A lot of granola.
And then cry over a huge batch that burnt in the process.
Sometimes things just don’t work out as planned. Like overcooking eggs, burnt toasts, baking disasters etc. Juggling daily responsibilities definitely takes a lot of toll on the creativity too.
Which brings me to baffle about how others seem to have this preconceived notion about how some of us have this so-called “perfect life”.
Just because I blog about food, talk about food, heck, live my life surrounded by food and consistently updating Facebook about our meals — doesn’t sum up perfection. In fact, our life is a far cry from perfection.
And we are fine with that 🙂
Who needs a perfect life anyways. That would just spell BORING. Tell me I’m right about this 😀
Like this platter of disastrous granola. I mean, how simple can baking a granola be that I ended up burning a large batch? I did warn you about my baking skills many times, so which part of this makes it looks like I have a “perfect life”?
OK, fine. I love food styling and I spend a huge chunk of my time, sweat (and money!) to perfect the look I want to achieve over a recipe. That’s a lot of hard-work, my dear. Where does it spell “perfection”?
I’m flattered, thank you, but perfection doesn’t work when I have a pile of dirty laundry and dishes, awaiting to be tackled. And how my to-do list just gets longer each passing day.
Just pointing out the reality and obvious, my friends 🙂
Ingredients:
- 2 cups of rolled oats
- 1 cup of cooked quinoa
- 1.5 cup of mix nuts and seeds (i used walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, sunflower, poppy, chia and sesame seeds.)
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup honey
- 1/2 cup coconut butter
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup dried raisins
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 315F. Prepare 3 baking sheets.
- In an extra large bowl add oats, quinoa, mixed nuts + seeds. Stir everything to combine.
- Add maple syrup, honey, coconut butter in a small saucepan. Heat it over medium-low. Stir to melt ingredients and combine. You want the mixture to liquify. Once it does liquifies, remove from heat. Add in salt and vanilla extract.
- Pour liquid into huge bowl with dry ingredients. Stir everything to combine.
- Proportionate the granola mix onto 3 baking trays. Spread evenly to allow even baking and browning.
- Bake for 30 to 40 minutes. Rotate baking trays and toss granola every now and then in between baking time. Also, watch granola very closely to avoid burn.
- Once granola has toasted and browned evenly, remove from oven and allow granola to cool completely before tossing in dried raisins and storing in an airtight container.
- Serve it atop yogurt, oatmeal or fruit. Enjoy!
Now that I’ve complained about my ridic baking skills and how imperfect my life is — it’s time for you to rant.
What is your list of imperfection? What are your tips when it comes to baking? Help me!
On that note, have a great weekend my friends 🙂
Comments on this entry are closed.
A toothsome and healthy granola! Better than any store-bought cereals…
Cheers,
Rosa
Rosa — ditto!
We just made a giant batch of granola last week. It’s so perfect for light breakfasts. Your version looks lovely, Kiran!
ashley – baker by nature recently posted..Asparagus, Avocado, and Orange Quinoa Salad with Sesame – Mint Vinaigrette
Ashley — thank you! Love homemade granola’s 🙂
i have been wanting to make homemade granola for forever but its on my longgggg to do list promise. this week was little hectic but oh well- it only leads to better things (hopefully). I have a love-hate relationship with baking but I am getting better at it (i think). My tips is follow the recipe esp if you are new to it and try not to healthify it too much 🙂
dixya@food, pleasure, and health recently posted..Weight Maintenance : Highs and Lows
Dixya — If I can do it, so can you. Just keep an extra “watchful” eyes when baking. An advice from a person who had her handful shares of baking disasters 😉
I love homemade granola! The addition of quinoa makes it even better! YUM!
Anna @ Crunchy Creamy Sweet recently posted..New features on Crunchy Creamy Sweet!
Anna — 🙂
I am very good at burning pizza and always, ALWAYS, the fire alarm is activated after I open the oven and take my (burnt) stuff out 🙂 No chance I can bake without the crazy loud sound of the alarm!
Your granola looks amazingly suntanned! 🙂 Seriously speaking I think it’s great. I also like that you add Quinoa into it!
Daniela @ FoodrecipesHQ recently posted..Dense and Nutritious Coffee Banana Smoothie
Daniela — suntanned is the right word for this granola mess 😀
looks so good, you are tempting me to go get a bowl of oatmeal and i just ate. i’m such a pig. that’s what happens when you are working from home, or pretending to. haha! my baking skills are good, but my decorating skills suck. i think you’re really good at that. imperfections? none! 🙂 Lots, but just can’t think right now.
honeywhatscooking recently posted..Friday’s Favorite Things – 5.3.13
Honey — lol, your sense of humor always gets me 🙂
I’ve definitely learned not to let perfection be the enemy of the good. It’s no use trying to be perfect since it doesn’t exist. Your granola looks wonderful to me, and all the time you spend on food styling is sure worth it! It’s beautiful to look at and I appreciate it! Btw, quinoa in granola sounds like a great idea! : )
Monica recently posted..Nigella’s cappuccino pavlova
Monica — aww, thank you so so much. Perfection is definitely boring 😀
Kiran we all have disasters and success that’s how we overcome it…great clicks 🙂
Maria recently posted..Sprouts Kabab
Maria — thank you my friend 🙂
I love this post. People sometimes say things to me about how everything I do must be perfect, and at times, I kind of pick up a little hostility behind it too. But who wants to read a blog all about my dirty dishes and recipe disasters?! Of course our blogs are going to focus on the recipes that are delicious, the photos that turn out perfectly. It doesn’t mean that WE are perfect.
Anyway! Love that you added quinoa to this. 🙂 It looks perfect to me!
Kiersten @ Oh My Veggies recently posted..What Courtney from The Fig Tree Ate This Week
Kiersten — DITTO!!
I seriously make homemade granola every 2 weeks and I have my next batch coming up Monday- I am making this!
Kitchen Belleicious recently posted..Deconstructed Shrimp Boil Skewers
Jessica — yay! Let me know how it tastes!
Sounds delicious!!! Love all the healthy ingredients that went into this granola!!! Flavor turn up!!!
Mr. & Mrs. P recently posted..Skinny Cauliflower Mash
Mr & Mrs P — thank you!
Haha loved the rant! Last night we had semi-burnt pumpkin soup ): It was barely salvageable, but it was fun trying! You’re right – perfect lives would just be boring! I’ll try and make this soon, and try my hardest not to burn it! 🙂 xxx Have a wonderful weekend!
gemma @ andgeesaid.blogspot.com.au
Gemma @andgeesaid recently posted..Some thoughts, Hogwarts and breakfast.
Gemma — thank you and I hope you would enjoying baking this for the family. Just keep a watchful eye while baking granola 🙂
I hear you, burns, spills, and all out flops are all part of the norm over here too!
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen recently posted..Pea, Mint and Feta Fritters with Yogurt Mint Dipping Sauce (Gluten-Free, Grain-Free)
Sylvie — I’m so glad we all are eventually “normal” 😉
I love this post because it’s real life! I spent way too many years trying to be perfect and it’s just not worth it. Your granola looks fabulous, just blame the oven on that one batch ;).
Laura (Tutti Dolci) recently posted..cinnamon, honey & toblerone ice cream
Laura — the oven definitely took the blame for it 😉
Beautiful and healthy granola! It’s only Friday midnight, and I am already craving this granola for my breakfast on Saturday!
Julia | JuliasAlbum.com recently posted..Broiled salmon with mango salsa and rice
Julia — a must make 🙂
Kiran you are perfect in your own way. 😉
I am in a granola mood in the heat, feel free to send me some over =P
Helene — you are way too sweet! 🙂
We’re so lucky you spend so much time making your food shots look soooo good ! And thanks for sharing that a) it’s a lot of hard work and it doesn’t just magically look perfect and b) life isn’t about perfection. It would be so boring if it were !
Carolyn Chan recently posted..Meyer Lemon Tea Cake
Carolyn — I’m thankful to have friends like you who takes so much pain to visit us and leave such sweet and encouraging comments! xoxo
You may have had a little setback but the end result looks and sounds good. 🙂
Karen (Back Road Journal) recently posted..Harira, A Moroccan Chickpea And Lentil Soup
Karen — thank you!! 🙂
I love, love LOVE the addition of quinoa. DEFINITELY going to try this out. And your hard word prevails in the end. Gorgeous pictures. I’ve burnt many a granola, many a toast and so on and so forth!!
Laura @ Family Spice recently posted..Strawberry, Kale and Pomegranate Cooler Thingie
Laura — makes for a GREAT crunch too! And let me know how it tastes. Bon apetit!
I love homemade granola! Interesting addition with the quinoa.
Matt @ The Athlete’s Plate recently posted..Mini #Whole30
Matt — adds a great texture and crunch!
The granola looks deliciously great, we had several days of way too much rain here too. I’ve been making granola bars at home for the past few months. Though I’ve tried to cut back on the amount of honey and butter, I then run into problems of how to hold the structure together. Sometimes, I feel like enrolling in a baking school.
Nik recently posted..kumquat ginger sorbet
Nik — I don’t use butter in my granola or bars. But I can definitely understand your frustration when it comes to baking. It’s almost like an experiment and can always go awry any time. Sigh. I did use coconut butter in this granola recipe, something that you might want to try in the bars? Let me know how it turns out if you do!
You are so right, Kiran. Life is not perfect and it’s perfectly fine with me 🙂 You wont believe how many batches of pasta I burnt in the last year(to my defense they were all very small batch for my daughter). Seriously who burns pasta while boiling it?
I also made granola today. Yours look fabulous.
Lail | With A Spin recently posted..Elegant Mother’s Day Brunch Dads Can Easily Prepare
Lail — i’m so glad we made granola the same time. creative minds thinks alike? 😉
Granola is on my i-so-want-to-make list for so long but then my experiences with baking have not been that good either. lets see, when is granola going to happen! 😛
Charul @ Tadka Masala recently posted..Lemon Curry / Sambhar
Charul — you must make it since it’s so simple. but keep a very close eye when it’s baking. Really 😀
A delicious and healthy granola! Homemade is the best!
Angie@Angie’s Recipes recently posted..Five Grain Spelt Bread with Grapeseed Flour and Malt Extract
Angie — thank you!
homemade granola is one of my FAVORITE things to eat- I would love a big bowl of this!
Gina — 🙂
Oh, Kiran. Don’t ask me those ?’s…lol. Your granola clicks are so, so lovely. I know sometimes we are too hard on ourselves. It was raining like crazy here. For days and days and seemed it wouldn’t stop. Are you liking the cooler weather that came down our way? 🙂
Lora @cakeduchess recently posted..Chocolate-Crusted Banana Blondies
Lora — I’m definitely liking the cooler weather that came down our way, before summer is officially on us for the next long months. Might as well enjoy it now, huh? 😀
ps: We must meet soon!
Fun rant! And nice recipe. I’ve never made my own granola, and doubt if I ever will (I rarely eat the stuff). But I like to read about other people doing it! And your pictures look pretty darn good! Good stuff – thanks.
john@kitchenriffs recently posted..Walnut Roll Cake
John — and thanks for appreciating my rant. No one ever does it 😉
I’m so with you….I lost count on the number of times I burn and over cook things in my kitchen! 😛 As you said, it’s totally okay (and perfect) to be imperfect! Life is a lot more fun that way. 😉 Your Homemade Granola sure looks delicious. I really love a great homemade granola. I’ll try your version with quinoa next time.
Amy Tong recently posted..Boozy Framboise Guimauve Pops–For Mothers Day
Amy — thank you and do let me know how it tastes 🙂
Dear Kiran,
This granola looks really crunchy, healthy and delicious. My abject fear of baking means this is probably simple enough for me to attempt although there will be a high chance I will muck this up as well.
ChopinandMysaucepan recently posted..Mount Claremont Farmers Market, Perth
Dear Chopinand — you might from my experience, so please keep an extra set of eyes watchful while baking these. Really 😀
This would be a nice and healthy breakfast
Raymund recently posted..Lo Ba Bung
Raymund — totally 😀
Lovely homemade granola recipe ~ pinned!
marla recently posted..*Freebie* “Pretty Flowers” Mother’s Day Cards Printables
Marla — thank you so much!
I could have written the same words… My friends who never cook are always surprised when I talk about one more total failure that ended up in the bin… or when I burn a very simple cake when they come. They assume that someone obsessed with food and a regular daily cook can fail only very complicated first-time dishes…
Anyway, your granola looks beautiful. Your photos are amazing too.
Sissi — ah, the misconceptions 😉
I have a box of trix that is screaming for my attention…wish I could have a gigantic bowl of this instead!
The Squishy Monster recently posted..Weekend Bits
TSM — 🙂
Beautiful! I know I’ve had people tell me it looks like I have a perfect life but I think it’s crazy and silly! Obviously no one has a perfect life – good photography just makes it seem like it and you have an incredible eye! I am so inspired by your lovely photos and tasty looking food:)
Josie recently posted..Sheep + Wool
Josie — thank you so much for the kind and sweet compliments 🙂
Raining for days? Oh my! It hardly ever rains here in Phoenix for more than 12 minutes 😉
So sad, I bet granola is one of those things you have to pay close attention to when baking….. maybe that’s why I’ve never attempted it :}
Gwen @SimplyHealthyFamily recently posted..The Best Grilled Fish Tacos on Home Made Blue Corn Tortillas with Mango Salsa, Cumin & Garlic Black Beans and a Healthy and Simple Cinco de Mayo Roundup.
Gwen — it was not too bad. I managed to salvage a lot of the granola 😉
Love your posts and recipes!
carolinaheartstrings recently posted..POBLANO PEPPER DIP
CHS — thank you!
Looks delicious! And totally love the addition of cooked quinoa–such a great idea!
Laura — thank you! it adds a lot of great texture and crunch 🙂
Even the most everyday things looks fantastic on your photos!
IRENA recently posted..Cheesy Ravioli & Spinach
Irena — awww, thanks friend 🙂
I have never even thought about making my own granola…this looks so yummy…I think I am going to try it 🙂
Jess recently posted..Jillian Michaels Body Revolution Vs P90x
Jess — thanks and do let me know how it tastes 🙂
Hehe I’ve burnt three lots of home made granola in my time! That’s three times too many but oh well! This looks great! 😀 is coconut butter the solid form of coconut oil? 🙂
Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella recently posted..Mexico, Surry Hills
Lorraine — coconut butter is made from the flesh of a coconut, not from the oil 🙂
Ugh, I hear ya! Nothing’s more frustrating than a kitchen fail but I just pretend everything is perfect all the time. I love homemade granola and this sounds wonderful.
Jen @ Savory Simple recently posted..Smoked Salmon and Avocado Tartine
Jen — 🙂
Yum. Love this Kiran!
Aimee @ ShugarySweets recently posted..Chocolate Orange Cookies
Aimee — thank you!
Granola is SO good. The only bad thing about it is that when I start eating it, I can never get myself to stop! to make or not to make….
Great post and recipe!
xx
Grace — haha, to make and immediately store it after 1 serving 🙂
Healthy and yummy homemade granola, love it!
mycookinghut recently posted..Orange Flower & Dark Chocolate Madeleines
leemei — thank you! 🙂