Everyone who knows me understands that when I make granola I mean business. I make large amounts of it, and by that I mean I sometimes make up to 10 lbs of granola at once. And for this Dark Chocolate and Orange Granola that is exactly what I did.

I have other granola recipes that I have made over the years but I always wanted to make a version using orange and dark chocolate. I am so glad I did.

Granola is just the perfect thing to have as a snack, breakfast or as a healthy treat with some ice cream. I have bought several granola variations in the store and none compare to homemade. One of the reasons is that store bought granola is quite expensive and the quality is actually never there. It tends to be full of sugar with hardly any nuts or other healthy ingredients like chia seed. It’s usually just rolled oats and a couple of nuts here and there.

I have found that my kids love granola as a snack after coming back from school. It has been their snack of choice—sometimes with milk and other times with plain yogurt. High in protein and fiber and low in sugar.

Making your own granola is also more economical and the quality is far superior to store bought. When making your own granola you are able to add any toppings of your choice and tailor it to your own liking. Chia seeds, unsweetened coconut and a variation of raw nuts and dried fruit are my ultimate favorites.

For the perfect orange flavor in this recipe I chose Florida’s Natural® Brand Orange Juice. Whenever possible, I choose top notch, quality ingredients to make sure my recipes turn out when it comes to flavor, and Florida’s Natural delivers.

Florida’s Natural is made from one simple ingredient — Florida oranges. And only Florida oranges. No water, sugar or preservatives are added. The orange juice comes from pure Florida oranges. There are no artificial flavors or ingredients. I choose Florida’s Natural because the oranges are simply squeezed, flash-pasteurized and poured into cartons that ensure a fresh, straight-from-the-grove taste.

To make granola you don’t need any prior cooking/baking experience. All you need to know is how to mix together a few ingredients. No high-end cooking skills of any kind.

Besides an after-school snack, or any type of snack for that matter, granola also makes as great gift for family and friends. I started making my own granola years back and ever since I have never looked back.

I hope you get to try this amazing Dark Chocolate and Orange Granola. If you do, let me know how you liked it.

Enjoy!

Dark chocolate and orange granola

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 16 servings

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 6 cups gluten free rolled oats
• 1 cup Florida's Natural orange juice
• 1 cup honey
• 1 cup coconut oil
• 16 oz walnuts
• 1 cup chia seeds
• 2 cups dried unsweetened coconut
• 20 oz dark chocolate chips, vegan if need be
• 8 oz dried blueberries, any other dried fruit will work

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 275F.

In a sauce pan add the honey, coconut oil and orange juice. Heat mixture until combined.

Add the rolled oats to an extra-large mixing bowl. Pour the liquid mixture over the oats and coat the oats, stirring with a spatula.

Divide mixture among four baking sheets. Bake the granola for 30 minutes. Remove it from the oven and transfer all the granola back to the extra-large mixing bowl, mixing it well.

Then, again divide the granola among the baking sheets and bake for another 30 minutes, repeating this process a total of three times. You will bake the granola for a total of 1 hour and 30 minutes, removing from the oven every thirty minutes to mix, until it gets toasted and dried. I’ve found that taking the granola out of the oven, mixing it, and putting it back in helps ensure the granola is evenly cooked.

After the third round of baking, remove the granola from the oven and, while still warm, add the nuts, dried fruit, chia seeds and dark chocolate. With a spatula, mix well until all the ingredients are combined. The chocolate will melt but that is what you want. Let the granola cool completely before storing.

Store granola in the anchor hocking containers for up to eight weeks. 

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Smoothie bowls tend to be on bit thicker than regular smoothies, or at least that is how I make them, otherwise all my toppings sink to the bottom.

Smoothie bowls are a great way to start the day or even to have as a snack. The variations are endless and on this one I used things I had on hand. We are loving hemp hearts right now. Then I added some chia seeds, cacao nibs and fresh fruit that I always have on hand.

Truly the sky is the limit when it comes to making smoothie bowls. Since Valentine’s Day is just around the corner I figure I can make something that is healthy, easy and quick.

As some of you know, I don’t have much time on my hands lately. In 4 months my life will be way better and have a switch for the best since I will be graduating from Physician Assistant school and be able to continue with my normal life. Being a mom, work and carry on with my life more or less.

Anyways, I have another healthy, quick, dessert that I made over the weekend that I want to post very soon. I always make double the batch whenever I am baking or cooking so that we can have it for several days. Not necessarily concurrent days but at least another time throughout the week so that it doesn’t seem to repetitive that whe are eating the same thing over and over.

Anyways, start making your own smoothie bowls. I know once you start you won’t be able to stop. So healthy, good and easy.

Enjoy!

High protein chocolate smoothie bowl

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 4 servings

Total Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 frozen bananas
• 2 cups non-dairy milk
• 1/3 cup cocoa powder

Toppings

• 1/4 cup hemp hearts
• 1/4 cup chia seeds
• 1/4 cacao nibs
• 2 cups organic mixed berries

Directions:

Blend the bananas, cocoa powder and milk in your blender until smooth.

Divide mixture between for bowls and top with the toppings. You may use any of your choice.

Note: You can add some nuts or nut butter to the milk and bananas to increase protein content even further.

The post High protein chocolate smoothie bowl appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

Making smoothies, if you have a good blender, is oneof the easiest things to do. I love them not only because they can be super healthy but because you can make any flavors that you like and even add a variety of ingredients to increase its protein content.

I tend to use protein powder and when ever I run out I add nuts or nut batters to substitute for the protein powder. It works equally good so whatever you like best.

Not long ago I have started using acai, which is a super power food. I love the fact that I can add it in an array of recipes. You can also added to energy bite recipes, yogurts etc

For the topping for this acai smoothie bowl you can use whatever you like best. I used fresh fruit and an array of healthy ingredients like chia seeds, granola and hemp seeds. Anything goes!

To obtain the smoothie bowl recipe make sure you visit my friends at Nuts.com. You will be able to shop for any healthy ingredients you may need for your cooking and baking such as nuts, dried fruits, grains, flours and much more.

Enjoy!

This recipe is sponsored by Nuts.com The opinions and text are all mine. The end.

The post Acai smoothie bowl appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

This green tea overnight oats is very versatile. I have kept it dairy free as well as gluten free by using gluten free rolled oats. They are also very convenient. I love having this for breakfast, as a snack or even on the go, as you can pack them easily on small glass jars.

This time around I didn’t add any protein to it but if you like, vanilla protein powder would be just fine. If you want to increase the protein content, go for it!

Also, my milk of choice was a mixture of coconut milk and almond milk. I used unsweetened Silk almond milk. Most times I used unsweetened varieties so that I can control the sweetness of whatever I am making.

You can sign for Silk’s newsletter to obtain coupons and find out their latest news on products and much more. You can also use their store locator to find out where you can purchase their products.

What I like about overnight oats is that I can also have after my workouts. It keeps me satisfy and I know I am not throwing away my efforts at the gym. I also tend to snack right before bed. This is the most difficult time for me when it comes to food so often times I like to have healthy choices available, like overnight oats. This way I am not tempted to have the wrong foods right before bed.

Overnight oats is a great way to start the day, have as a snack any time of the day or even after a workout. It is a healthy option that will keep you satisfied for long. It is full of fiber, protein, and omega 3’s, which acts as a anti-inflammatory agent…and let’s not forget this recipe will also help you lower your cholesterol since it is full of soluble fiber.

Anyhow, I hope you like this simple green tea overnight oats recipe that is is literally done in a matter of five minutes. A great option for those considering their healthy habits.

Enjoy!

Green tea overnight oats

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 16-20 servings

Total Time: 5-10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups gluten free rolled oats
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 4 cups Silk unsweetened almond milk
• 2 cups coconut milk
• 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut 
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1 tbsp Matcha powder
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients. Combine and place in the fridge overnight. If you find them dried the next morning you can add some more milk if you like.

Keep refrigerated for up to 5 days.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

The post Green tea overnight oats appeared first on Eat Good 4 Life.

Have you tried to make your own chia seed pudding before? If you haven’t I encourage you to start wit this pumpkin pie chia seed pudding. If you like pumpkin you will love this recipe. I actually keep mine in individual jars so that I can also eat it on the go.

While in school, this was one of the snacks I used to take with me. So convenient.

Chia seeds are very rich in Omega 3’s, a natural anti-inflammatory and very rich in fiber. It is one of many ingredients I always keep my pantry well stocked. It is so versatile that you can add it to smoothies, cereal, yogurt etc I like to have them raw to be able to obtain all of their properties but I have also since them added to pancakes, waffles, muffins and many more baking recipes.

If you would like to start making your own chia seed pudding visit my friends at Nuts.com You can purchase the seeds there as well as many more healthy ingredients. Any kind of nuts, dried fruits, flours, seeds etc you would need for your baking and cooking.

For this amazing and healthy pumpkin pie chia seed pudding make sure you visit the link.

Enjoy!

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I love to use produce that is in season not only because it tends to taste better but because in season produce is always cheaper. I have been able to get peaches at my regular grocery store and the farmers market. Peaches are now readily available so make sure you take advantage of this awesome fruit.

This peaches and cream overnight oats I think has become one of my favorite oatmeal recipes. It is so creamy and tasty that I am glad I made a super huge batch of it. My kids loved it and because I made such large amounts they were able to have it for breakfast for the entire week.

Not only this recipe is gluten-free and vegan but it also keeps you full longer since it has plenty of fiber. It is nutritionally dense, which is ideal to consume especially before you start the day at breakfast. You can even pack this on a mason jar and have this on the go or simply consume it as a sweet treat or snack. A great recipe that will compliment your healthy eating lifestyle.

For this peaches and cream overnight oats I used a mixture of coconut cream and Silk Unsweetened Cashew milk. It is one of my favorite flavors because it is super creamy, there is absolutely no added sugar, it is Non-GMO, and has no artificial colors, or flavors. I also love the fact that is lactose free and it has 50% more calcium than dairy milk.

You can visit Silk’s page and learn more about Silk products, or if you like you can sign for their newsletter and receive coupons as well as their latest news here.

I have been thinking of other ways in which I want to use peaches. I love making crips and cobblers so come next week I think I might just make one. I think I might even do some frozen popsicles. Any other ideas for recipes in which I can use peaches?

This recipe literally takes just 10 minutes to make. If you have never made overnight oats before I suggest you do. You are going to love the fact that not only this is super easy to make, literally just 5 minutes, but it is a very versatile recipe. If you don’t like peaches you can also use strawberries that are also in season.

Enjoy!

Peaches and cream overnight oats

Miryam's original recipe

Yield: 10-12

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 4 cups gluten-free rolled oats
• 4 large peaches, cut into chunks
• 6 cups Unsweetened Silk Cashew Milk
• 1 cup coconut cream
• 3 tsp cinnamon powder
• 1/3 cup chia seeds
• 1/3 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:

In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients and with a large spoon mix until combined.

Place mixture covered in the refrigerator overnight. Serve with extra milk, warm, cold or as desired!

This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.

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