Author Archives: Amy @ Progressive Pioneer

A Formula for Homemade Granola

Posted on by Amy @ Progressive Pioneer

Sometimes bare cupboards inspire the tastiest things at our house.  A trip to the grocery store was in order, but apparently not in the cards, because it just wasn’t happening.  Too many cranky kids (and mom), too little time, too many dirty dishes.  You know how it goes.  So, I scrounged around in the cupboards, looking for inspiration among the raw ingredients, and homemade granola was the result!

There was some dried fruit languishing in the snack cupboard and a hefty sack of dried coconut from a co-op order.  The bulk of the granola, the grains and nuts, we always have in abundance.  And I combined a few sweeteners; molasses, maple syrup and the tail end of a jar of rice syrup.

Although I looked at a recipe to get the basic idea, I just used what we had on hand and it turned out beautifully.  So delicious, in fact, that even though I made a 1 and 1/2 batch it was gone in less than a week!

Motivated by how simple it was, I whipped up a second batch (tripling the recipe this time) the following week.  A slightly different version, based on the cupboard contents at that time, but equally delicious.

This variation had rolled oats, rolled wheat, coconut, walnuts, pecans, almonds, dried apricots, gogi berries and dates, plus the three sweeteners and some olive oil.  But really, your imagination is the limit!

The basic formula is about 1/4-1/2 cup oil, 1/2-3/4 cup sweetener (depending on your preference, you could even skip it altogether) to every 6 to 8 cups of dry ingredients.  Mix that all up and bake it at 350 for 15-25 minutes, stirring every so often.  It helps to put the liquids in your baking pan and pop them in the preheated oven for a moment to soften the syrups.  Then stir in the granola and mix it all around right in the baking dish and put it back in the oven.  Add your dried fruit at the end, after it’s done cooking, so they don’t get scorched.  I’m not sure how long it keeps, we haven’t been able to hang onto it longer than a week…

What’s your favorite combination for granola?  Please share in the comments; I might end up making some based on something other than what’s hiding in my cupboard!

Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding

Posted on by Amy @ Progressive Pioneer

I was craving chocolate pudding last week and since we were out of milk, I used coconut milk, which turned out to be a brilliant substitution.  It’s usually something I crave and indulge in when pregnant, but I didn’t have the excuse this time:)  I need a good non-pregnancy excuse for eating indulgent treats- any suggestions?

The recipe I used is the basic one from The Joy of Cooking, the cornstarch version (no eggs in this one either).  I think everything else was the same, except for the switch to coconut milk, which may have actually been an improvement.  Oh, and I used a slightly healthier sweetener.  I never cover the pudding in the fridge either, I know they say to put plastic wrap over it to keep a skin from forming, but the skin is my favorite part!!  Weird, I know…

Print Recipe

Dairy-Free Chocolate Pudding

  • 1/2 cup evaporated cane juice
  • 1/3 cup plus 1 TBSP unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1/8 tsp
  • 1/3 cup warm water
  • 1 ounce semisweet or bittersweet chocolate
  • 2 cups coconut milk reserve 1/4 cup to add later. Also, use the good, creamy milk.
  • 3 TBSP cornstarch
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla

Directions

  1. Mix together the first three ingredients in a saucepan, then gradually stir in the warm water to make a runny paste.
  2. Bring to a boil, remove from heat. Then stir in the chocolate and coconut milk.
  3. Mix the cornstarch and reserved coconut milk to make a paste, then stir into the chocolate mixture, bring to a simmer and cook for one minute while stirring the whole time.
  4. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.

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Healing Spring Soup

Posted on by Amy @ Progressive Pioneer

I always think we’re in the clear for getting sick once spring rolls around, and then inevitably, there’s one last flu that makes the rounds through our house.  When we’re feeling under the weather I like to give make soup with a little extra kick using three “secret” ingredients, all in large quantities: garlic, ginger and lemon!

One of the easiest soups I made recently consisted of leftover wild rice, some sauteed garlic and onion, chicken broth and a whole box of spinach (you could use any greens you have on hand though).  Sprinkled with a little Parmesan it was so soothing and delicious, and all those good greens felt so nourishing.  Coming into spring we may even be getting some baby spinach and roquette from our own garden, making this the perfect spring soup.

But for banishing the flu, the ginger and lemon is really the ticket.  And surprisingly, the flavors work well with a lot of broth-based, root vegetable soups.  Carrots, potatoes and onions love a little garlicky kick and the heat from the ginger is a nice, round, warming flavor.  I love the extra layer of flavor some lemon gives it (My husband doesn’t actually like the citrus, so I guess it’s not for everyone…), you can take it out partway through cooking to give it a less intense flavor, or just add the juice, not the peel too.  You’ll be surprised at just how much ginger you can grate into it; keep on shredding that little root into the pot, stirring and tasting until you feel just enough heat to clear your sinuses; then it’s perfect!

Do you have a special soup recipe you make when everyone’s coming down with something?  Any magic secret ingredients?

Mock Salmon Pate: Fast, Fresh, Delicious

Posted on by Amy @ Progressive Pioneer

Spring is in the air and I’m in the mood for light, refreshing snacks.  This raw, mock salmon pate appetizer is one of my go-to party snacks.  It’s a snap to whip up and people love it.  I don’t really think it tastes all that much like salmon, that would be weird…  But it does taste 100% delicious!  And I promise, the platter will be cleared moments after you set it on the table.

Mock Salmon Pate on Cucumber Rounds

  • 2 cups raw walnuts
  • 2 stalks celery
  • 1 red pepper, seeded
  • 1 scallion, roots trimmed
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt you can add up to a tsp, but taste as you go
  • English cucumbers, probably 2-3 depending on the size peel if you like, not necessary
  • capers for garnish
  • extra red pepper if you want to shave off thin slices to garnish, this looks pretty

Directions

  1. Put all the ingredients but the cucumbers, capers and extra red pepper into your cuisinart and blend until you have a nice, thick paste, scraping down the sides as you go.
  2. Let the pate chill in the fridge while you slice up your cucumbers.
  3. Top each cucumber round with a dollop of pate, a caper and a sliver of red pepper.
  4. Arrange on a platter and enjoy!

View recipe at plantoeat.com

Fig Cake

Posted on by Amy @ Progressive Pioneer

When it comes to dessert, I generally can’t leave well enough alone.  Which is a good thing (except for that one time with the almond souffle thingy… that was a disaster), because it means tasty treats, only healthier.  I have a Williams Sonoma muffin book that is just chock full of tasty recipes.  But in the entire book there is only one recipe that’s 100% whole wheat!  Not acceptable.  This fig cake is the result of a major overhaul of one of those recipes.  White was swapped for wheat, the sugar was drastically reduced (and a healthier sweetener substituted) and while I was at it I swapped raisins for figs.

Oatmeal Fig Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 2/3 cup chopped mission figs cut these about the size of large raisins, maybe a bit larger
  • 1/2 cup sucanat
  • 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt
  • 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp allspice
  • 2 large eggs beaten
  • 1/3 cup butter melted
  • 3/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk

Directions

  1. Preheat to 350. Grease loaf pan or spring form pan. Mix dry ingredients, including chopped figs. Beat the eggs, mix int he rest of the wet ingredients, then combine with the dry ingredients.
  2. Bake until the top is browned and a knife or toothpick comes out clean. Don’t rely on the brown top to tell if it’s done; because of the whole wheat it can look brown when it still needs to bake a bit longer.
  3. Cut in thick slices and serve with a cup of tea. It’s delicious with butter or coconut butter.

View recipe at plantoeat.com

By the way, this Fig Cake is cake in the same way that banana bread is cake.  I mean, don’t you agree?  It’s not like you’re going to make a sandwich with banana bread!  It’s totally a sweet treat.  Think of this fig cake the same way.  It’s dense, mildly sweet, kind of hearty, but still satisfies a craving for something indulgent.  Not exactly the kind of thing you’re going to whip up for a birthday party, but my kids both totally agree that it falls solidly in the treat category.  To make it even more dessert-like we like to add a little dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of maple syrup.  My son calls it frosting:)

PS This also freezes really well, so if you’re going to go to the trouble of making it, you might as well double the batch and pop one in the freezer.  Enjoy!