Honey Coconut Granola

I found a recipe online for granola and then made a bunch of modifications. It turned out AWESOME. Stephen and I both love it. The measurements here are sort of approximate since I was making it up a bit as I went along. Make your own adjustments if you like it sweeter or with more nuts, or whatever. This recipe is not very sweet, but just sweet enough for our taste.

Honey Coconut Granola

5 C oats
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup oil
1-2 tsp cinnamon

1-2 tsp vanilla
1 C shredded coconut
1/2 C slivered (or chopped) almonds and/or pecans

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Mix honey, oil, cinnamon and vanilla together. Mix in the rest of the ingredients. Spread onto two cookie sheets. Bake in oven for 15 minutes. Take out and stir, then put back in for 5 or so more minutes. Cook to desired crunchiness.

Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry

Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry Recipe with Ginger and Hoisin Sauce

Sooooo good. Tasted and looked like a restaurant dish. And it was really easy to make. Very healthy I think too. Just go easy on the oil.

Cut pork into same-size strips and let it marinate in a mixture of soy sauce, sherry, and cornstarch while you prep the other ingredients.

Wash broccoli and cut into same size pieces. To prevent little crumbles of broccoli, cut through the stem and them pull the heads apart. (I don't remember where I learned that trick, but I love it!)

Don't forget to pre-heat the wok before adding the oil. (Don't you just love the looks of my new wok?)

Add the peanut oil and let it heat until it looks shimmery, then add the garlic and ginger and cook about 30 seconds to "season the oil." It's important to remove all this before it gets brown or it can make the oil taste bitter.

Add broccoli to the hot wok and cook about 3 minutes, stirring often. (Some Asian cookbooks say to use a bit of water and put the lid on the wok to steam the vegetables, but I like to keep them more crispy.)

Remove broccoli to a plate, add a tiny bit more oil and then add pork with marinating liquid and cook 3-4 minutes, until it's firm and slightly browned.

If you're using fresh minced ginger and garlic, add it and cook about 1 minute before adding the rest of the sauce. If you're lazy like me and use garlic and ginger puree from a jar, it can be stirred into the sauce. Cook vegetables with the sauce for only about 1-2 minutes more so the broccoli stays crisp.

Pork and Broccoli Stir-Fry with Ginger and Hoisin Sauce
(Makes about 3-4 servings, recipe slightly adapted from The Sugar Solution Cookbook.)

1 lb. pork tenderloin (2 boneless pork loin chops were perfect)
2 T soy sauce
1 T dry sherry
1 T cornstarch (or arrowroot starch)
4 cups broccoli flowerets, cut into same size pieces
1-2 T peanut oil (depending on your pan)
4-5 slices fresh ginger root
4-5 sliced garlic cloves

sauce:
2 tsp. ginger puree (also called ground ginger, or use finely minced fresh ginger root)
2 tsp. garlic puree (also called ground garlic, or use finely minced garlic cloves)
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 T Hoisin sauce *see below for homemade recipe if you don't have sauce on hand
pinch of red pepper flakes or a few shakes or Sriracha sauce

Trim all visible fat from pork chops and cut into strips about 1/2 inch thick and 2-3 inches long. Combine soy sauce, dry sherry, and cornstarch in bowl and add the pork strips. Stir to coat pork and let marinate while you prep the other ingredients.

Wash broccoli and cut into same-sized flowerets, keeping a few inches of stem on the pieces. If using ginger and garlic puree, combine with chicken stock, Hoisin sauce, and hot sauce or pepper flakes. (If using freshly minced ginger and garlic, keep them out of the sauce so they can have a minute or so of extra cooking time.)

Have all ingredients ready and turner and serving plate ready before you begin to stir-fry.

Heat wok over high flame or hot burner about 1 minute, until it feels hot if you put your hand over the wok. Add 1 T peanut oil and heat until the oil looks shimmery, then add garlic and ginger root slices and cook 30 seconds to one minute, just until you start to smell the garlic and ginger. Be careful to remove every bit of ginger and garlic or it will make the oil taste bitter.

Add broccoli and stir-fry, stirring often, for about 3 minutes, or until broccoli turns bright green and is barely getting tender. Remove broccoli to a plate. Add a bit more oil if needed, heat about 30 seconds, then add pork and marinating liquid. Stir-fry pork about 3-4 minutes, until it's firm and slightly browned. (If using freshly minced garlic and ginger, add now and cook about 1 minute.) Add broccoli and sauce and cook about 2 minutes more, stirring until meat and vegetables are coated with sauce and sauce is slightly thickened. (There will not be a huge amount of sauce.) Serve hot.

*Homemade Hoisin Sauce

4 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons black bean paste or peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey or molasses
2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
2 teaspoons sesame oil
20 drops hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Greek Barley and Chicken Salad

Greek Barley and Chicken Salad
I love this salad and will be making it in the future over and over again.
2 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon olive oil
4 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth, divided
1 cup uncooked pearl barley
2 cups cubed seeded cucumber
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup cubed yellow bell pepper
1/3 cup reduced-fat feta cheese
1/4 cup chopped pitted kalamata olives
Dressing:
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
3 garlic cloves, minced
Preparation
1. To prepare salad, sprinkle chicken with 1/8 teaspoon salt. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. Add 1 cup broth; cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until done. Cool; shred chicken. Discard broth.

2. Bring 3 cups broth to a boil in a large saucepan; add barley. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 35 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Cool. Combine chicken, barley, cucumber, and next 4 ingredients (through olives) in a large bowl.

3. To prepare dressing, combine 3 tablespoons oil, rind, and remaining ingredients; stir well. Add to barley mixture; toss well. Cover and chill.

Nutritional Information
Calories:230
Fat:9.8g (sat 2g,mono 5.7g,poly 1.1g)
Protein:18g
Carbohydrate:18.3g
Fiber:3.2g
Cholesterol:38mg
Iron:1.2mg
Sodium:611mg
Calcium:38mg

Chicken and Broccoli with Spicy Peanut Sauce

I am trying to feed my family some healthy food after all the junk we ate during December. I gained 4 lbs and Peter gained 8! I am especially looking for recipes with lots of veggies in them. Here are some of the recipes we have tried lately that we really liked.
Chicken and Broccoli with Spicy Peanut Sauce
This is awesome. Probably one of our favorite meals. Did I already post this recipe? I don't use quite that much oil and I use sesame oil because I like the flavor better. I don't know how much worse sesame oil is for you than olive oil, but that is what I use.
Ingredients:
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup peanut butter, (I like crunchy better, but either will work)
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons peanut or olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 4 cups chopped broccoli
• Chili-garlic sauce, optional*


Directions:
In a small bowl, blend peanut butter, water, soy sauce and sugar; set aside. In a wok or large skillet, heat oil over high heat. Add garlic and pepper; stir-fry 30 seconds. Add chicken, stir-fry until firm and white, about 5 minutes. Add broccoli, stir-fry until bright green, about 3 minutes. Stir in peanut butter mixture. Cook, stirring constantly until sauce is smooth, about 3 minutes.
*I like to add chili-garlic sauce to pb mixture to give it some extra kick. I probably use 1-2 tsp.- we like it spicy.