Dark Chocolate, Candied Orange Peel, Puffed Rice and Quinoa Bars.

       As I already said in an earlier article, it's been a few months since I stopped buying industrial cereals. Indeed I've decided to make home made granola on the grounds that it would be a great improvement in my breakfast routine and since then I've sticked to this new habit, and I love it. So to continue on this healthy line, this week I've decided to give a try to home made cereal and grain bars. Here is my first attempt: a combo between health (quinoa, rice, and flax seeds) and pleasure (candied orange and chocolate). It was a pretty successful attempt, that's why I'm sharing this recipe with you. However next time I'll use more agava syrup because the bars weren't sticky enough and were somewhat crumbling -I've taken this into account in the recipe below. Anyway, this is a new step in my 100% home made food; I now rarely buy packed biscuits and cakes and I'll soon try other new bar recipes, I promise !

Ingredients:

for approximately 12 bars
- 150g puffed rice
- 150g puffed quinoa
- a handful golden flax seeds
- 100g agava syrup
- 1 egg white
- 50g candied orange peel
- 70g dark chocolate


Instructions:

Preheat the oven at 180°C
1) Finely dice the candied orange peal.
2) Mix together the egg white with the agava syrup.
3) Incorporate the rice, quinoa, flax seeds, and the diced orange peel. Coat.
4)Spread the mixture in a rectangle or square mould prepared with parchment paper. Bake for 30min.
5) Remove from the oven and the mould. Let it cool down for 10min before cutting.
6) Meanwhile, melt the chocolate with one or two tablespoons of water. Coat the bars with the chocolate when they've cooled down. Top with some flax seeds. Cool on a rack until the chocolate has hardened.

Store the bars in an air tight box up to 4-5 days - but let me tell you that mine didn't last so long :).

Enjoy,

B.

Apple Granola - How to combine pleasure with health.

          Do I really have to speak about all the benefits of eating granola for breakfast ? 

Since I've been eating a bowl of granola every morning (i.e. about a year and a half), my relationship towards breakfast has changed. Before that, I was rather the kind of girl who used to eat the first pack of cookies or biscuits that she saw in the sideboard. But then I discovered oatmeal, quinoa, rice flakes. I've started eating granola I bought at the supermarket and I soon noticed that I wasn't hungry before lunch anymore, and that I was feeling better, somewhat more energetic.

A few months ago I've discovered a great book that taught how to make home made granola and cereal bars (it's a French book). And I just love making granola; I love making new combinations with the cereals and nuts and dried fruits. This recipe, adapted from a recipe from the book, is my favorite one so I wanted to share it with you guys.

Ingredients:

- 300G oatmeal flakes

- 100g puffed rice
- 100g  puffed amaranth
- 50g toasted chopped hazelnuts
- 50g golden linseeds
- 50g pumpkin seeds
- 200g apple compote
- 200g agava syrup
- 1tb sunflower oil
- 150g dried apple slices
- 100g chopped dark chocolate (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat the oven at 300°C
1) In a bowl, combine all the dried ingredients together except the apple slices and the dark chocolate chips
2) In a saucepan, combine the liquid ingredients. Heat until the mixture is hot and homogenous.
3) Pour the mixture into the bowl. Toss the mixture until all the ingredients are coated.
4) Spread the granola on a sheet of parchment paper.
5) Bake for about 40min until the granola is crispy and golden brown. Take the granola out and stir it around every 10min to prevent it from burning.
6) Take the granola out and let it cool down for 30min. Mix in the dried apple slices and dark chocolate chips.


Eat within a month.

Enjoy,
B.