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It's time for a recipe using buckwheat. If you missed last weeks post on buckwheat, you can check it out here: Great Grains: Buckwheat

There are tons of great granola recipes out there that use buckwheat. And why not? It makes a crunchy delicious addition and it's healthy. Granola was definitely on my mind, but I thought it would be fun to try something a little different and create a recipe for a good soft, chewy granola bar instead. I'm not very fond of certain store bought bars that are so called 'healthy' when they have something like a bucket of sugar in them. Yik!

These buckwheat granola bars are thick and soft, unlike some bars that are hard and hurt your teeth to chew. I much prefer soft bars that are fabulously dense. Think larabars + Cliff Bars. They are sweetened with local Dickey Bee honey and juicy raisins. The addition of buckwheat groats add a nice little crunch to the texture too.

The nice thing about this recipe is that the ingredients are flexible. For example, you can substitute maple syrup for honey if you wish. If you don't like peanut butter *gasp* you can use any nut butter you like, including sun butter. If you're sensitive to gluten and wheat be sure to use certified gluten free oats.

Who doesn't love a good pick me up snack in the middle of the day. Something to get you from lunch to dinner. These will surely keep you energized. They're the perfect grab-and-go snack.

Soft Buckwheat Granola Bars {Gluten Free & Vegetarian}

(makes 9 - 2" x 2" squares)

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Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cup rolled oats
• 2/3 cup buckwheat flour (ground from raw buckwheat groats. Not kasha.)
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp natural peanut butter (135 grams)
• 2 tbsp coconut butter
• 2 tbsp water

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350*F. Line an 8" x 8" baking pan with parchment paper. Allow the parchment to drape over either side of the pan for easy lifting.
2. First, use a food processor (or coffee grinder) to grind the raw buckwheat groats into flour.
3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together all dry ingredients excluding the raisins.
4. Warm the honey, peanut butter, and coconut butter in a small saucepan on medium heat, stirring until smooth and melty. Remove from heat. Stir into the dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Stir in raisins.
6. Press firmly into prepared pan.
7. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool the bars cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then place the pan in the fridge to let them set and finish cooling.
8. Cut into bars. Store them at room temperature in an airtight container or wrap individually for grab-and-go convenience.

Related Buckwheat recipes:

Choc-a-lot Chip Cookies

What's your favourite type of granola bar? Soft or hard?

After a long day of Christmas shopping I came home starving for dinner and wanted nothing more than something fast and tasty. After thinking about my options I quickly decided on making my favourite honey mustard chicken dish.

This very simple dish will delight your taste buds. It is a must try. The flavours blend together to be sweet at the same time as tangy.

I mean, sure, I could have just picked up a pizza or something else that I didn't have to cook.

But who needs take out when I can make this...

So fast and oh so simple. 

Honey, mustard and cider vinegar are really a match made in heaven!

Honey Mustard Chicken with Sauce (serves 3)

Print or Email this Recipe.

Ingredients:

• 3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, slightly pounded
• 1 tsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for cooking the chicken
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp un-pasturized honey
• 2 Tbsp grainy Dijon mustard
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tbsp water
• sea salt and black pepper, to taste 

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, whisk together 1 tsp of olive oil, minced garlic, honey, mustard, cider vinegar and water. Hit with a little salt and pepper to suit your taste if desired. 
2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, add a few splashes of olive oil (or olive oil cooking spray) to the pan and saute chicken for 5-10 minutes or until cooked through and no longer pink on the inside.
3. Add honey mustard mixture to the pan and saute with the chicken for 2-3 minutes. 
4. Serve chicken and then top with the honey-mustard sauce from the pan. Pair with your favourtie veggies. It goes great with baked sweet potato fries or roasted potatoes, and steamed green beans.

Note: The thicker the chicken breasts are the longer they will take to cook. Just pound them slightly with a rolling pin or pan to ensure even cooking.

Ugh, It's Monday. Ick.

That's okay though, because as I promised I've got something very special for you that involves both cinnamon and honey. This is magical enough to make you forget it's even Monday people.

You see I discovered this great little place called Simply Tea & Chocolate in downtown Barrie not too long ago. They have a nice big selection of loose leaf teas, locally hand crafted chocolates, comfy couches, and a cozy atmosphere over looking the lake. They also know how to make some really good food that's fresh and health minded. This is where I found the most wonderful sandwich.

Thin slices of apple, almond butter, and honey on whole grain bread all warmed up in a grill press. Who would have ever thought to make a sandwich out of apples? You have to admit its a pretty strange idea at first. It's also very delicious.

So naturally I needed to make my own version because this was just too good. Trust me sandwiches don't get much more exciting than this. Especially if you love all things nut butter.

So instead of just plain bread I used a really good cinnamon raisin bread from the local bakery. Then I took creamed honey (this stuff is from Dickey Bees, Unpasteurized and also local) and mixed it all up with some cinnamon.

Spread that almond butter on nice and thick, it's good for you! (as long as your not allergic of course)

Slice your apples nice and thin so they cook and caramelize a little while in the panini press.

Now for the fun part. Squish!
Oh George Foreman Grill, what would I do without you? You have so many wonderful purposes!

Eewy Gooey toasty goodness! If you love almond butter or any kind of nut butter for that matter, you really need to try this.

Almond Butter & Apple Panini with Cinnamon Creamed Honey (yields 1 sandwich)

(Inspired by Simply Tea & Chocolate's A-Team Panini)

Ingredients:

• 2 slices of Cinnamon Raisin Bread
• 1 tbsp unpasteurized creamed honey (if its local its tastes better and is better for you)
• about 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp raw almond butter (I used MaraNath's Organic & Creamy No-Salt added)
• 1/3 of an apple sliced very thinly, skin left on

Method:

1. Stir together the honey and cinnamon until nice and creamy, and well mixed.
2. Spread almond butter on one slice of raisin bread.
3. Spread creamed cinnamon honey on the other slice of raisin bread.
4. Add thinly sliced apples to the slice of bread with honey on it and top with the almond butter slice.
5. Place the assembled sandwich in a preheated panini press, or like I'm using, a George Foreman gill, and lower the lid.
6. Grill on the first side for about 4 minutes but make sure you watch it so it doesn't burn (temperatures can vary from one grill to another).
7. Flip the sandwich over and grill on the other side for another 3 minutes or until nice and toasty. The honey and almond butter will be drippy.
8. Transfer to a plate, slice on an angle and enjoy!

My basil plant want's to eat my sandwich!This will be one that you make over and over again.