edible sound bites

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?

Before I started eating healthier, I never really put much thought into getting the proper nutrition my body needs. I still remember the days when I used to just eat something because I was A) hungry, B) lazy and in a hurry, or C) I wanted it, and it was convenient. All the while without giving a second thought about whether it was good for me. Those were the teenage days. At least the early ones anyway.

Boy how things have changed!

After realizing how crappy my body felt and that it was making me miserable I decided to make a big change in my eating habits and lifestyle, and focus on my health. First went the pop. Then went the rest of all the junk and fast food.

I started lifting weights and within a few months I started to see noticeable definition. I was already fairly active, but the weights made a big difference. After all, muscle burns more calories than fat!

These days I feel like the picture of health and I'm a whole lot happier for it.

I love feeling in shape and toned.

I love the way I feel after I eat something that's bursting with nutrition. Everyday doesn't need to be perfection, but as long as the overall 'big picture' is one that is balanced, I'm happy.

I don't worry about counting calories anymore or bother with products that promote themselves as fat-free or sugar-free; they are just lined with chemicals and other unnatural ingredients. Eating clean gives me the proper nutrition my body needs from real whole foods. Just eat a rainbow of real food.

I like to start my day off sometimes with a nutrient packed smoothie. If I don't get one in the morning I'll also have this for lunch. This guy is gluten-free, vegan, lactose-free, and made with Vega one chocolate mix. It has the equivalent of 3 servings of veggies (+ added fruit), 21 grams of protein, 11 grams of fiber, antioxidants, and 50% of your daily intake of vitamins & minerals. It's also low glycemic! Vega is also wonderful If you're looking to lose weight, because of it's low GI rating you keep your blood sugar low and get the maximum amount of nutrition at the same time. It's perfect for supplementing 1 or 2 of your daily meals with in addition with healthy snacks. That's exactly what this smoothie is designed for.

Love, love, love Vega! I must write a review of this stuff. I'm way overdue for it.

Funky Monkey Smoothie (serves 1)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 large tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1 scoop Chocolate flavored Vega One
• 3-4 ice cubes

Directions:

1. Place ingredient into blender in this order: frozen banana, Vega powder, peanut butter, and almond milk.
2. Blend until smooth and creamy. Add ice cubes and pulse.

It almost tastes like a peanut butter cup; my favorite cheat of all time!

This recipe is being shared at Fit and Fabulous Fridays.

Happy Thursday!

One more day to go and its the long weekend here in Canada.

Yippee!

First, I have news. I have learned the greatness that is twitter! Yep, edible sound bites is now on twitter. I was skeptical about it at first, but now I'm obsessed. So if you tweet be sure to follow me for healthy tips and great recipes:)

And now onto Food. Mmm...breakfast.

Weekday mornings can be pretty crazy in our house. There's lots of rushing and attempting to apply make-up at the breakfast table while eating as quickly as possible, so we can all get out the door on time. Does this conjure up any hilarious images? Here let me help you with that:

bahahahahahaha. That was such a good episode. My brother and I used to watch The Simpsons all the time after school at my grandparents house. We'd listen for them coming down the hallway and quickly change the channel if we heard them.

Getting back to breakfast, I'm usually the one to make it for everyone and on most days it's oatmeal. Oh who am I kidding, its almost always oatmeal. Rolled oats cook quick enough and are healthy, filling, warm, and comforting. And now that wild blueberries are in season I've been adding them to my oats like there's no tomorrow. I can't get enough! I picked these guys up in Muskoka on the weekend. You have to love the highway summer fruit stands. Local, fresh, and delicious.

PB & Blueberry Banana Oatmeal (serves 3)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups rolled oats
• 3 cup water (or 1 1/2 each, water and milk)
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground flaxseed
• 1 rounded tbsp natural peanut butter
• 1/2 banana, sliced
• 2 tbsp wild blueberries

Method:

1. Mix the oats and cinnamon together and add to water/milk on the stove top. Bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer, stirring occasionally until desired thickness and consistency. I aim for 5 minutes. Take the pot off the heat and let stand, covered, for 2 minutes
2. Stir in the flax and top with sliced banana, peanut butter, wild blueberries, and more cinnamon.

This was so satisfying. Whenever I have oats I can be certain that it keeps me full for a solid 3 hours. The perfect eat clean breakfast.

How do you like your oats?