Cooking in Rose Cottage

 As I'm in process of moving in, we're beginning to bring boxes from storage.  Whilst at my daughter's, I used her stove and pans, with just a few of my own things.  I've been making my coconut milk yogurt in her oven, and this week tried the first batch in my small simmer crock pot.  

The stove is too large for the space (it blocks one cupboard and drawer!) so we intend to replace it with an induction cooktop - my favorite pans, cast iron and a small wok, have enough iron to work on it! 

I'm not a fan of microwaves, so though there is one, I haven't used it! (My friend Donna will be tickled, as she likes to heat her lunch in them.)

* Yay! My son-in law just sold the stove! And my cabinet and butcher block are on order!

One of the kitchen loads included my large crock pot, and I made a batch of black beans and rice that will be good for several meals (I'll freeze some too pull out later)

Crook pot and Granola fixings

Today's project is Granola which I enjoy for breakfast or a treat! I love using Coconut Oil, for its abundant health benefits. I'm a 'handful' cook, use your own judgement on portions! I used hazelnuts today, another time I might add sunflower or pumpkin seeds.

Granola

Crockpot Coconut Granola (on High or Med)

•  3 cups old-fashioned GF oats

• 1/2 - 1 cup chopped nuts

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

• Heat 1/3 C coconut oil

• Add 1/3 C honey to the oil and stir in

• Prop the lid (chopstick)

• Stir ~ every 30 minutes, reduce heat if it's browning too quickly 

• Last 1/2 hour add smaller seeds (flax, sesame) and 1/2- 1 Cup flaked coconut, 1/3 Cup dried fruit (raisins, cranberries, chopped prunes...) ~ 3 hours total

• Spread on a baking sheet to crisp, when cool, store in airtight container. 

Alternately, oven bake for 20-30 min at 250°

 I grew up eating whole foods, and  began gardening organically in my 20s. In Oregon's Willamette Valley, we have great access to local organic produce and pasture raised meat.  We've been off gluten since 2010. 

I do better off most dairy as well, so make my yogurt using tinned Coconut milk, following Dr Davis' recipe. (Here's the option using dairy)

Coconut milk yogurt

Dr Davis wrote this about the L-ruteri strain,  "in adition to causing release of oxytocin from the hypothalamus that leads to effects such as reduced skin wrinkles/increased dermal collagen, acceleration of healing, and increased muscle and bone density, also exerts unique upper gastrointestinal tract colonizing effects. This may be important in preventing small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, or SIBO, that is now occurring at epidemic proportions in modern people."

• I can full fat coconut milk
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon prebiotic (I'm using green banana flour) 
• Several tablespoons starter from the last batch, or several capsules of L-ruteri probiotic 

Heat the milk, sugar and prebiotic, pour into glass container, and allow to cool to room temperature. 

Culture for 40-48 hours at a little over 100° 

I like this glass topped storage jar for culturing and storing the yogurt. I put hot water in my simmer pot, then added the jar of yogurt, and turned it on periodically (making sure it didn't get too hot)

I'm looking forward to the combo of fresh Granola with some of my homemade yogurt and frozen blueberries  💙