Quick and Easy Granola Bars

It is such a lovely day outside, I almost feel guilty sitting here at noon typing on my computer, but I did just get finished with the Incline in Colorado Springs (check out this site if you have no idea what I am talking about... http://www.manitouincline.com/).  

Afterwards, I managed to eat my last homemade granola bar, so I figured what better way to relax than to cook up some more to use for the next few weeks on the incline...my goal is once per week.  I am not sure what my time was today (my watch is broken as is my cell phone), but last week it was 48 minutes, and this week I 'ran' some of the sections.  Needless to say, I was a bit hungry and now attempting to rest a bit.  So, here goes on the granola bars...the batter tasted amazingly delicious, and the bars tasted even better! (Yes, I had a granola bar after the incline, and one while cooking...you can't expect me to post something without actually trying it can you?!?!

And while I am at it, my dog is in a sleeping dog photo contest that goes until the end of March, 2012...please vote for him!  You know he is absolutely adorable!
http://gazette.upickem.net/engine/Details.aspx?p=V&c=51777&s=18313640

Quick and Easy Granola Bars

3 C. Rolled Oats
1/4 C. Flax Seeds
1/2 C. Honey (bit more if you like things sweeter)
1/2 C. Protein Powder of your choice
1 1/2 C. Powdered Milk (or soy powder if you are going dairy free)
1 T. Ground Cinnamon
1/4 t. Ground Ginger
1 Egg
1 T. Lemon Juice in a half cup measuring cup filled the rest of the way with water (or 1/2 C. of your favorite juice)
1 C. mix of Almonds, Sunflower Seeds, Almonds, Raisins and Craisins (or any mix you desire)
1/2 C. Applesauce

Preheat oven to 350 F

In a large mixing bowl combine all ingredients and stir thoroughly.  If the mixture is too runny, add more oats until almost the texture of cookie dough.

Grease a 9x13 baking pan and pour in batter.  Place in oven and cook for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove from oven and let cool for 20 minutes before enjoying!

After the bars have completely cooled, you can cut them up in squares freeze them.  Just separate the squares with wax paper, aluminum foil and then place in a freezable container to later be removed and enjoyed in the future!  Even if you don't plan on freezing them, I would probably store them in the fridge just to be on the safe side...food poisoning kinda ruins playing outside...just sayin'

Inspiration courtesy of: http://www.ehow.com/how_4470045_energy-barseasy-healthy-homemade.html

Baked Glazed Carrots

It has been a few cold and snowy days, but that has not curbed my enthusiasm for eating more veggies every day.  The cold weather does mean that I want most of my food hot so I don't freeze myself more that I already do, so I am discovering more ways to prepare my veggies to make them more appetizing in the winter.  Roasting just about any vegetable in a little oven has become one of my new favorite ways to cook vegetables.  It is so easy and quick.  All you do is cut the vegetable, season it with a bit of oil and spices and then toast in the oven until desired crispiness has been achieved.  Through this experimentation with the little oven, I have found some of my new favorite ways to cook carrots (and get rid my usual overabundance of carrots besides feeding them to my dear basset hound who thinks all carrots are for him)...by putting spices on them and then roasting them in my little oven!  What better way to describe them other than mmmmm, delicious!  And one of the best things, there are so many spices you can flavor them with, you could go on for days with the many spices available.

Baked Glazed Carrots

1/4 pound Carrots (baby or the big ones)

1/8 C. Balsamic Vinegar
1/8 C. Honey

Preheat oven to 350 F

Cut up your carrots in your favorite way...sliced, cubed, roll cut...you decide.  I roll cut mine to get a lot of surface area while still having a chunky carrot.

Cook carrots for 10-15 minutes or until lightly browned.

While carrots are cooking in the oven, prepare the honey vinegar glaze.  Combine the honey and vinegar and stir until thoroughly mixed.  If you need to, microwave the mixture for 10 seconds to soften the honey.  Set aside.

Once the carrots have cooked, remove from the oven.  Brush the honey vinegar glaze over the carrots ensuring a complete covering of the carrots with the glaze.

Return the carrots to the oven for 3-5 minutes for the glaze to soak into the carrots.

Remove the glazed carrots from the oven, let cool slightly (they are partially covered in sugar) and enjoy!

Inspiration courtesy of: http://www.patiodaddiobbq.com/2010/09/grilled-glazed-carrots.html

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic Aioli Sauce

Sorry I have not written anything delicious in a while.  It is just that the weather in Colorado has been so nice lately I have been trying to spend all of my free time outside.  And, seeing as I have now had 3 winters in a row (that happens when you go to South America on the last day of winter in North America and return around the last day of winter in South America...you completely miss spring and summer in both hemispheres, and then tend to get fall, winter, fall, winter and then finally spring).  Though I don't regret a bit of it and I had a blast in South America for the 6 months that I was there, I can now fully appreciate warm weather and the flowers starting to bloom!

So, to match the fantastic weather and St. Patrick's day soon approaching, I decided to buy fresh brussel sprouts and try cooking them.  Let me just say, they were fabulous and I wish I had the opportunity to eat them like this as a child because then I would not have tried sneaking them to my dog every time I was force to eat the frozen and then thawed brussel sprouts that came out of the freezer.

Roasted Brussel Sprouts with Garlic Aioli Sauce

10-20 fresh Brussel Sprouts cut into wedges (don't buy the frozen ones)
Canola Oil to drizzle on the Sprouts
Salt
Pepper

Sauce
2 Tbsp Light Miracle Whip or Light Mayo
Splash of Lemon Juice
1/8 tsp. Garlic minced (or more if you like a strong garlic flavor)
1 tsp. chopped or dried parsley

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Chop up the Brussel Spouts into wedges...4 wedges per Sprout

Lightly coat the Sprouts with the Canola oil.  Then sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook the Brussel Sprouts for 10-20 minutes or until lightly brown.

While the Sprouts are cooking in the oven prepare the Aioli.

Combine all the ingredients listed for the Aioli (Miracle Whip, Lemon Juice, Garlic and Parsley).  Stir until thoroughly mixed.  Set aside until the Brussel Sprouts are done and ready to be eaten.

The Roasted Brussel Sprouts can be eaten fresh out of the oven or whenever you get the time eat them...I ate them straight out of the oven...they did not even have time to make it off the tray...they were that delicious.  I cannot wait to try them again!

Inspiration courtesy of: http://annacostafood.wordpress.com/2012/02/23/crispy-brussel-sprouts-with-a-garlic-aioli/