Off to a Great Start! {Banana Cranberry Currant Granola}

It has been almost five months now, since Alex and I started writing the blog! When we began coming up with recipes and posting them, I was admittedly very self-conscious. How was my writing? Was I using proper grammar and pacing? Do people even care?

Since starting the blog, we have had 2500 blog views, we have188 followers on Twitter, 51 page 'Likes' on Facebook and tons of comments from friends, family, co-workers and even strangers complimenting us! When I see these stats, I can't help but smile!

Even more exciting are the things we have done in the name of our blog. For instance, participating in the  Ottawa Foodie Challenge 2013 and winning a couple prizes while we were at it! And taking a crack a writing a two restaurant and food cart reviews (which have garnered the highest views on the blog). As of this weekend, I am so proud to say we have joined the ranks of the many excellent food blogs in Canada by joining the Food Bloggers of Canada as a member! We've also linked our blog up to Canadian Dishes, a great recipe search engine.

There are many excellent food blogs out there already from Canada and around the world. Drool-worthy food photography, scintillating prose and descriptions of dishes, community notoriety. Are we there yet with our blog? Well, the short answer is: No! But, I think, we are off to a pretty great start.

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Speaking of great starts...I have been so busy with my day job lately that I have been realizing how important a bite to eat in the morning is for me making it through the day! I have been craving a good granola, so I thought I would try making some of my own!

Banana Cranberry Currant Granola

*This recipe and method was inspired from Green Kitchen Stories

3 cups of rolled oats

3/4 cup roughly chopped raw almonds

1/2 cups dried cranberries

1/2 cup dried currants

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon vanilla

3 tablespoons coconut milk

3 tablespoons honey, plus extra to drizzle on top

2 overripe bananas

Preheat your oven to 375°F (the original recipe called for 400°F, but I found it was a bit too hot in my oven). Line a large baking tray with parchment paper. 

Combine the rolled oats, almonds, cranberries, currants, sea salt in a large bowl. Mix together well. In a separate large bowl mash the ripe banana, and mix in the coconut milk, honey and vanilla. Combine the wet and dry ingredients together. I found, although messy, it was easiest to do this with my hands.

Spread the granola evenly over the backing tray and bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and turn and mix the granola up on the pan, so that it can brown evenly. Put the tray back in the oven for another 10 minutes. Once removed from the oven, place the tray on a wire rack and let it cool completely. You can store it in an air tight container for a couple weeks time. 

Enjoy this granola with your favorite in-season fruit and some yogurt or milk. I have been eating mine with black cherries and slightly sweetened yogurt! It'll surely be a good start to your day!

Enjoy!

-Tina (Turnip)