecho hermético e conservar no frigorífico.

Esta compota deve ser consumida no prazo de 1 semana.

Recipes / Receitas:

Granola: Caderno de Receitas com Chocolate - Rosa Cardoso - Be Nice, Make a Cake.

Compote / Compota:

The Kitchn granola / Granola do livro The Kitchn.

Granola is something that I love to make and I'm always trying to make different versions.

Sometimes when I'm feeling lazy I buy it as now, we can find some fabulous and healthy brands and options on the market.

This recipe is fabulous and full of fantastic ingredients.

ingredients (makes around 6 cups):

3 cups rolled oats

1 cup chopped nuts (almonds, pecans, walnuts)

1 cup dried, shredded, unsweetened coconut

1/2 cup seeds (sesame, pumpkin)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

1/2 cup oil (light olive oil or walnut oil)

1/2 cup honey or maple syrup

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

2 egg whites, lightly beaten

3/4 cup chopped dried fruit (cherries, cranberries, apricots, blueberries)

method:

Preheat the oven to 150ºC.

In a large bowl, mix the oats, nuts, coconut, seeds, sugar, salt and cinnamon.

In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, honey or maple syrup and vanilla.

Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir to combine.

Add the egg whites and combine throughly.

Scrape the mixture out onto a sheet pan and bake for about 45 to 50 minutes or until the mixture is light brown and toasty.

Stir after 20 minutes, moving the crispy bits from the perimeter into the center and distributing the granola in the center out toward the edge of the pan.

Remove the pan from the oven and add the dried fruit.

Using a spatula, stir to combine the mixture and let the granola cool.

Transfer to an airtight container.

The granola will keep fresh for 7 to 10 days.

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Granola é algo que adoro fazer e tento fazer sempre receitas diferentes, pois gosto de variar sabores e combinações.

Quando a preguiça ataca, compro granola de pacote, pois felizmente, hoje em dia já se conseguem encontrar no mercado, marcas com opções magníficas e saudáveis.

ingredientes (rende cerca de 6 chávenas):

3 chávenas de flocos de aveia

1 chávena de frutos secos (amêndoas, nozes, pecãs, etc.)

1 chávena de coco seco ralado, sem adição de açúcar

1/2 chávena de sementes (papoila, sésamo, abóbora, etc.)

1/2 chávena de açúcar amarelo ou moreno claro

1 1/2 colheres chá de sal

1/4 colher chá de canela em pó

1/2 chávena de óleo (azeite light ou óleo de noz ou outro à escolha)

1/2 chávena de mel ou maple syrup

3/4 colher chá de extracto de baunilha

2 claras de ovo, ligeiramente batidas

3/4 chávena de frutos secos picados (cerejas, alperces, mirtilos, arandos, etc.)

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 150ºC.

Numa taça grande, misturar os 7 primeiros ingredientes.

Numa taça à parte, misturar o óleo, o mel ou maple syrup e a baunilha.

Adicionar os ingredientes líquidos aos sólidos e misturar tudo muito bem.

Adicionar as claras de ovo e mexer tudo muito bem, a fim de que todos os ingredientes fiquem bem incorporados.

Deitar a mistura para dentro de um tabuleiro de ir ao forno, por forma a que fiquem bem espalhados e levar ao forno por cerca de 45 a 50 minutos, ou até a granola estar douradinha.

Mexer ao fim dos primeiros 20 minutos, movendo a combinação do centro do tabuleiro para as extremidades e vice versa.

Retirar o tabuleiro do forno e adicionar os frutos secos picados.

Misturar bem com a ajuda de uma espátula e deixar arrefecer.

Transferir a granola para um recipiente de fecho hermético.

A granola conserva-se fresca por 7 a 10 dias.

Recipe / Receita:

Rachel Khoo triple chocolate granola / Granola de 3 chocolates da Rachel Khoo.

Theres nothing better and tastier than a breakfast of homemade granola and this recipe is a stunner either for kids or adults.

ingredients (makes around 1 kilo):

300g buckwheat oats

120g millet oats

150g buckwheat flakes

25g puffed rice

25g puffed quinoa

50g cocoa nibs

300g honey, agave, maple, or golden syrup (I used maple syrup)

2 tbsp sunflower oil

50g cocoa powder

100g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped

100g milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

100g white chocolate, coarsely chopped
method:

Preheat the oven to 160ºC.

Heat the honey or syrup and oil with the cocoa powder in a saucepan until you have a runny mixture.

In a bowl, mix all the dry ingredients, apart from the 3 chocolates.

Stir in the wet mixture.

Spread the granola over 2 baking trays and bake for about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden.

Remove the granola from the oven and allow to cool in the trays.

Stir in the 3 chopped chocolates and store in an airtight container.

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Não há nada mais agradável para o pequeno almoço que granola feita em casa e esta receita, além de recheada de coisas boas, tendo em conta a quantidade de chocolate que leva, faz as delícias de miúdos e graúdos!

ingredientes (para cerca de 1 quilo):

300g trigo sarraceno

120g millet

150g flocos de trigo sarraceno

25g arroz tufado

25g quinoa tufada

50g pedaços de cacau

300g mel, xarope de agave, maple ou golden syrup (eu usei maple syrup)

2 colheres sopa de óleo de girassol

50g cacau em pó

100g chocolate preto, picado grosseiramente

100g chocolate de leite, picado grosseiramente

100g chocolate branco, picado grosseiramente

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 160ºC.

Num tacho, colocar o mel ou xarope escolhido, o óleo e o cacau em pó e aquecer até obter uma mistura líquida.

Numa taça, colocar todos os ingredientes sólidos, com excepção dos 3 chocolates picados.

Adicionar a mistura líquida aos ingredientes sólidos e misturar tudo muito bem.

Distribuir a mistura por 2 tabuleiros de ir ao forno.

Colocar os tabuleiros no forno e cozinhar por cerca de 45 minutos, mexendo a cada 10 minutos, até que a granola esteja douradinha.

Quando a granola estiver pronta, retirar os tabuleiros do forno e deixar a granola arrefecer completamente.

Adicionar os 3 chocolates e envolver bem.

Guardar a granola num frasco ou recipiente de fecho hermético.

Recipe / Receita:

Molasses and ginger granola / Granola com melaço e gengibre.

Another fabulous recipe from Helena's blog, a very wholesome granola.

Packed full with goodness this granola is a fantastic every morning family breakfast.

ingredients:

75g wheat germ

50g wheat bran (I used oat bran)

300g rolled oats

75g quinoa flakes

40g pistachio nuts

40g Baru nuts (I used cashew nuts)

20g almonds

40g walnuts (I used pecan nuts)

50g linseeds

50g sesame seeds

50g black sesame seeds

70g light olive oil (I used coconut oil)

80g molasses

2 coffee spoons ground ginger

2 dessert spoons ground cinnamon

2 dessert spoons vanilla extract

method:

Preheat the oven to 160ºC.

Line a baking tray with baking paper and set aside.

Roughly chop the nuts and put them into a bowl.

Add in the wheat and bran germ, oats, quinoa flakes and all the seeds and mix everything together.

In a small saucepan over a low heat, combine the oil, molasses, cinnamon, ginger and vanilla extract stirring all the time until dissolved.
Pour this mixture over the dry ingredients mixture and mix well until everything is well coated.
Spread the mixture evenly on the lined baking tray and bake for 20 minutes or until golden brown.
Allow the mixture to cool completely in the tray and then store in an airtight jar or container.

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Mais uma fantástica receita do blogue da Helena, esta granola, recheada de produtos fabulosos, é o pequeno almoço perfeito para toda a família.
Substitui alguns produtos, sendo eles, o farelo de aveia em vez de farelo de trigo, usei castanha caju em vez de castanha de baru, nozes pecã em vez de nozes e óleo de côco, em vez do azeite.

Recipe / Receita: Sabores de Canela.

Manuka honey, maple, nut and quinoa granola / Granola com mel de Manuka, maple syrup, frutos secos e quinoa.

This granola is absolutely outstanding and the fact that it has Manuka honey and all its benefits in its composition, says already a lot about how good - in all senses - it will be.

If you want to have a go at this delicious granola, just find the recipe here, but I have to warn you that this is a very, very dangerous recipe and once you made it, you need to hide it or you can't stop eating it!!

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Cá em casa adoramos granola e faço várias vezes, mas quase sempre, faço esta receita da Heidi Swanson.

Ora, andando eu na demanda de encontrar novas e diferentes receitas de granola para começar a variar, encontrei esta fabulosa receita no Printerest e como continha ingredientes fantásticos, os quais eu tinha cá em casa, nem esperei mais e vai de meter mãos à obra. Bem..., como diriam a Clavel e a Inês, fujam do frasco, pois esta é mesmo daquelas de comer à "mãozada" e isto sem falar do facto de que um dos seus componentes é o famoso (e bem carote...) mel de Manuka que, para quem nunca ouviu falar, pode ler aqui, sobre ele e todos os seus benefícios.

ingredientes:

4 colheres sopa de mel de Manuka

1 colher sopa de óleo de côco

3 colheres sopa de maple syrup

1/3 chávena de açúcar de côco

1 colher chá pasta de baunilha

2 chávenas de flocos de quinoa

1 chávena de amêndoas laminadas

1/2 chávena de sementes de abóbora

1/2 chávena de sementes de girassol

3/4 chávena de nozes de macadamia (eu usei uma mistura de frutos secos)

3/4 chávena de avelãs

1 colher chá de sementes de sésamo

1 colher chá de canela em pó

1/2 chávena de arandos secos

preparação:

Aquecer o forno a 150ºC e forrar um tabuleiro com papel vegetal.

Num tachinho sobre lume brando, aquecer o mel, o maple syrup, o açúcar, o óleo de côco e a baunilha, até tudo estar dissolvido e deixar ao lume por mais uns 3 minutos. Reservar.

Numa taça, combinar os restantes ingredientes, à excepção dos arandos.

Deitar a mistura de mel sobre os ingredientes sólidos e mexer bem até todos os ingredientes estarem bem combinados.

Espalhar a mistura homogeneamente, sobre o tabuleiro forrado com o papel vegetal e levar ao forno por 30 a 40 minutos, mexendo a cada 15 minutos, por forma a não queimar.

Nos últimos 10 minutos de cozedura, adicionar os arandos secos e misturar bem.

Terminado o tempo de cozedura, deixar a granola arrefecer no próprio tabuleiro.

Quando completamente fria, partir em pedaços e armazenar num frasco hermético.

Recipe / Receita: heneedsfood.