Homemade Nutty Granola

For athletes experiencing an increase in training volume, granola makes for a delicious and nutritious energy-dense food to help with meeting carbohydrate and energy needs. Granola makes for a delicious topping to yogurt or to enjoy by the handful.

In our recent newsletter, Joey shared her scrumptious granola recipe. After she shared it with me, I immediately replied "I need to make this!" 

Homemade Granola
By Joey Mock, RD, LD, CLT

This is an easy to make and delicious homemade granola recipe. Grab a handful and eat it as it is for a snack or add it to cereal, yogurt/smoothies, or top a salad with it. Mix up the nuts/seeds and dried fruits for variety each time you make it.

Ingredients

• 4 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1 to 1 ½ cups raw nuts and/or seeds (pecans, walnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, etc)
• ½ teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ cup melted coconut oil or olive oil
• ½ cup maple syrup or honey
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅔ cup dried fruit, chopped if large pieces (dried cranberries, tart cherries, apricots, raisins)

Optional additional mix-ins: ½ cup chocolate chips and/or coconut flakes*


Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line a large, rimmed baking sheet/sheet pan with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the oats, nuts and/or seeds, salt, and cinnamon. Stir to blend.
3. In a pourable measuring cup, mix the oil, maple syrup and/or honey, and vanilla. Pour over oat mixture and mix well until everything is lightly coated. Pour the granola onto your prepared pan and spread in an even layer.
4. Bake until lightly golden, about 23 to 25 minutes, stirring halfway. The granola will further crisp up as it cools.
5. Let the granola cool completely (about 45 minutes). Mix in dried fruit (and optional chocolate chips, if desired) with a spoon breaking up large clumps of granola if desired.
6. Store the granola in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 to 2 weeks or in a sealed freezer bag in the freezer. If freezing, let it warm to room temperature before serving to thaw the fruit.
7. Enjoy!

*If you like toasted coconut in your granola, stir the coconut flakes into the granola halfway through baking.

Adapted from: Cookie and Kate recipe.

Weekend recap: FOOD! (recipes from Run Fast, Eat Slow cookbook)

Oh the things I do for performance gains. Good sleep, proper recovery, mobility work and eating!! Seeing that food is fuel, it should be no added extra to your day to make sure that good food gets inside your body in order to give you energy and to nourish your many working systems. Cooking should not be seen as a chore, like cleaning your bathroom or taking out the trash. Sure, it's something on your to-do list but it is a skill that should be learned and appreciated through all the years of life.

For me, I love to eat the food that I cook and I love eating the food that Karel cooks but I also love being inspired by food that is prepared by others. I really enjoying trying new creations but more than anything, I love real food. I really value where food comes from, the effort that goes into preparing a meal, the presentation of a meal and knowing the purpose of the meal (nourishment, fuel or pleasure). Cooking is a process and although it does involve time, patience and effort, there's absolutely no reason why any athlete should not enjoy cooking.

My hope is that you will make the effort to spend a bit more time in your day to cook your food. Seeing that you are so busy, try to utilize your weekend and be creative with your time during the week. Considering that you are overburdened with work, squeezing in time for training early morning or late at night (or on your lunch break) and still making time for your family, spouse/significant other and friends, it's no wonder that you feel "too busy to cook." But the truth is that you can't expect "cooking more" to just happen. It's a lifestyle habit that you have to work at and make time for. It has to be part of your day, with no excuses getting in your way.

Remember why it is important to cook. Because it's a skill that keeps your body well, it's a responsibility to your body as an athlete and when YOU are in charge of the ingredients, you are more likely to eat better and feel better. 

GINGER MOLASSES GRANOLA

Adapted from pg. 54

Not only do you save money by making your own granola but your house will smell AHHmazing when this delicious crunchiness is ready. I love adding granola to my pre-workout snack or to my yogurt. Plus, it's great for those high volume workout days when you need to pack in some nutrients with energy dense foods but you don't want to lose the nutritional value of those extra calories. Blackstrap molasses is a great source of iron for vegetarians and a great addition to the diet for athletes due to its nutritional value.

Ingredients
3 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup finely shredded unsweetened dried coconut
1/2 cup shelled pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds
1/2 cup raisins
2 tsp ground ginger
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp pink Himalayan salt
1/3 cup virgin coconut oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses (provides your body with a dose of iron, B6 and magnesium)

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 275 degrees F with the rack in the center of the oven.
2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
3. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the oats, coconut, seeds, raisins, ginger, cinnamon and salt.
4. In a small microwavable bowl, stir together the coconut oil, honey and molasses and microwave on low until slightly melted.
4. Pour the liquid over the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined. 

5. Spread out in a smooth thick layer on the baking sheet. Bake and stir every 15 minutes (I set the timer to remind me to stir every 15 minutes). Bake for 45 minutes. Granola will be moist at the end of baking but will turn crunchy. (After 45 minutes, I removed from the oven and covered with a towel and kept it out overnight and it turned nice and crunchy). 

Cranberry Orange and Chocolate Pomegranate Scones

In case you were wondering, scones will not make themselves. Karel provided me with this ground breaking information as my hint to refill our scone container as it was empty after a few days from my first batch. No surprise, Karel loved the lemon blueberry scones that I made so I decided to change things up a bit with the add-ins. I used the same Lemon Blueberry scone recipe from pg 59 of the book but instead of using lemons and blueberries I added dried cranberries (about a handful) and a splash of orange juice. For the chocolate pomegranate scones I used a handful of frozen pomegranate seeds and a handful of chocolate chips. YUM!

RECOVERY QUINOA SALAD
Pg. 99

The picture of this salad in the cookbook looked oh-so-good so I could not wait to make this dish. Karel and I were invited over to my friend's/athlete's house, Meredith for a pizza party with the Greenville Trimarnis on Saturday evening and I was told to bring something healthy. I figured this had all the ingredients for something healthy to go along with a yummy slice (or two) of pizza and a cookie from our neighbor Joey for dessert. Although this is named a recovery salad, I won't be eating this too close before or after a workout due to all the roughage in the salad but it's a filling, crisp and flavorful meal option to bump up the nutrients in your diet, perfect for lunch time. Plus, how colorful is this salad? It will definitely be a show-stopper at a party/event or when you bring your lunch to work.

Ingredients1 cup quinoa
3/4 tsp salt
3 cups loosely packed, finely chopped kale, stems removed
1 red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 Jalapeno chili pepper, finely chopped, wear plastic gloves when handling (I removed this since I was bringing this to a party)

1/2 small red onion, chopped
1/2 cup chopped cilantro leaves
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1/3 cup lime juice (I used 1/4 cup lime juice and the rest fresh squeezed lemon juice)
1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (I used 1/4 cup olive oil)
1 avocado, sliced (I didn't have a ripe avocado :(
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds (it called for toasted and I used sunflower seeds)
1/2 cup grated Cotija, crumbled feta or chopped olives (I omitted the cheese since we were having lots of cheese on our pizza)

Directions1. In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring to a boil the quinoa, 1 1/2 cups water and 1/2 tsp of the salt. Reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, until the quinoa is tender and all the water has been absorbed, 15-20 minutes. Transfer to a large salad bowl, fluff with a fork, and set aside to cool. 

2. Once cool, add the kale, red bell pepper, chile pepper, onion, cilantro, black beans, lime juice, oil and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt to the quinoa and toss to combine. Taste and add additional salt, if needed. Chill in the fridge until ready to serve.
3. Just before serving, top with the avocado slices, pumpkin seeds and the cheese or olives.

Simply delicious homemade granola

       

I love simple recipes. 

The less ingredients the better....so long as the final product is packed with flavor. 

There's so much to love about granola BUT when an ingredient list reads:

Whole grain rolled oats, whole grain wheat, sugar, rice, corn syrup, almonds, contains 2% or less of molasses, modified corn starch, palm oil, salt, cinnamon, nonfat milk, malt flavoring, polyglycerol esters of fatty acids, natural and artificial flavor, guar gum, BHT for freshness.

I would much rather make granola at home, than eat a concoction of ingredients from a box/bag.

For athletes, granola is a fantastic energy-dense snack which can pack a lot of calories to help meet energy needs on high-calorie expenditure days. Depending on the wet ingredients (honey, syrup, oil), granola can also be a substantial pre-workout snack as you will receive a nice mix of carbohydrates with a little fat but without a lot of fiber.

However, most store-bought granola's or granola recipes are overloaded with added sugars which makes it hard to call this cereal alternative a "healthy" option.

Although society/media does a great job of making you feel extremely guilty when you eat anything with sugar in it, you are allowed to eat sugar in the daily diet without health implications. And this is specifically talking about the daily diet and not sport nutrition consumed during workouts (this is another topic).
In other words, your diet does not have to be 100% sugar-free as that would eliminate sugars found in fruits, grains, dairy and vegetables so it's important to evaluate your dietary choices and limit/reduce the added sugar.

To start, check out the ingredient lists of the packaged goods/products in your pantry and refrigerator that you typically consume in your diet on a daily basis to better understand how much added sugar you consume each day.

The best part about moving toward a more real food diet is that you will automatically reduce your added sugar intake.
---------------------------------------------------
A great real food swap is to make your own granola. But no need to stress about adding sugar from a natural source (raisins, dates, honey, syrup) to your granola recipe, especially if you are making granola in place of buying cereal, eating a heavily processed food snack or eating a sugary-treat alternative.

When I need a little crunch and a hint of sweetness to top my yogurt for a snack or to munch-on before/after a workout or for a treat, I love my homemade granola mixture. 

It's simple and deliciously good. 

The great thing about granola is that you can be in charge of the ingredients.
Unless you let the granola bake too long, you really can't mess-up your recipe.

I personally prefer to keep the added sugars on the minimal side when I make granola. I don't need a lot of sugar to make my taste buds happy with my granola recipe so I add just enough honey to coat the oats but not to much that my granola is extra crunchy and clumpy.

If you prefer the typical crunchy, bite-size chunks of granola, you will want more of a binder (more wet ingredients like syrup or oil). 

My typical ration of oats to honey is:
2 heaping cups instant oats to 1/2 - 3/4 cup honey.
(if you are using oil, a typical ratio is 3 cups oats + 1/2 cup honey/syrup + 1/2 cup oil)

Here's my go-to granola base recipe:
2 cups instant oats

1/2 cup honey (plus a little extra if needed)
2 tbsp chia seeds (you can omit these if you don't have them)
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp cinnamon

Add-in's:
Veronica's Health Crunch mix (chopped) - or any nuts/seeds that you want
Raisins



To prevent honey from sticking to a measuring cup, I lightly spray the cup with non stick spray before pouring in the honey to measure.

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Lay out a non stick baking sheet by your mixing bowl.

3. After you mix together the ingredients with a wooden spatula (except crunch/nuts/seeds and raisins) in a bowl, spread out the mixture evenly on the baking dish (it's ok if a few clumps remain on the sheet).

4. To prevent the edges of the granola mix from burning, lightly turn the mixture with a spatula around 10 minutes.


5. When I begin to smell the granola (around 14-17 minutes), I remove the baking dish from the oven and add the last two ingredients - sprinkling a small handful of raisins and chopped nuts over the granola.
(you can add the nuts/seeds to the mix before you bake the granola but I don't like crunchy raisins so that is why I add them later so they stay soft).

6. When the granola is lightly brown, I turn off the oven and let the granola sit in the oven for a few more minutes.

When you first start making granola, you will want to start watching the granola around 10-12 minutes (keep the light on in your oven) so that you can determine the perfect time baking time for your recipe.

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There are SO many granola recipes so have some fun being creative in your kitchen!

Here's a good tip article on making granola. 

I promise that once you start making your own granola, you won't find yourself spending the time (or money) searching for the "best" or "healthiest" granola in the supermarket.

Here are some additional add-in's to your oat mixture:


Wet ingredients: Coconut oil, maple syrup, agave syrup, honey
Dried fruits - cranberries, cherries, figs, dates, apricots, blueberries, raisins, mango, pineapple
Shredded coconut
Ground flax
Cacao nibs
Goji berries
Toasted wheat germ
Cashews, almonds, peanuts, walnuts, pecans
Spices: Ginger, pumpkin, nutmeg, cloves, allspice
Applesauce
Fresh fruit (chopped apples, pears, apricots)

Warm & delicious pear sunflower seed granola

What a shocker to my body this morning!!!

Over the last 10 years, Karel and I have found ourselves bundling-up to train outside on those occasional cold "winter" days in Florida. 

This morning it was 27 degrees when we woke up in Greenvills, SC. After we walked Campy, I headed to the Y for a treadmill run and Karel ran outside. When I saw that the leftover water in my water bottle was frozen, it quickly hit me that this was our new normal.

Campy, it's time to break out your sweaters! 

We are looking forward to swapping out our summer training gear for our winter gear and enjoying all of the season foods that are best enjoyed when it is cold outside.

As an athlete, one of the interesting parts of training throughout the seasons is understanding what foods feel the best around workouts. I often find that athletes enjoy more rich-flavor gels, bars and drinks in the cooler months whereas fruity options are more enjoyable in the hotter months.
I feel the same is true for post-workout drinks as most athletes aren't rushing home to guzzle a cold post-workout smoothie. When it's chilly outside, it's natural to crave something warm but you still don't want to skip that critical part of your workout when you can repair and rejuvenate. 

Although the amino acids in protein powders stay intact when heated but instead change shape, it's recommended to not denature your protein powder by heating. Instead, add the powder to something warm (ex. oatmeal) after it's been cooked.  The same is true for most proteins, like eggs. You don't want to overcook your proteins but instead, cook to the recommended temperatures or low heat. 

 I hope you enjoy my warm and delicious pear sunflower seed granola with a glass of "chocolate milk" (milk and chocolate protein powder - we typically have Solgar on hand as it mixes great with water and/or milk). It is a delicious creation to warm-up your belly post workout!

Pear sunflower seed granola

2 cups oats
1 soft pear (I used red)
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/3 cup sunflower seeds
1/3 cup honey (spray your measuring cup with non stick spray before measuring honey. This will help it come out easily)
1 tbsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl.
2. On a non stick cookie sheet (sprayed with a little non stick spray), spoon out granola and spread out so it isn't too clumpy. 

3. Bake for 15-23 minutes (around 15 minutes, be sure to check the granola as you do not want to overcook it. It will not be 100% firm when it is ready but you don't want to burn it). When it begins to get golden brown, remove from the oven. 

Endurance swim fueled by Pear-Chia Granola

Wow...where did the time go?
Once again, I find myself nearing the end of another Ironman journey with a tremendous amount of gratitude for my body and overall health. 

I have remained injury free for 15 continuous months which is a HUGE deal for me. From 2007-2013, I have been plagued with muscular-related hip and back issues which sadly, have put a halt on my running training for 4-12 weeks at a time. 

Additionally, the last time I experienced a sickness was in the summer of 2007. That's 7 years of no flu, cold, GI issues, infection, etc. I am so incredibly grateful for my immune system for staying so strong throughout my life, especially when I choose to train for and race in 140.6 mile triathlon events!!

So here I am again, giving a BIG thanks to my body. 

38 days until Ironman Wisconsin. My 9th Ironman!!! 

Here's a great swim workout (that I gave myself this morning) to build your swim endurance. 

Remember, fatigue affects breathing and form and a tired swimmer does not benefit from a workout like an efficient swimmer. Form over speed/distance - always. 

ENDURANCE BUILDING SWIM SET

Warm-up (and part of the first main set): 

500 swim - stretch it out

100 kick EZ (mix up the stroke)

400 swim - stretch it out but increase effort just a tad from the 500

100 kick EZ (mix up the stroke)

300 swim - effort should be 80% or half IM effort

100 kick EZ (same)

200 swim - effort should be 90% or Olympic effort

100 kick EZ (same)

100 swim - best effort

100 kick EZ (same)

(you can shorten the kick to 50 and you can also start with 400 swim if you would like to remove 750 yards from the warm-up to save energy/time)

Active recovery:
400 pull w/ buoy and paddles - stretch it out, focus on your catch and hand exit in the water

Main set #2: 

3 x 100's - 90% effort w/ 10 sec rest

50 EZ swim + 30 sec rest (Or just rest 90 sec)

2 x 100s - 90% effort w/ 10 sec rest

50 EZ (same)

1 x 100's - 90% effort w/ 10 sec rest

50 EZ (Same)

2 x 100's - 90% effort w/ 10 sec rest

50 EZ (Same)

3 x 100's - 90% effort w/ 10 sec rest

200 pull w/ paddles only - active recovery

100 cool down 

4000 yards

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Can you smell that? Don't you just love the kitchen aroma of warm granola cooking in the oven? 

Here's my latest granola creation filled with sunflower seeds, chia seeds, maple syrup and pears. Got a sweet tooth? Now you can satisfy your sweet teeth, fuel your workouts (or combine in cold milk for a great recovery "drink") and feel great with this heart-healthy creation. Enjoy!

Pear-Chia Granola

2 cups oats
1/4 cup coconut (unsweetened, shredded)
2 tbsp chia seeds
1/8 cup sunflower seeds (raw, unsalted)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup honey
1/4 cup 100% Pure Maple Syrup
1 soft pear (chopped  - I recommend Anjou pear for a sweeter pear)

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine coconut, chia seeds, sunflower seeds and cinnamon in a large bowl and toss with clean hands.
2. Add 1 cup oats and mix with a fork until combined.
3. Add 1/2 cup oats and mix.
4. Add the last 1/2 cup oats and mix. 

5. Add chopped pear and toss. 

6. Spray a medium size cookie sheet with non stick spray and pour granola on tray and spread around with your hands.
(if you want a clumpy granola, add only 1 cup oats)
7. Cook granola for 10-12 minutes or until slightly golden brown and firm.
(Smell test - when you smell your granola, you only need to cook for a few minutes more. Check on your granola. When it looks like it is getting golden brown, remove it immediately. One minute too long can burn it - I know from experience :( 

8. Let granola cook before placing in baggies/Tupperware and store in refrigerator for up to 4 days (if it lasts that long).
YUM!

Apple cinnamon, peanut butter granola - it's soooooo good!!!

I hope you enjoy my latest yummy Trimarni creation!!

Perfect on cottage cheese, topping yogurt, in milk or by the handful. 

Don't forget to yum!

Apple cinnamon, peanut butter granola

2 cups oats

1/4 cup honey

1 tbsp nut butter

2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut

1 tbsp chia sheeds

1/8 tsp salt

1/4 cup almonds (chopped)

1 large apple (chopped - Gala)

1 tbsp ground cinnamon

Olive oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. 

2. Rub a little olive oil on a large baking sheet to lightly cover the sheet until shiny

3. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. 

4. Mix with clean hands (this is the fun sticky part!)

5. Pour yummy contents on to baking sheet and spread all around dish.

6. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove sheet and toss granola. 

7. Bake for additional 10-15 minutes or until slightly golden brown. 

8. Keep refrigerated in air-tight container for up to 3 days (if it lasts that long). 

This will not be a super clumpy granola but it is absolutely delicious, especially after it sits in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
Feel free to use your creativity with additional ingredients or substitutions. 

Nutrition facts: 

Per 1/2 cup

Servings: 8 x 1/2 cup servings (or 4 cups total)

169 calories

5g fat

27g carbohydrates

11g sugar

4g fiber

4g protein

49g sodium

Trimarni Chiachoco heart-healthy mix

 

I love public speaking but I do not like to give talks to hungry bellies or to bodies with low blood sugar.

 

So, it's typical that when I give a talk on nutrition/sport nutrition/healthy living, that a Trimarni creation will be involved.

 

I'm giving a talk on my top 3 tips for to immediately improve overall health. The talk is in Orlando on 2/6/14 for the Lenscrafters Summit 2014 on behalf of Oakley Women. The talk will be at Caribe Royale and I am super excited to share my latest Trimarni creation.

 

I needed a little help with the name so I asked my followers on Instagram (@Trimarni) and Facebook to help me out. The responses were so creative!!!

 

-Breakfast of Champions

-A taste of heaven

-Maui mix

-Coconut mocha mix

-Cocochi

-Trimarni energy mix

-Trimarni snack mix

-HG4C trail mix

-TM's Bazinga! trail mix

-Trimarni's sweet munch mix

-Marni's mocha mix

-ChiChoCoCo mix

-Heart Healthy sweetness mix
-Endurance mix

 

 

Thank you everyone for helping me out with my latest Trimarni creation name! I hope you enjoy it as a snack or on yogurt and it makes you YUM when you fill your body with happiness and heart-healthy ingredients.

 

A few benefits of the ingredients:
(in addition to each of the ingredients separately tasting amazing!)

 

-Chocolate and coffee - rich in antioxidants, may increase alertness, energy and may reduce risk for heart disease and stroke, dementia, Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease. May boost mood. Coffee may not be appropriate for every body.

-Goji berries - rich in vitamin A and antioxidants. Goji berries may interact with diabetes and blood pressure drugs as well as Coumadin so discuss with your doctor if this may affect you.

-Nuts and seeds - rich in heart healthy fats, may lower cholesterol and decrease inflammation, increase satiety, and provides fiber, protein and immune-boosting minerals and vitamins.

-Chia seeds - provides omega 3 fatty acids, increase fullness with insoluble and soluble fibers, carbohydrates, protein, antioxidants, and calcium.

-Honey - natural source of carbohydrates/sugar and energy, antioxidant and anti-bacterial properties, soothes a sore throat, may reduce allergy symptoms.

-Coconut - beneficial for skin, contains iron, manganese, copper and fiber.

-Ginger - may decrease inflammation, reduce nausea and GI issues, may reduce risk for cancer, help with acid reflux/heartburn.

Trimarni Chiachoco heart-healthy mix

 

Ingredients:

3 cups trail mix (I used the goji trail mix at Whole Foods which included almonds, cashews, goji berries, raisins, pumpkin an sunflower seeds)

1/2 cup chia seeds

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut

1/3 cup crystalized ginger (chopped)

3/4 cup chocolate covered coffee beans (crush in a baggy)
3/4 cup organic honey

3 cups plain Cheerios

2 large bowls

Spatula

 

1. In large mixing bowl, combine first five ingredients and combine with spatula.

2. Add in honey and combine well until evenly mixed.

3. In another large bowl, pour 1/2 of the above mixture in to the bowl and then add 1.5 cups cheerios. Stir until evenly combined.

4. Then add the other 1.5 cups cheerios and the above mixture.

5. Stir gently until the entire mixture is evenly combined.

6. Keep refrigerated for a more firm mixture.

(you can make bars with this recipe but the recipe may require more honey for better sticking).

 

Nutrition facts:
(Nutrition facts may vary based on how much of the mixture is in your serving, ex. more cheerios or more nuts depending on how the mixture sticks together. Also depending on your trail mix, nutrition facts may vary)

Serving size: 1/4 cup

Servings: 44 servings

(great for events or parties)

 

98 calories

5g fat

12g carbohydrates

2g fiber

5g sugar

2g protein