Peanut Butter & Jelly Granola Bars

I'm feeling a bit nostalgic these days, produce junkies. Something about that crisp fall air and those changing leaves and all the kiddies walking around with brand spankin' new backpacks...

Not to mention the fact that one year ago this week, I started culinary school. Hard to believe it's only been a year. It seems more like five years ago that I was nervously learning my bus schedules, meeting the classmates who would eventually become dear friends and taking copious notes on the difference between food borne infections and food borne intoxications. (Sanitation class--you put me off eating for weeks, thankyouverymuch.)

So perhaps it's this wave of nostalgia that prompted me to try my hand at homemade granola bars. They seem like such a "school" food-- perfect to throw in your backpack and chow on between classes. Perfect for an on-the-go, stressed out student.

Which, I am proud to say, I am no longer. Don't get me wrong. I LOVED culinary school. I love being a student in general-- I love learning new ideas and new skills. It's inspirational. It keeps my mind sharp. It challenges me. I love being challenged. I am a firm believer that it is impossible to be over-educated.

But I pushed myself to the absolute limit this last year, and for the sake of my personal sanity, I think it's time for a solid break before I attempt anything like that again.

Back to granola bars. Although I am no longer a student, my girlfriend has suddenly become one. She took up yoga very seriously this summer, with amazing results. She's even thinking about completing yoga teacher certification, which I think is totally and completely awesome. Her dedication to her practice and the joy that it brings her is truly inspirational.

So to keep my gal fueled up as she dashes between downward facing dogs and work and home to walk the actual dog, I worked out this granola bar recipe.

I confess: The title of this recipe is a leeeetle misleading. Technically there isn't any jelly in these bars, but the two different types of dried fruit combined with the peanut butter is just so reminiscent of that other classic schoolyard treat that I couldn't resist the moniker. I adapted these bars from this Saveur recipe, mostly to accommodate what I already had in my pantry. But the recipe is very flexible, so as long as you keep your proportions the same, feel free to substitute other nuts/dried fruits/nut butters.

Because there are no wheat ingredients, I'm labeling this recipe gluten-free. But you gluten-sensitive types will know that conventional oats are often contaminated by gluten, either in the growth or the processing stage. Speciality gluten-free oats are becoming more widely available these days-- I have a friend with Celiac's who swears by Bob's Red Mill Gluten Free Rolled Oats.

It's a little hard to know exactly when these bars are done. Hot out of the oven, they will seem much too soft to hold together. Don't be deceived. Bake until the top is only slightly browned, and don't hesitate to quickly remove the pan from the oven as soon as you see the browning. When it cools down, it will solidify into chewy, soft granola that is easily cut into bars.

If you over-bake these bars, they will not stay together. Rather they will crumble into crunchy granola chunks, which, if you think about it, isn't really a bad thing. Over-baked batches are perfect sprinkled on top of yogurt, mixed in with your favorite breakfast cereal or simply eaten by the handful. My most delicious mistake to date.

Oh, and these gorgeous photographs? Taken by my yogi girlfriend, who is a constant inspiration to me.

Bain taitneamh as do bheil!

PREP TIME: about 20 minutes

COOKING TIME: 25-35 minutes

MAKES: about 12 bars

INGREDIENTS:

• 4 cups rolled oats
• 1 cup roasted, salted peanuts
• 1 cup finely shredded unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds
• 1/4 cup millet
• 1/2 cup raisins
• 1/2 cup dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
• 1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
• 1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 9 by 13 casserole dish with parchment paper. Brush paper with a little oil to prevent sticking.
2. In a large bowl, combine the rolled oats, peanuts, coconut flakes, sunflower seeds, millet, raisins and dried cranberries.
3. In a saucepan over low heat, combine the brown sugar, coconut oil, brown rice syrup and peanut butter. Simmer gently until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
4. Pour hot peanut butter mixture over the dried ingredients. Add cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, salt and vanilla extract. Stir to thoroughly combine. Mixture will be very sticky.
5. Spread oat mixture evenly in the parchment paper lined dish, pressing to ensure even thickness throughout the pan.
6. Bake for 25-35 minutes, or until just barely browned on top. Remove immediately from heat and allow to cool completely.
7. Cut room temperature mixture into 12 bars. Store in an air-tight container and enjoy your brain fuel!

Late Summer Tabbouleh

Okay, so technically today is the first day of fall. And technically I made this recipe two weeks ago, when the weather hadn't turned quite so cool and drippy. But I know you'll forgive me these technicalities when you try your hand at some tabbouleh. The simplest of late summer produce combined with a cool pasta, tossed with a lemon-y dressing and fresh herbs... divine. Easy. Fast. Delicious. Perfect to serve as a starter before one of the last meals (sniff!) you'll eat outdoors this season. Perfect for lunch at work-- thrown in your bag in the morning, tabbouleh is deliciously room temperature by lunchtime.
May I take a moment to declare my love for lemon-y salad dressings? It's like eating liquid sunshine. I'm an acid fanatic, I'll admit it. My girlfriend is always begging me to tone down the lemon juice, but I can't help myself. That combination of tart and salty (with the smoothness of a good olive oil to take the edge off) just drives me wild.

This summer's strange weather was great for tomatoes, which has been divine. Our CSA has been packed with these beauties, and although I know I should be putting them up to enjoy all winter long, most of the time I just can't resist eating them raw.

I hope that you are still able to get local cucumbers for this dish. I feel great shame for not posting this recipe weeks ago when things were at their absolute peak, but I have seen a few cucumbers still rattling around at the farmer's market lately, I swear. If you must buy non-local, please choose organic cucumbers. Because of their thin skins, conventionally grown cucumbers have tons of nasty chemicals-- unappetizing and unhealthy to boot!
Traditional tabbouleh is made with bulgur, which is not my favorite grain. I chose couscous for my version, partially because I enjoy the nutty flavor of this little pasta and partially because it's such a snap to cook. Any small grain would work in this salad-- try millet or quinoa or even amaranth! Cooking methods and times will differ for each grain, so be sure to read up on those before you substitute.

Bain taitneamh as do bheil!

PREP TIME: about 30 minutes

COOKING TIME: about 10 minutes

MAKES: about 8 1/2 cup servings

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1 cup whole wheat couscous
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, for cooking.
• 1 large onion, cut into 1" dice (about 2 cups)
• 2 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• the juice and zest from 3 large lemons (should yield about 1/2 cup of juice)
• 1 tablespoon honey (substitute agave nectar for a vegan tabbouleh)
• 3/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil
• sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
• 1 large cucumber, cut into quarter moons (about 3 cups)
• 4-5 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2" dice (about 2 1/2 cups)
• 1 large bunch fresh mint leaves, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
• 1 large bunch fresh parsley leaves, finely chopped (about 2 tablespoons)

DIRECTIONS:

1. Place couscous in a heat-proofed bowl with a tightly fitting lid. Bring vegetable stock to a boil, pour over couscous. Stir to full saturate couscous, then cover bowl with the tight-fitting lid. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, or until all the stock is absorbed into the couscous. Fluff lightly with a fork and set aside to cool.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy-bottomed frying pan until the surface of the oil begins to shimmer. Add chopped onions and saute until onions are soft and slightly browned. Stir in chopped garlic and saute for 1 minute more, taking care not to let garlic brown. Remove cooked onions and garlic from heat and set aside to cool.
3. Make dressing: in a large bowl, combine lemon juice, lemon zest and honey. Slowly drizzle 3/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil into the dressing, whisking vigorously. Season with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste.
4. Place room temperature couscous in a large bowl. Add sauteed onions & garlic, chopped cucumber, chopped tomatoes and chopped fresh herbs. Drizzle dressing over the salad and gently toss to combine.
5. Serve with a glass of iced mint tea and toast to the waning summer!