A week into the stay at home order, the bursitis in my knee flared up (guys, I’m too young to have to say that!), and put an end to my daily walks with my husband. After weeks of physical therapy stretching with “Dr. Jo” on youtube (she’s brilliant!) and medication prescribed by my actual doctor, I’m back to walking, albeit not the distances I was covering before. I didn’t realize how normal those walks had become as part of my daily routine, and how much I depended on them for my own mental health, until they were gone. Today’s recipe is the same way. It’s a pantry staple in my house, and I forget how much I depend on it every day, until I run out!
This granola crumble is basically a mash up of the granola that we all know and love, and the delicious crumble topping you might find atop fruit desserts or coffee cake. It is delicious with fruit, a smoothie bowl, ice cream, or my particular favorite – Greek yogurt.
This recipe started with a recipe from the Milk Street Cookbook (so good!), and then went off the road, across a field, and through the woods, when I started substituting ingredients and changing process. In short, this is nowhere close to where I started – and it also means it can hold up to some heavy duty substitutions, based on your preferences and what you have in your pantry right now!
You are going to start by putting the almond butter and oil into a microwave safe bowl, microwave until it begins to get melt, give it a stir, and then continue microwaving until it has liquefied.
In another, larger, bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients. Cut the butter into ¼ – ½ inch cubes and pinch it into the flour mixture (just like when we made scones). When the butter has been combined into the flour mixture, it should be lumpy and have a gravel like texture. Then pour the nut butter mixture in and mix together with your hands until the mixture is full of marble size chunks. Spread on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Refrigerate for a half hour. Bake for 10 minutes, flip, bake for another 10 minutes, if it is not done, you can flip again and go another 10 minutes. The less you stir it during turning, the larger your chunks will be – which, trust me, is a good thing! The last 10 minutes can get dicey (mine in these photos went about 4 minutes longer than it should have for how browned I usually like it). Cool on the pan and then pour into a storage container. I keep mine in a Mason jar in my pantry and it last about a week (it might last longer, but it’s always eaten by then!).
Granola Crumble
¼ cup almond butter
2 tbl light flavored oil (grapeseed, avocado, coconut, vegetable)
¾ cup flour
½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (not quick oats)
6 tbl brown sugar, packed
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp cinnamon
1 tbl poppy seeds
¼ cup almonds, sliced, slivered or chopped
¼ tsp salt (if using salted butter omit salt)
6 tbl butter
Melt together almond butter and oil in microwave until liquid. Combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl, cut in butter. Pour nut butter mixture over dry mixture, combine until marble size chunks form. Spread on baking sheet covered in parchment. Refrigerate 30 minutes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes turning crumble half way through baking time. Do not stir crumble during baking. Cool on cookie sheet and store in an air tight container up to a week.
Take care of yourselves. Happy cooking!
Kristina
MiFoodChronicles 