Heathy Resolutions

If you made a New Year's resolution to eat healthier, homemade cranberry and almond granola served over yogurt and fresh blueberries is a delicious and antioxidant-filled way to start your day. 

It’s so easy to make I usually bake small batches (about 1/2 pound) so I can have fresh granola but the recipe may easily be doubled for a larger batch. Feel free to experiment with your favorite combinations of dried fruit and nuts. If you prefer a sweeter granola, you may use pure maple syrup, preferably Grade B, instead of honey.

1 cup old-fashioned oats

3/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 cup raw sliced almonds

Pinch nutmeg

Pinch salt

2 tablespoons butter 

1/8 cup brown sugar

1/8 cup honey

1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 cup raw desiccated coconut 

1/2 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix oats, cinnamon, nuts, nutmeg, salt; pour into a 8x8-inch Pyrex dish and set aside.

In  small saucepan, melt the butter with brown sugar and honey. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla; pour over the oats and use a spoon to thoroughly coat oat mixture. 

Bake for 17 minutes. Stir in the coconut, being sure to move the granola from the edges of the pan to the center, and bake for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir again before baking for an additional 5 minutes. 

Remove from the oven and let cool completely in the pan. Stir in the dried fruit. The granola can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one month. 

My Not-So-Secret Mission

When it comes to food, I'm spoiled. I blame all the wonderful meals I've had at the various restaurants I've worked at. I've been indoctrinated to believe great food must be made from scratch. My family, however, does not share my passion for cooking and can’t understand why I don’t eat my green bean casserole or Stove Top stuffing at Christmas dinner.

I’ve made it my (now not-so-secret) mission to turn my family into foodies. This is the first year of my endeavor so I’m starting off slowly by replacing the canned cranberry sauce this with a simple, easy to make Port cranberry sauce. I like to make this the day before I plan on serving it because it thickens up in the refrigerator.   

Port Cranberry Sauce

3/4 cup ruby Port (I use Dow’s Ruby Port)

2 cinnamon sticks

1 12-ounce bag fresh cranberries

1/3 cup water* (see note)

1/2 cup sugar

Bring the Port, water, sugar, and cinnamon sticks to a boil in a medium saucepan; stir to dissolve sugar. Reduce heat to medium-low and add cranberries, stirring often until cranberry sauce thickens and berries break, about 15 minutes. Reduce heat to low and let simmer for about 12 minutes. Discard cinnamon sticks and transfer sauce to bowl to cool. 

*If I have oranges I use the juice from one orange in lieu of the water.