Pumpkin Craisin Granola Bars

Instead of wastefully composting the small freebie from our Lemos Farm field trip, I decided to revamp my Oatmeal Raisin Bars. This is my first stab at doing anything with pumpkin other than carving jack-o-lanterns, so I'm pretty happy with the healthy results! Pumpkins are extremely rich in Vitamin A and also contain Vitamin C and potassium.

Yield: 8 bars

1 small pumpkin (1 cup and 1 tbsp roasted pumpkin, pureed)

1 tbsp water

2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/3 cup packed brown sugar (1/2 cup if you like it sweet)

1/4 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

1 cup craisins

1/3 cup roasted, salted sunflower seeds

1/4 cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350. 

Wash and remove the stem off 1 small pumpkin. Slice in half, scoop out seeds and fibers, and place flesh side down on a baking sheet covered with tin foil. Add 1 tbsp of water to the pan, then roast for 40 minutes, or until fork pierces through skin. Let cool before scooping the flesh out with a spoon and processing in a blender/magic bullet to puree. Half of my pumpkin yielded 1 cup and 1 tbsp of pureed pumpkin, so this is the amount I used. 

Combine pureed pumpkin with all other ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Blend with a spoon until dry ingredients are moist.

Spread mixture in pan (will likely fit an 8x8 pan, but if your pan is larger like mine, spread over half the pan only so that mixture sits about an inch high). Bake at 350 for 25min (or until golden - my oven will burn the craisins if baked for 30min, so adjust baking time accordingly). 

Let cool completely before cutting. I like to saran wrap each bar individually so they are easy on-the-go snacks. Otherwise, store in an airtight container. 

Craisin Quinoa Salad with Grilled Balsamic Basil Chicken

Time to shake up our usual quinoa salads with something a little sweeter and citrusy for the summer. 

Makes 2 dinners with chicken and 2 leftover vegetarian lunches for the next day. 

• 1 boneless, skinless chicken breast
• Chicken marinade: 
• 2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2 tsp dried basil
• 1 tsp salt
• fresh ground pepper (a few shakes or grinds)
• 1 1/4 cups quinoa
• 2 1/4 vegetable broth (or water)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 ear of corn
• 1 1/3 cup diced cucumber
• 1 cup diced celery
• 1 ripe avocado
• 1 5oz (142 gr) package craisins (50% reduced sugar is best!)
• Dressing: 
• 1 1/2 tbsp fresh basil
• 1 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
• 1 tbsp olive oil (I used a Mediterranean blend of extra virgin olive oil, canola & grapeseed)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp salt

A few hours in advance (or overnight), trim any fat off chicken breast and place in a bowl. Add all marinade ingredients, mixing well to coat. Set aside in fridge to allow marinade to soak in.

The quinoa should also be prepared in advance to allow time for it to cool. Add vegetable broth/water, salt and cumin to quinoa in a small pot over high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce to low, cover, and set a timer for 15min. Let cool completely after it has cooked, then set aside in fridge. 

De-husk the corn, then take a sharp knife to slice the kernels off in swaths. I prefer laying the corn flat on a large chopping board instead of holding it vertically so the kernels don't fall everywhere. Place kernels in a large salad bowl. 

Slice the celery and cucumber lengthwise into thin strips before dicing. If the cucumber has a lot of mushy wet seeds in the center, take a small spoon to carve out the seeds in the center after slicking the cuke in half before slicing and dicing. Add diced veg to the salad bowl. 

Cut avocado in half and remove pit. Slice lengthwise into 8 strips and remove the peel. Give the peeled avocado a quick cold water bath to prevent them from turning brown. Remove from water and dice into bite size pieces. Add to salad bowl along with the craisins and cooked, cold quinoa, tossing well. 

Put all dressing ingredients into a jar, then shake/stir to mix. Pour over quinoa salad, mixing well to combine. 

To cook the chicken, I use a 2-sided grill (ie. George Foreman). Once the grill has pre-heated, place chicken breast in the center and set timer for 8min. Slice and arrange over salad.