Floor Sweep Granola

Mushy strawberries. Bananas gone brown. A pantry full of 3/4 empty bags of nuts, dried coconut, rolled oats, candied ginger, and big ol' jug of honey. What to do with all these random odds and ends?

Make a big batch of granola. You heard me-- All of these ingredients can be tossed together, thrown in the oven and baked to golden perfection. Then they can be put in Ziplock bags and left in the pantry for up to a month, or kept in the freezer for even longer. They can also be used to fill mason jars, and given as gifts. The best part is that your house will smell like toasted oats and honey for days.

Perhaps the most interesting thing about this particular granola is the use of fruit puree: It not only sweetens and flavors the granola, but the moisture also helps to make it stick together. So the next time you find yourself with rotting bananas, know that you're not necessarily confined to baking banana bread.

This also works with peaches, pears, and just about any fruit. In fact, there was a recipe by Nigella Lawson that sparked a granola with fruit puree craze in the blogosphere a couple of years ago, and the original apparently used applesauce. 

The following recipe is basically a hodge podge of random ingredients that I needed to use up before leaving for Brazil. So you can see how adaptable this template is: No need to go out and buy things that you don't have; substitute to your heart's content. Just watch the ratios of dry ingredients to wet, and adjust the amount of sweetness to your liking.

 Floor Sweep Granola

5 cups rolled oats

3 cups chopped nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds)

1 cup dried, unsweetened coconut

1/4 cup uncooked amaranth

1/2 cup candied ginger, diced

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 teaspoons ginger

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup strawberry puree (made in a blender)

1/2 cup banana puree (about one large banana)

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 cup honey

2 tablespoons coconut cream (substitute coconut oil or any other oil)

• Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl.
• Heat the wet ingredients in a small saucepan.
• Combine the dry ingredients with the wet.
• Spread the granola over two baking sheets or jelly roll pans.
• Bake for 45 minutes to one hour, stirring every 10 minutes or so to prevent the bottom from burning.
• Allow the granola to cool at least 10 minutes--It will continue to crispen.

Thai kabocha squash soup

I try to fit as many orange vegetables into my diet as I can, and it's a blessing how naturally well they pair with coconut, one of my favorite superfoods. Together they make an amazing tonic for both the skin and the immune system, and the flavor almost sinful.

Kabocha is that green, knobbly melon-looking sqash that you sometimes see at the market, otherwise known as a Japanese pumpkin. It has orange flesh like a butternut, but the texture is actually more similar to that of a sweet potato or a chestnut. Its flavor is mildly sweet and nutty.

Nutritionally, kabocha is similar to any other orange squash--rich in the antioxidant beta carotene, with good amounts of fiber, vitamin c, iron and other minerals. Carotenes are a precursor to vitamin A, which protects our bodies' cells from free radical damage (including the cells of our skin), and is often used in the treatment of wrinkles and acne.

Coconuts, including coconut milk and coconut oil, contain a compound called lauric acid, a saturated fat. That's right, i said saturated fat. This kind is good for you.

When lauric acid is in the body it converts into compounds that act as anti-microbial and anti-bacterial agents. Studies show that it could help you fight everything from the common cold to acne to herpes outbreaks. Daily doses may also aid in weight loss.

Photo by FotoosVanRobin

This soup is sweet, creamy, a bit spicy, and above all it tastes like Thailand. The aromas of lemongrass and kaffir lime are both exotic and refreshing, and while the dish is filling enough to be a meal, it's not the kind of thing that leaves you feeling bloated after one bowl.

If kabocha's not your thing, the recipe works beautifully with butternut  squash or sugar pumpkin. You can adjust the richness (and calorie content) by adding more or less coconut milk. I used half a can this time. You can always add more later.

Henry's and Whole Foods both carry lemongrass, but you'll probably have to seek out the kaffir lime leaves at an Asian market. I was lucky enough to get some from David over at Bonita Creek Nursery, along with some killer mangoes.

Thai Kabocha Squash Soup

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 yellow onion, finely chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1" slice of ginger, minced

3 stalks of lemongrass, minced, outer leaves removed

1-2 Thai chilies, minced

4 kaffir lime leaves (a little lime zest is better than nothing)

3 lbs kabocha or pumpkin, chopped into 1" cubes

4 cups light vegetable stock or 2 cups chicken stock/2 cups water

1/2 to one whole can of coconut milk

a smidgen of agave nectar (or cane sugar)

1 handful basil leaves, chiffonaded or ripped

a few handfuls of spinach leaves (optional)

• Heat half the coconut oil in a large pot on medium heat and add the onion. Once it begins to break a sweat, add the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, chilies and some sea salt. (If your lemongrass is still tough after removing the outer layer you may want to puree it in a food processor with the garlic, ginger, chilies and a little bit of coconut milk. Then add this paste to the onions, heating it for a few seconds without burning it.)

• Next add the kaffir lime leaves and squash and stir them with the onion mixture for about a minute. Add the stock to the pot and simmer until the squash is very tender, about 30 minutes.

• Remove the kaffir lime leaves (if you can) and puree the soup in a blender or with an immersion blender. Taste the soup, and add more sea salt if necessary. If it needs more sweetness add a little bit of agave nectar or sugar at this time.

• Add the coconut milk and simmer another 5 to 10 minutes.

• If you choose, toss in the spinach leaves after you've turned off the heat. They cook quickly.

• Garnish with the basil strips and serve.