Be sure to tune in on Thursday when I will have an important announcement posted.  For today, I’m sharing with you the perfection of my already near-perfect homemade granola recipe.  Over the last year, I’ve slightly tweeked the old recipe until now that it is undeniably the best granola ever!  I’m not kidding you.  I gave bags of it away for Christmas gifts and everyone raved about it.  I’ve even sold special orders of it. Now I’m questioning the sanity of actually sharing this recipe with you because anyone can make it.  I may lose business.  However, if you promise to keep it a secret and not sell it for profit, I will share it with you!

The recipe below is for 1 batch.  I never make 1 batch.  I typically triple it and it lasts us about 2 or 3 days.  {We eat the stuff for breakfast, lunch, snack, & dessert!} I also like to give a batch to a friend.  It makes a great little gift or addition to a brunch.

~Preheat oven to 325 degrees.~

~Measure out your old-fashioned oats {be sure to use certified gluten-free, if necessary} into a medium bowl.  Add in chia seeds {you could also use flax or hemp seed}.~

~Measure out your oil; add to oats.  Follow with honey and maple syrup; add to oats.  Stir oats until everything is well incorporated.~

~Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.  Spread oat mixture out evenly.~

~Bake for 15 minutes.  Remove granola from oven and stir.  Spread out evenly across cookie sheet again.  Bake for an additional 15 minutes.  {If granola is not quite golden after this time, give it a stir and add it back to the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes. Be careful though. You do not want to burn it.}~

~While granola is baking, chop your dried fruit and nuts, if necessary.  My favorite combination is apricots & almonds.  My second favorite is dates & pecans.  Do whatever you like!~

~Once granola is cooked and removed from the oven, stir in the dried fruit & nuts.  Give it a stir to break up the clumps every once in a while.  Store in a container or bag, but not until it is completely cool.~

~~Enjoy with your favorite yogurt or milk!~~

Perfected Homemade Granola

Ingredients

• 2 cups Old-Fashioned Oats
• 1 tablespoons chia seed
• 1/3 cups oil of choice (grapeseed, vegetable, melted coconut, etc.)
• 1/4 cups maple syrup
• 1/4 cups honey
• 1/2 cups dried fruit, chopped
• 1/4 cups chopped nuts

Instructions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

1. Measure out your old-fashioned oats {be sure to use certified gluten-free, if necessary} into a medium bowl. Add in chia seeds {you could also use flax or hemp seed}.

2. Measure out your oil; add to oats. Follow with honey and maple syrup; add to oats. Stir oats until everything is well incorporated.

3. Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper. Spread oat mixture out evenly.

4. Bake for 15 minutes. Remove granola from oven and stir. Spread out evenly across cookie sheet again. Bake for an additional 15 minutes. {If granola is not quite golden after this time, give it a stir and add it back to the oven for an additional 5-7 minutes. Be careful though. You do not want to burn it.}

5. While granola is baking, chop your dried fruit and nuts, if necessary. {My favorite combination is apricots & almonds. My second favorite combination is dates & pecans. Do whatever combination you like.}

6. Once granola is cooked and removed from the oven, stir in the dried fruit & nuts. Give it a stir to break up the clumps every once in a while. Store in a container or bag, but not until it is completely cool.

Shared Gluten-Free Wednesdays & Allergy-Free Wednesdays

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Fruit Crisp: You can never have enough recipes of this crowd favorite, in my opinion.  It doesn’t really matter what fruit you put in them either, whether it is apple, peach, blueberry, or a combination.  They are all good!  Furthermore, you can enjoy Fruit Crisps all year round by using frozen fruit.

A number of months back, my sweet friend Kelly at The Nourishing Home shared her favorite gluten-free Berry Peachy Crisp with us here at The Willing Cook.  It is a fantastic recipe! {In fact, I peaked over at her site today and as always, she has some amazing recipes over there! Check it out.}

As I was searching for an allergy-friendly dessert to take to a school potluck this past weekend, I noticed all the blueberries I have in my freezer that we picked last summer! I know…how could someone keep yummy, fresh-picked blueberries in their freezer for that long! I wanted to make Kelly’s Berry Peachy Crisp, but I didn’t have all the ingredients.  As a result, I decided to step out on my own.  {Afterall, I don’t think one can ever have too many Fruit Crisp recipes…sort of like chili recipes.}  I combined the above recipe with a recipe for Apple Crisp in one of my favorite old time cookbooks.  What resulted is one of the best Fruit Crisp recipes I’ve ever had and will definitely make time and time again!

Be sure to check out the notes throughout the recipe and at the end to make the Fruit Crisp refined sugar free, nut free and guaranteed gluten-free!  {My apologies on the bad photo.  I was running out the door with the Fruit Crisp and grab a picture on my phone real fast.  You’ll forgive me, right?!?}

Berry Best Fruit Crisp, gluten & dairy free

If using frozen fruit, be sure to thaw completely & drain. Pay attention to the separation of ingredients. **See additional notes below recipe.**

Ingredients

• 6-8 cups fresh or frozen fruit (blueberry, peach, apple, raspberry, etc.)
• 3 Tbsp + 1/2 cups brown sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 tsp + 1/2 cups tapioca flour
• 1/2 tsp + 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
• 1 cups brown rice flour
• 1/2 cups oat flour
• 3/4 cups Old-Fashioned Oats
• 1 1/2 teaspoons nutmeg, ground
• 1/2 cups pecans, chopped
• 1 cups coconut oil

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

1. In a small bowl, combine 3 Tbsp brown sugar (or use 4 Tbsp maple syrup), vanilla, 2 tsp tapioca flour, & 1/2 tsp cinnamon.

2. Spread out your fruit in a 9x13 glass casserole dish. Pour the mixture in the bowl evenly across the fruit.

3. In a new bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the crisp topping: brown rice flour, oat flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour, old-fashioned oats, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, chopped pecans (optional). {For a refined sugar free version, leave out the brown sugar. Instead, mix in 2 Tbsp honey at the end.}

4. Soften coconut oil in a bowl. Slowly add it to the dry mix and combine until it is somewhat crumbly.

5. Spread crisp topping evenly across fruit and gently press down.

6. Bake for 30-40 minutes, or until topping is golden and fruit is bubbly.

Enjoy by itself or topped with ice cream! It's great for breakfast and dessert alike!

**Additional Notes: 1) For a refined sugar free version, see the substitutions in the recipe instructions. 2) Leave out the chopped pecans for a nut-free Fruit Crisp. For an additional ingredient, try adding shredded coconut. 3) Be sure to use certified gluten-free oats for the oat flour and the Old-Fashioned oats, if necessary. While oats are not considered a gluten, the cross-contamination between conventional oats and gluten is very high.**

Click on Homemade Gluten-Free Flours, to save money making homemade oat flour for this recipe.

Shared at Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Hearth & Soul Blog Hop, Gluten-Free Wednesdays, Allergy-Free Wednesdays.

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So I didn’t get around to posting the usual meal plan yesterday because our internet was down over the weekend.  I promise that it had nothing to do with the fact that I was completely absorbed in the Downton Abbey season finale…nothing at all!  I may be completely lost this week by not posting our meal plan.  I rely heavily on it week after week.  Of course, I could just write it down for myself, right?

Now on to today’s allergy-friendly recipe.  I created an amazing recipe last week that wasn’t on our meal plan because I found Daiya cheese wedges on clearance for $2.49.  It slices up perfectly for a sandwich.  Seeing as how my 8-year old has never had the pleasure of a grilled cheese sandwich, I decided it was high time he did! He loved it!!!  In fact, he had two full grilled cheese sandwiches and was thrilled {and stuffed}!  I wish I had taken a picture of this “first”.

Now, you may be wondering why this is called “The H.A.T.CH”.  H=ham; A=avocado; T=tomato (although I forgot them at the store); CH=cheese.  It is an amazing combination of ingredients, and made to order, everyone can enjoy it with their own allergy restrictions or not.  In all, I made 4 different sandwiches:

• traditional grilled cheese (for my girls)
• Daiya cheese on regular bread (for my son)
• regular cheese on gf naan/flatbread (for me)
• Daiya cheese on gf naan/flatbread (for my husband)

I might feel like a short-order cook sometimes, but it is often totally worth it!

Grilled The H.A.T.CH Sandwich

See gluten/dairy-free Naan recipe below for a gf version.

Ingredients

• allowed bread (regular or gluten-free)
• allowed butter (regular or dairy-free)
• ham slices
• favorite cheese or Daiya dairy-free cheese wedge
• avocado
• tomato

Instructions

Preheat griddle.

{If using the gluten/dairy-free naan bread, make those first, excluding the olive oil and garlic salt from the recipe. Lay aside, then follow the directions below.}

1. Butter bread with allowed butter. Top bread with ham slices and allowed cheese.

2. Place sandwich on griddle; brown on both sides and allow cheese to melt.

3. Remove from griddle, open bread, and top with sliced avocado and tomato. {Feel free to add any other desired toppings.}

That is it! Enjoy with a side salad, raw vegetables, or your favorite soup!

Naan Bread, gluten & allergy-friendly

Makes about 8 pieces of Naan. Watch the amounts of shortening and water; add more or less to achieve the desired consistency.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups white or brown rice flour
• 1/2 cups tapioca flour
• 2 tablespoons white granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoons guar gum
• 1/4 teaspoons cream of tartar
• 1/8 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 2-3 tablespoons Spectrum Organic All Natural Butter Flavor Shortening (dairy & soy free)
• 1/4-1/2 cups cold water
• olive oil, extra-virgin
• garlic salt

Instructions

1. Mix together the dry ingredients in a bowl.

2. Add the softened shortening in, 1 tablespoon at a time. With a wood spoon, slowly break up the shortening until only small pieces remain. You can add an additional Tbsp of shortening if it doesn't seem like it will come together.

3. Slowly add in the cold water, while mixing it into the flour. Add more cold water (up to 2 Tbsp) until dough is no longer dry. Be careful with this step because you do not want the dough to become too wet. The dough should be holding together nicely. Keep "kneading" the dough with the wood spoon until it is coming together.

4. Once the dough is smooth, start rolling into balls a little larger than a golf ball (sprinkle with additional tapioca flour if it's sticking to your fingers). Make all the balls at this time and set them aside. (If the dough is sticking to your fingers, try rolling it into a ball anyway. It may just smooth out and roll right up for you without any more sticking.)

5. Place a dough ball between 2 sheets of parchment paper. With a rolling pin, roll out a circle until it’s about 1/2 inch thick and about 3 inches in diameter.

6. Preheat a large non-stick skillet with the olive oil.

7. Carefully peel away the top sheet of parchment paper and season with garlic salt or other spice of choice. Flip the crust on the heated griddle. Slowly pull away the top sheet of parchment paper, and season it with garlic salt. Allow the Naan to cook 1-2 minutes, or until browned. Flip over and cook the other side for 1 minute.

Remove the Naan to a plate and repeat steps 5-7 for the rest of the dough.

Enjoy with Beef Stew or your favorite Curry dish!

Shared at Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Hearth & Soul Blog Hop, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Allergy-Free Wednesdays.

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Sometimes the simplest recipes pass right by me and it makes me wonder, “Did everyone else already know about this easy and delicious dish or did I stumble upon something entirely new?”  I suspect it is the former.  Regardless, I’m sharing a recipe with you today for Fried Apples that I created as a quick side to accompany Oven-Seared Salmon and Steamed Vegetable Medley.

I love Sunday lunch/dinner because everyone lends a hand in the kitchen more than on the weekdays.  We rarely fix anything that is incredibly involved, but it usually fits in nicely for an after-church family lunch.  However, this past Sunday my husband took off early to take advantage of the warmer weather and take part in one of his favorite past times…metal detecting!

I was on my own for cooking Sunday dinner, so I wanted something simple.  I had already thawed out the salmon and was planning just to add some steamed veggies, but my husband wanted another side dish.  What should that be? I wanted simple.  I only had about 20 minutes.  I quickly thought of applesauce, but decided that would take long.  Well…..why not fried apples!  Yes! Yes! Yes!

Fried Apples were a huge hit and we were all actually scrapping for the last bites.  It whipped up in about 10-15 minutes, including prepping the apples.  Fried Apples will be on our menu often from now on because of the healthy powerful punch it has and its deliciousness {I’ll just make more next time!}.  Try it out for yourself and I promise you’ll love it too!

Simply Healthy Fried Apples

I prefer to use Gala Apples and local honey. Adjust the ingredient amounts as desired.

Ingredients

• 2-3 pounds Gala Apples
• 2 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon, ground
• 1/4 cups honey

Instructions

1. Remove the skin & core from your apples; slice thinly.

2. Melt coconut oil in large skillet.

3. Place all apples in the skillet and mix around in the oil.

4. Sprinkle the apples with the cinnamon and drizzle on honey.

5. Occasionally stir the apples and cook about 7 minutes, or until apples are tender but not mushy.

Yum! Enjoy as a side dish for dinner or brunch, or with a scoop of ice cream on top for dessert!

Shared at Slightly Indulgent Tuesday, Hearth & Soul Blog Hop, Gluten-Free Wednesday, Allergy-Free Wednesdays.

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