edible sound bites

This recipe is too good for words, so I thought I would let the pictures do the talking this time.

Cacao Coconut Cluster Granola (Makes about 2 1/2 cups of granola)

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Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp toasted unsweetened shredded coconut
• 1/4 cup toasted unsweetened coconut flakes
• 2 1/4 cups rolled oats
• 1/4 cup raw buckwheat groats
• 3 tbsp millet
• 1/4 tsp of cinnamon
• 1-2 tsp cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1/4 cup raw cacao nibs

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300*F. Place the shredded coconut + coconut flakes on a baking sheet lined with parchement paper and toast in the oven for 8 minutes, stirring halfway through. Watch carefully that the coconut doesn't burn. Let cool and transfer to a bowl for later. Keep the parchement on the baking sheet.
2. In a large bowl, mix together the rolled oats, raw buckwheat groats, millet, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and sea salt.
3. To the dry ingredients add the vanilla, maple syrup and coconut oil and stir until all the ingredients are well coated
4. Transfer the mixture to a the baking seet and spread into a thin even layer. Bake for 25-30 minutes stirring every 10 minutes to ensure even browning. Remove from oven and stir in toasted coconut and cacao nibs.
5. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature.

Chocolate!!!

Sorry for yelling but these are one of the most moist fudgy style brownies you'll ever make. Please do me one really big favour and make these for dessert this weekend. I promise, fingers crossed, you will not be disappointed.

Every kitchen repertoire needs to have a solid recipe for scratch brownies and this is mine. You know those special treat nights when you've just got to have something chocolatey for dessert? One of these will certainly do the trick. And don't forget the vanilla bean ice cream. Mmm, Brownie a la mode.

I'm going to let you in on a little secret. Until recently I've only ever made these delights with none other than all-purpose flour. Albeit unbleached but still refined and white. Yes it has it's place in the kitchen for certain occasional purposes, but I wanted to see if I could make a change for a slightly healthier perspective. Hey a brownie is a brownie and it's still dessert. Anyway, taking a leap of faith that it would work, I swapped the super refined all-purpose flour out for one of my favourites, whole grain red fife. Locally from Peterborough Ontario, it's Canada's oldest wheat discovered by David Fife. It's quite nutritious too.

Time for a mini history lesson!

When I was younger we got to visit my family often in Peterborough since my dad grew up there. There was this one time when we took a trip to the historic Lang Grist Mill; the site where David Fife first started grinding red fife wheat into flour. The mill is part of the Lang Pioneer Village from the early 1800's that's still grinding red fife wheat into flour to this day.

I'm going to have to get back here one of these days.

A rich decadent chocolate treat that is quick and easy to get in the oven in no time flat. The best part is I couldn't even tell that I used red fife flour instead of all-purpose. 

Your family will go crazy for these.

Best Ever Chocolate Brownies (makes 16, 2-inch squares)

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Ingredients:

• 8 oz semi-sweet chocolate
• 1/4 cup salted butter, softened
• 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
• 1 tsp pure vanilla
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup red fife flour (you may also use all-purpose if you prefer it or can't find red fife)
• 1 tsp baking powder

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Grease and flour an 8x8 inch baking pan.
2. Melt the chocolate and butter using a bain marie (place the chocolate + butter in a heat-proof bowl and place over a snug fitting saucepan of simmering water, but don't let the bowl touch the water). Stir consistently until melted. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes.
3. Add the brown sugar and vanilla to the chocolate mix and stir to combine. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
4. In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder, add to the chocolate batter, and mix well.
5. Pour into the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes, until the center is almost firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
6. Let cool in the pan. Cut and serve.

**Note** To bring your eggs to room temperature just gently place them in a bowl and cover with hot tap water. Let them sit in the water for 2 minutes and remove.

Happy Friday!

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas shared with family and friends. 

Now go grab a glass of milk and get ready for some ooey-gooey goodness.

When I think of holiday baking I automatically think about baking with my mom when I was little. Magic bars and chocolate chip cookies made with love for Santa. Well the cookies were for Santa. The magic bars were for us. We just got to share the cookies with Santa, hehe. I don't remember when we first started making magic bars, but they were definitley made during the Christmas holidays in our house.

A couple of Christmas' ago someone gifted our family some homemade baked goodies. I couldn't believe what I saw when I opened the tin.

I bet you can guess.

Yep, MAGIC BARS! Well I of course had to have one, and oh wow! 

It was like my childhood exploded in my mouth!

The holiday just wouldn't be complete without making a batch of these squares.

Traditionally my mom never fully followed the original recipe. She got rid of the nuts, used more chocolate chips, and added mini marshmallows to the mix. Instead of pouring the whole can of condensed milk over top of the graham crumb base she would pour half and save the other half to pour on top of the chocolate chip/coconut mix. But the best part about making these is that there's real mixing required.  

Magic bars, also know as seven layer bars normally consist of:

1. A graham crumb and butter bottom
2. Semi-sweet chocolate chips
3. Flaked coconut
4. Sweetened condensed milk
5. Chopped nuts
6. And sometimes butterscotch chips and white chocolate chips

These are such a treat. If you've never given them a try then you simply must. They're easy as anything. Even for those people who say they can't bake without setting a fire. Sweet, rich, and delicious. The hardest part is waiting for them to completely cool before you can eat one.

Magic Bars (makes 12-15 bars)

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Ingredients: 

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1 (14oz) can sweetend condensed milk
• 1 1/3 cups shredded unsweetend coconut 
• 2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips 
• 1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter in an 8x8 baking pan (I like to use a non-stick aluminum pan). Make sure the butter is evenly mixed with the graham crumbs. Press the crumbs firmly into the bottom of the pan.
2. Pour half of the condensed milk evenly over the crumb mixture. In a large bowl, toss the coconut and chocolate chips together and then sprinkle evenly into the pan over the condensed milk.
3. Next, layer the marshmallows on top of the chocolate and coconut. Evenly, pour the rest of the condensed milk over top to finsih.
4. Bake for 25 minutes until lightly browned. Cool completely on a wire rack before cutting. 
5. Cut into bars and enjoy!