I have always loved making my own granola. I have been making it since the early 1980's when my next-door neighbor at the time shared her recipe with me. I, for the life of me, could not get my children to eat oatmeal, but they gobbled up granola like crazy. I was grateful for that.
That original recipe was pretty primitive compared to the granola that I make today. Through the years I have experimented and adapted it to use different flavors and additions, and I have also tried other people's recipes with great success.
What can I say? I LOVE GRANOLA! It can be a really healthy and delicious way to get protein and fiber into your diet without adding a lot of fat or sugar. It's all in the mix, and if you add fresh fruit and some yogurt when you are eating it (my preferred way to eat it) then you have a really delicious and healthy breakfast option.
- 3 cups (241g) old fashioned rolled oats (the large flake oats, not instant)
- 1 cup (120g) chopped pecan nuts
- 1/3 cup (71g) coconut oil
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Maple Pecan Granola
Deliciously wholesome and not overly sweet, with a nice bit of spice and plenty of toasty pecans!
Ingredients
- 3 cups (241g) old fashioned rolled oats (the large flake oats, not instant)
- 1 cup (120g) chopped pecan nuts
- 1/3 cup (71g) coconut oil
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325*F/160*C/ gas mark 3. Line a large, lipped, baking tray with some baking parchment. Set aside.
- Toss the oats, pecans, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, cardamom and salt together in a bowl.
- Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add the vanilla and the maple syrup. Whisk well together to combine.
- Pour the coconut oil mixture over the oats and nuts, mixing well together.
- Spread out evenly on the prepped baking tray.
- Toast in the preheated oven for 15 minutes. Give it all a good stir and spread it out again. Toast for an additional 15 minutes until toasty and golden brown.
- Leave to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.
- Enjoy in a bowl with your favorite breakfast toppings (fruit, yogurt, milk, kefir, etc.) or enjoy eaten out of hand as a wholesome snack.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content, and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
I saw this Hawaiian Barbeque Chicken Nacho recipe on a blog called Crumb a few weeks ago and immediately pinned it. I love nachos and I loved the idea of using BBQ chicken and pineapple in a nacho. I couldn't wait to make them.
Yesterday I went with my sister to the shops and picked up the few things I was missing. Some tortilla chips, a good BBQ sauce and some fresh pineapple. I really REALLY wanted to use fresh pineapple in there.
I did cut the recipe in half to make only two servings, and I can tell you that they ended up being so delicious that I probably ate a serving and a half all by myself. I am so naughty, and they were so tasty!
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast meat, shredded (about 225g)
- 1/4 cup (85g) BBQ sauce (pick your favorite)
- 1/4 bag (3 ounces/80g) corn tortilla chips
- 1/2 cup (65g) pineapple tidbits, patted dry and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup (55g) thinly sliced, peeled red onion
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (85g) grated marble cheddar cheese (a mix of orange and white)
- A little extra cheese to sprinkle on top (optional)
Hawaiian Barbeque Chicken Nachos
You won't believe how very delicious these are. Quick and easy to make and oh so tasty, a great dish to make when you have leftover cooked chicken and are wanting something new to do with it.
Ingredients
- 1 cup cooked chicken breast meat, shredded (about 225g)
- 1/4 cup (85g) BBQ sauce (pick your favorite)
- 1/4 bag (3 ounces/80g) corn tortilla chips
- 1/2 cup (65g) pineapple tidbits, patted dry and coarsely chopped
- 1/4 cup (55g) thinly sliced, peeled red onion
- 1/2 jalapeno pepper, thinly sliced
- 1 cup (85g) grated marble cheddar cheese (a mix of orange and white)
- A little extra cheese to sprinkle on top (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400*F/200*C/ gas mark 6. Line a medium cast-iron skillet or 8-inch round baking dish with baking parchment.
- Toss your shredded chicken together in a bowl with the BBQ sauce, making sure it is evenly coated.
- Arrange half of your chips in the prepared pan. Top with half of the chicken, cheese, pineapple, red onion, and jalapeno.
- Repeat the layers once more, ending with jalapeno. Sprinkle a bit more cheese on top if desired.
- Bake in the preheated oven until everything has heated through and the cheese has melted, about 15 minutes.
This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content, and you may report it to me at: mariealicejoan at aol dot com
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.jpg "Meals of the Week, March 23rd to 29th, 2025")
Hello everyone and welcome to my regular Sunday Meals of the Week post! Every Sunday I like to share with you, my dear readers, all of the deliciousness that I have enjoyed for my main meals over the past seven days. This is something which I enjoy doing and that I hope will inspire you as well. Everyone needs a bit of inspiration every now and then. We can all get into cooking and meal ruts, so it's nice to be able to share!
As an older woman, living on my own for the first time in my life, cooking for myself can sometimes present a bit of a challenge. I have gone from cooking for a large family of seven to cooking for two and now to cooking for one. Not having someone to enjoy my meals with me makes mealtime a bit of an effort.
The temptation can be there to just eat out of a can or from a frozen dinner/takeaway, etc. I do not want to be that person. Most of those types of things are loaded with fat, sugar and salt. For as long as I am capable, I want to cook interesting and nutritious meals for myself.
I try to keep my meals delicious and exciting, and I try to keep them affordably within a fixed food budget. This is not always easy, but it is doable as you will see.
This is only my main meals. I usually eat my main meals around midday, unless I am eating out or at someone else's place. My breakfasts will be, more often than not, a protein shake that I make from a protein powder which I buy. They have some really delicious flavors these days. My favorite is the Orange Creamsicle. Occasionally I will have something else, but not very often.
My suppers are usually something simple, like a salad or a sandwich. Sometimes a bowl of cereal, or even toast. Some days all I want is some fruit. I really like making my own granola and will often enjoy some of that in a bowl with some Greek yogurt and berries. Food fit for the Gods. It is loaded with nuts and high in fiber, and low in fat and sugar.
I try not to eat anything after 7 pm due to digestive concerns, but occasionally I will succumb to temptation and have a cookie or some such. (Naughty.)
In any case here are the delicious meals that I enjoyed over the past seven days. I hope that you might be inspired to want to cook and enjoy some of them for yourself also!
SUNDAY, March 23rd.- Family Dinner at my sister's
I had Sunday dinner at my sister's place, and she had cooked a lovely pot roast in her Instant Pot. We enjoyed it with potatoes, vegetables and gravy. I always enjoy having dinner at my sister's place with her, my dad and Dan. My sister is a great cook, but it is more than that. It is nice to feel a part of a family and to be able to sit down and break bread together.
I am sharing my recipe for Instant Pot Pot Roast in it's place. No fuss, no muss, with delicious tender results and a fabulous gravy!
MONDAY, March 24th - Dinner out with my Daughter and Son-in-Law
I took my daughter and her husband out for supper on Monday. We had not done it in a while. We went to the Big Scoop and enjoyed cheeseburgers and chips. Tim had fish and chips. (He always does, it's his favorite.) The best part was spending the time together.
In it's place I am sharing my recipe for Smash Burgers. I guarantee these will be better than the ones we had at the restaurant. It is always hit and miss there. At least if you prepare them at home you know they are going to be good, and these are fabulously tasty!
.JPG "Mediterranean Style Marinated Chicken")
I also sprinkled a bit of Parmesan cheese on top prior to baking. This was hearty and filling. I enjoyed some crisp carrot and celery sticks on the side for a quick and easy supper that was really delicious! The good thing about these is you can make as many or as few of them as you wish!
I enjoyed one of these with a salad.
THURSDAY, March 27th - Beans on Toast
This is another comfort food kind of a meal which is really very simple to make. I had spent a good lot of the day out with my sister and so did not have a lot of time to cook. I always loved the way the British like to serve things on toast. Beans, or tomatoes, or scrambled eggs, or anything really. They loved things on toast. And no small wonder because things on toast are really delicious.
I enjoyed beans on toast with a smattering of grated cheese sprinkled on top. I also enjoyed a cheeky side of some raw kraut and pickled beet, just to keep my gut biome ticking over well.
FRIDAY, March 28th - Chicken Tostadas
I had some leftover cooked chicken to use up and I had picked up some tostada shells the other week when I was shopping so on this day I whipped myself up a small batch of chicken tostadas.
They were delicious with a base of refried beans, spicy chicken, some salsa, cheese, lettuce, sour cream and spring onion. With a squeeze of lime juice over top, these were excellent and really enjoyed. I also had some salad on the side. Quick, easy and delicious!
SATURDAY, March 29th - Four Can Chili
My sister and I took my father out with his friend Maryann on Saturday and did a bit of errand running ourselves. I knew I would not have a lot of time to cook when I got home and so I popped some Four Can Chili into the slow cooker before I left.
This is a simple store cupboard meal. Four simple cans of ingredients are put together in the slow cooker in the most delicious way. Tomatoes, beans, chili (without beans) and two cans of beans, pinto and kidney. With some seasonings and a few other bits, you end up with a delicious chili that belies the fact of how very easy it is to put together. It also freezes very well, so for myself I get to enjoy a delicious meal on the day and then some to freeze in single sized portions for the future.
I enjoyed a nice big bowl of this with some crackers on the side. It was fabulous! I enjoyed a bowl of ice cream for dessert, a rare treat.
And there you have it, my meal of the week for the second last week of March, 2025. (How did that happen! Time is going too quickly I think!) I hope you will agree with me when I say that I had a very tasty week indeed! I hope you will be inspired by what I have cooked and enjoyed over the past seven days!
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