The Essential Vegetarian--breakfast

[Guest guest]

Yesterday as we returned to town, I spent an hour or more paging through

The Essential Vegetarian and was impressed again with all of the

information in it. Unlike many of the previous Cookbooks of the Week,

Diana Shaw tries to make her recipes healthy and avoids as much fat as

possible. This is a cookbook I really enjoy because I don't have to remove

the fat.

 

I had forgotten about all the breakfast items and quick breads that are in

this book. I will mostly be sharing items from that section and plan to

make a few of them this week. Here are her recipes for

 

Best Granola Formula

Granola Bars

 

Kathleen

 

* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Best Granola Formula

 

Recipe By : The Essential Vegetarian, by Diana Shaw, page 50

Serving Size : 10 Preparation Time :0:05

Categories : Grains And Cereals

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

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1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup barley-malt syrup or honey

1/4 cup mixed fruit juice concentrate -- see note

5 cups rolled oats -- preferably organic

1 cup raisins

 

Serves 10 to 12

Total time: about 30 minutes.

Time to prepare: 5 minutes.

Cooking time: 15 minutes

Refrigeration/freezing: keeps up to 6 months in a cool, dry place.

 

Heat the oven to 350 F.

 

In a large saucepan, combine the honey, barley-malt syrup, and fruit juice

concentrate. Heat over medium heat until you can stir the mixture easily,

but before it starts to boil, about 5 minutes.

 

Place the oats in a large mixing bowl. Add the honey mixture and stir

rapidly and thoroughly to coat the oats.

 

Spread the oats in a thin, even layer on a large nonstick baking sheet (you

may need two). Place It in the oven and bake until the granola is crisp,

no more than 15 minutes. Watch carefully, or the granola may burn.

 

Remove the baking sheet to a cooling rack. Let the granola cool thoroughly

on the baking sheet. Place the granola in a large bowl, break up any large

chunks, stir in the raisins, and transfer to a tightly covered container.

Store in a cool place.

 

Note This is a syrup made from fruit juice-not a frozen concentrate-which

you may be able to find at a health-food market on the sweetener shelf,

next to molasses and maple syrup.

 

Although it's hardy stuff, granola is sensitive to subtle changes in

ingredients. Switch the sweetener or the fruit juice, and you have a whole

new flavor. Consider other add-ins too, such as coconut, chopped dried

fruits, and nuts.

 

WHAT TO ADD AND WHEN TO ADD IT:

 

Use maple syrup instead of barley malt syrup.

 

Use the same amount of undiluted, thawed frozen apple juice concentrate in

place of mixed fruit juice concentrate. Add diced dried apples along with

the raisins.

 

Use the same amount of undiluted thawed orange juice concentrate in place

of mixed fruit juice concentrate. Add dried cranberries and/or diced dried

mango instead of, or along with, the raisins.

 

For other fruit flavors, use the undiluted frozen or bottled juice

concentrate of any fruit you want, such as blueberry, cherry, or apple.

 

Before baking, add slivered almonds or chopped peanuts to the oats. Stir

thoroughly. Remember nuts are fatty, so go easy with this option, adding

about 1/3 cup per recipe.

 

Before baking, add 1/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut to the mixture.

Stir well.

 

Before baking, stir in 1/2 cup wheat bran or oat bran. Substitute barley

flakes or wheat flakes for half of the oats.

 

Per serving: calories 220, protein 6g, carbohydrate 46g, fat 2.2g,

Cholesterol 0mg, sodium 354mg. 9% calories from fat. Very good source of

vitamin C; iron.

 

Converted by MC_Buster.

 

 

 

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* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Granola Bars

 

Recipe By : The Essential Vegetarian, by Diana Shaw, page 51

Serving Size : 8 Preparation Time :0:10

Categories : Grains And Cereals

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

1/2 cup loosely packed dried figs

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 large egg whites

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup whole wheat or oat flour

2 cups nonfat or low-fat granola

store-bought or homemade

1/2 cup raisins

(if the granola doesn't contain raisins)

 

Serves 8

 

Total time: 1 hour, 10 to 15 minutes including time to soak the figs.

Time to prepare: 10 minutes.

Cooking time. 30 to 35 minutes.

Do ahead. You can make the granola up to 1 week in advance.

Refrigeration/freezing. Refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze up to 6 months.

 

Everyone's heard that, like vegetables, breakfast is Good for You. Yet

some of the very same people who never have to be told to eat their greens

skip the morning meal without a second thought-or with an inappropriate

one, like " Hey, I'll grab a granola bar. " Most granola bars are no more

nourishing than the oil and sweeteners that contribute most of their

calories You can buy low-fat granola bars, but none, I'm sure, as good as

these

 

Place the figs in a bowl and pour 1 cup boiling water over them. Let them

soak for 30 minutes.

 

Heat the oven to 350 F. Drain the water and puree the figs in a food

processor or blender. Transfer the figs to a mixing bowl. Add the brown

sugar, egg whites, vanilla, and flour. Beat with an electric hand mixer

until smooth. Stir in the granola and the raisins, if using.

 

Use your hands to press the mixture evenly into a nonstick 8-inch square

pan. Bake until firm and lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

 

Let the pan cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then cut the baked granola

into 8 squares or rectangles while it is still slightly warm. Remove the

bars from the pan, and place them directly on the rack to cool completely.

 

For crispier bars, place the cut granola bars on a baking sheet and

continue to bake at 350 F for an additional 5 minutes. Remove from the

baking sheet and let them cool completely on a rack.

 

Per serving (1 bar): calories 250, protein 5.3g, carbohydrate 57.2g, fat

1.5g, cholesterol 0mg. 5% calories from fat. Good source of vitamin B12,

iron.

 

Converted by MC_Buster.

 

 

 

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schuller