In the Bean Thyme: Granola Anyone?

A couple days ago I decided I wanted to restock my granola stash. I wanted something crunchy and delicious to sprinkle on my morning bowl of yogurt and fruit. In came Peanut Butter granola. Now, this may sound kind of gross...but let me tell you...it is absolutely AMAZING! You can only just taste the peanut butter and it is crunchy and just slightly sweet. Just he way I like it!

Peanut Butter Granola

(Makes eight 1/4 c. servings)

adapted from www.pbfinger.com Almond Granola recipe

Ingredients:

4 tbsp. peanut butter (or nut butter of your choice)
4 tbsp. honey
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tbsp. chia seeds
2 cups oats

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.
Combine peanut butter and honey in a bowl and microwave until almond butter is slightly melted (about 30 seconds).
Stir peanut butter and honey together.
Add cinnamon and vanilla to almond butter mixture.
Stir oats and chia seeds into almond butter mixture, completely coating oats in the mixture.
Spread oats onto cookie sheet and bake for eight minutes before tossing oats and baking for another four minutes until granola is slightly brown.
Let cool until granola is crunchy!

Fresh out of the oven...

Serve on top of yogurt and fruit...or however way you prefer! I just happen to be madly in love with greek yogurt so any way I can eat it...I will :)

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Tonight I had one thing and one thing only on my mind. SOUP! I remembered that I had seen a picture of a delicious looking soup on my friends blog (foodallyeats.tumblr.com). It not only looked delicious but I saw that it was a Jamie Oliver recipe...so it obviously had to be delicious. He is such a great chef. Plus, Ally knows good food and I trust her taste buds completely (well...almost ;))! To say I was excited to make this is an understatement.

This soup turned out absolutely fantastic. With high hopes of this recipe being super yummy I doubled the recipe and I am so thrilled that I did. It is light yet hearty and spicy with the ginger! Probably one of the best soups I have made in a very long time. Thanks Ally :)

Lentil and Spinach Soup:

Adapted from Jamie Oliver: Ministry of Food

Serves approx. 10-12 (trust me you are going to want leftovers...)

Ingredients

4-6 carrots, peeled and roughly sliced
4-6 sticks celery, sliced
2 large onions, roughly chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
Olive oil
2, 900 ml containers of vegetable stock)
2 1/2 cups red lentils
2 thumb-sized piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and sliced
½-1 red chilli, deseeded, to taste (I didn't add this...didn't have it)
20 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 3/4 cups spinach leaves (chopped)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
greek yogurt to top (optional but recommended!)

1) Put the carrots, celery, onion and garlic together in a pan over medium heat with the lid open a crack. Cook for 10 minutes until the carrots have softened and the onion is lightly golden.

2) Add stock, lentils, tomatoes, ginger, and chilli to the carrot-celery-onion-garlic mix. Stir the soup and bring to the boil.

(Look at that beautiful ginger)

3) Once the soup has reached boiling point, reduce the heat to a simmer. Put the lid on and leave it for 10 minutes, or until the lentils are cooked. Add the spinach and cook for 30 seconds.

4) Season well with salt and pepper. The soup can be served as is (the way I prefer it), or use a hand blender to pulse until smooth. Serve with a dollop of yogurt or leftover grape tomatoes :)