Gina's Granola & Suzi's Flapjacks

Gina from Home Joys is a woman after my own heart. We've never met, but chatted a little. She's one of my favourite people in cyber world! A blog well worth keeping up with.

Her objective and realistic view of things makes me giggle. It's so easy to think, "she's so perfect" but she's very much removed from the 'look at me - you want to be me' kind of bloggers out there. She's real.

This is her recipe from the corker of a book, Nourishing Traditions. Ok so it's not her recipe, but she shared it with me so I'm naming it hers hereafter.

"If you are familiar with Nourishing Traditions, you know that "soaking" is an important facet of their diet recommendations. They suggest that all grains and seeds should be soaked in an acid medium (such as yogurt or lemon juice) before being prepared for eating. According to their research, grains are hard to digest and can actually bind up important minerals.

I always rolled my eyes and considered those who cook according to Nourishing Traditions the worse food snobs ever."

Gina's Soaked Granola (crunchy)

 I followed the recipe. The first time using raw coconut oil and yoghurt and no fruit (Steve's batch). The second time (pictured) I used whole peanuts, pepitas, chia seeds - just chucked a whole bunch of seeds in..  and dried, sweetened cranberries. I used Kefir and butter as I'd run out of coconut oil. (This is the batch you have "Treena")

 I started drying it out in the oven and then it got too close to dinner time and needed the oven. So I finished them off in the dehydrator. Worked a treat! It's better in the dehydrator, you end up with a crunchier finish.

 It filled one and a half cereal containers. The one on the right is some that I finished in the oven.. which I forgot about - thanks FB. It fed the bin.

 

My Flapjacks

You know the usual flapjack recipe? Well I couldn't help Suzi-fy it! This version is NUT-FREE for school lunches. You could also make a maple pecan version (omitting the golden syrup/honey and seeds).

1 cup quick oats
1 plain flour
2/3 dessicated coconut
1/2 cup rapadura (or you can use brown)
1/2 cup sunflower seeds (for the batch above I put sunflower and pepitas with chia, linseed and sesame seeds to add extra nutritional value)

1/2 cup pumpkin seeds/pepitas
1/2 cup finely chopped dates
1/2 cup butter
3 T golden syrup/honey
1 T water
1/2 tsp bicarb

Melt butter, golden syrup and water in microwave or stove top. Then add in the bicarb and stir.
Add all dry ingredients and press down firmly into a greased lamington try.
Bake at 160C for approx 20mins until slightly golden ontop and set.

Store in airtight container - freezes well.

The best thing?? My kids LOVE it and ask for it in their lunch boxes for recess everyday. I have to fight them off!

Dosa House - for a well earnt break

Almost at the end (of the beginning) of a long trawl of fights, debates, pushing of my opinion to be counted. Desperate for my voice to be heard through emails and letters and feeling like I'm holding the worries of the world - though I'm not.. it just feels like that sometimes.

After signing as many petitions, emailing politicians on every topic, I've decided to put all the causes of the world on hold. My seven page hack at a major TV channel and the Advertising Standards Bureau will be submitted with the 60 supporters. Their comments and my inclusion of a government study showing massive HOLES in or lack of policy, codes and restrictions of advertising - will have to wait for me to catch my breath!

Trying to be counted in the fight against goodness, against nudity in advertising (even though it's targeted at adults, kids are still THERE in the shops seeing it!), trying to save Marriage in it's original and special form, trying to stop post-birth abortion... any kind of abortion - finding out there's an abortion clinic near where I live!!!! Helping hammer the stores selling porn t-shirts.... too many very worthy causes to fight for.

Sometimes I think the only reason we get sick (I'm just a bit sick.. it's a "man cold") is  just so we slow down and have time to think, reflect and calm down.. a bit.

So, aside from my fight against what seems the impossible, my irks against misleading the public and researching my fingers raw to find a more affordable, ethical/eco means to household living..... I'm having fun taking my friends to the DOSA HOUSE. Thanks to Jeyanthi and Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, I've remembered where some of my delightful happiness lies. In simple, pure, unadulterated food.

First it was my father in law, the next week it was Amanda my amazing and calm sister in law, then one of my favourite down to earth 'say it how it is' friends Kay and this week it was  my close friend who works her butt off for her family and doesn't faint with exhaustion every week (like I would) Maryanne. Every single one of them great company.. and so is Jeyanthi (pictured).

You, you and YOU should come down to the Dosa House with us for a night out (instead of Max Brennar... too much chocolate.. is... ok, good for a stress relief! Maybe we'll alternate). Jeyanthi loved the sound of Max Brennar as made me write it all down so she can go - she loves chocolate :o)

 I never thought it would take off when she told me at her market stall about the new shop opening. Who opens a shop with only a few things on the menu?! Well for a one chef place she's busy! South Indians and Sri-Lankans go there when they miss home and want Auntie Jeyanthi's cooking, just like home. Which is alot! I even convinced her into maybe doing a group of us some Thalis.. maybe even with a massive table sized Dosa!! :o)

With it's plastic cups of tap water, maps blue tacked to the wall and flurescent elephant picture, it's a traditional no frill affair.

The three things that keep me going: 1. Jeyanthi's beautiful smile, personality and caring nature 2. the sheer lack of pretense and 3. the food! So good, you don't care if the order's wrong. It's ALL good!

See you next week J. x