Toasted Muesli with Millet, Coconut, Pistachios, and Cranberries

(recipe from Whole Living magazine)

1/3 cup boiling water
1/2 cup whole millet
2 cups gluten-free rolled oats
3/4 cup shelled pistachios (I used walnuts)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut flakes
1/2 cup honey
1 Tbsp. coconut oil (I used olive oil)
1 tsp. fine-grain sea salt
2/3 cup dried cranberries (I used frozen cranberries)

In a bowl, pour boiling water over millet, cover with a plate, and let sit until softened, 30 minutes.  Drain.

Heat oven to 325F.  In a large bowl, combine drained millet, oats, pistachios, and coconut flakes.  (I also mixed in the frozen cranberries.)

In a small saucepan, bring honey, oil, and salt to a boil.  Pour over millet mixture and stir until combined.

Spread mixture on a rimmed baking sheet and bake, stirring once, until golden, about 20 minutes.  Once cool, stir in dried cranberries.  Muesli keeps, stored in an airtight container, two weeks.

(Even with all of the substitutions I made, this was lovely.)

Fruitcake Bars

(recipe from David Lebovitz)

6 Tbsp. flour
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
6 Tbsp. packed, light or dark brown sugar
2 cups walnuts, almonds, or pecans, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 1/2 cups dates, pitted and coarsely chopped*
1 cup dried apricot halves, coarsely chopped*
1 large egg
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

*Use any combination of dried fruits that strikes your fancy.  The dates really do make the recipe, but I've tossed in a scoop of dried sour cherries or cranberries, or candied ginger as well, with great results.  Just stick with the total quantities listed above.

Line an 8-inch square pan across the bottom and up the sides with two sheets of aluminum foil, making a big criss-cross with the sides overhanging.

Preheat the oven to 325F and position the rack in the center of the oven.

In a large bowl, toss together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.  Add the brown sugar, walnuts, dates, and apricots.  Use your fingers to mix the fruit, and separate any pieces sticking together.

Beat the egg and vanilla in a small bowl, then mix it with the fruit and nut mixture until everything's coated with the batter.  Spread the mixture in the baking pan and press gently to even it out.

Bake for 35-40 minutes until the top of the bars are golden brown and has pulled away just-slightly from the sides of the pan.  Cool the bars in the pan, then lift out.

To cut the cooled bars, use a heavy sharp knife, such as a bread knife, for ensuring neat, clean slices.

Storage: The bars can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

(I used 1 cup dates, 1 cup apricots, and 1/2 cup dried cranberries for my fruit combination.  For nuts, half walnuts, half pecans.  I also used coconut sugar instead of the brown sugar.  These bars are so good!  Not too sweet, like a little energy nugget.)

Dried Cranberry, Apricot, and Fig Stuffing

(recipe from Bon Appetit magazine)

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
3 cups chopped onions (about 1 pound)
2 cups chopped celery (4 to 5 stalks)
1 lb. Granny Smith apples (about 2 medium), peeled, cored, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh sage
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh marjoram
1 cup (or more) vegetable broth
1/2 cup diced dried apricots
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1/2 cup diced stemmed dried figs
6 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old pain rustique or ciabatta bread with crust
6 cups (generous) 1-inch cubes day-old cornbread
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp. fine sea salt
1 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat.  Add onions and celery.  Saute until tender, about 12 minutes.  Add apples and all herbs.  Saute until apples just begin to soften, about 3 minutes.  (DO AHEAD: Can be made 1 day ahead.  Transfer to medium bowl, cover, and chill.)

Mix 1 cup broth and dried fruit in bowl.  Let soak at least 1 hour and up to 3 hours.

Preheat oven to 350F.  Divide bread between 2 rimmed baking sheets.  Bake until bread is crusty but not hard, reversing sheets after 5 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes total.  Transfer to a very large bowl and cool.

Butter a 13x9x2-inch baking dish.  Stir vegetable mixture into bread.  Whisk eggs, salt, and pepper in a small bowl to blend; whisk in broth and dried fruit mixture.  Add egg misture to stuffing, tossing to combine evenly and adding more broth by 1/4 cupfuls if dry.  Transfer stuffing to prepared baking dish.

Bake stuffing uncovered until cooked through and brown and crusty on top, 50 to 60 minutes.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

(I made this for Thanksgiving dinner 2017 in Vermont with Sage and her parents.  It was tasty, and a big hit!  You can make it using regular bread for all 12 cups, but the cornbread adds a bit of character.)

Roasted Yam and Apple Salad

(recipe from Bon Appetit magazine)

Vinaigrette:
2 1/2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. mild Indian curry paste (I just used curry powder, about a teaspoon)
2 1/4 tsp. honey
3/4 tsp. Dijon mustard
1/2 cup vegetable oil

Salad:
3 lbs. yams (red-skinned sweet potatoes), peeled, cut into 1- to 1 1/4-inch cubes
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1 Tbsp. cumin seeds
1 Tbsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. salt
3 large Fuji or Gala apples (I used only 2), cored, cut into 1- to 1 1/4-inch cubes
2 cups stemmed green grapes
1 cup dried cranberries
1/2 cup almonds, toasted, chopped

Whisk the first 4 vinaigrette ingredients in a medium bowl.  Gradually whisk in the oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Cover and chill.  (Vinaigrette can be made 4 days ahead.)

Preheat oven to 375F.  Spray a large rimmed baking sheet with nonstick spray (or use parchment paper). Mix yams and the next 4 salad ingredients in a large bowl.  Spread out on the prepared sheet in a single layer.  Roast until the yams are tender and lightly browned on some edges, about 1 hour.  Cool to room temperature.

Place the apples, grapes, and cranberries in a very large bowl.  Add yams to bowl, scraping in any juices from the baking sheet.  Add vinaigrette to salad; toss gently to coat.  Transfer to a large platter, sprinkle with almonds, and serve.

(The magazine says this is inspired by a Mozambique dish.  It is a nice mix of sweet and savory.  An interesting salad!  I really enjoyed the cumin and curry in contrast to the sweetness of the other ingredients.  I found it stored well for several days in a covered container in the fridge.)

Pumpkin Seed Dried-Cherry Trail Mix

(recipe from the cookbook 5 Ingredient Fix by Claire Robinson)

2 cups baby pumpkin seeds (pepitas)
1 cup slivered almonds
3/4 cup raw sunflower seeds
6 Tbsp. pure Grade B maple syrup
Coarse salt, to taste
1 cup dried cherries or cranberries

Preheat oven to 300F.

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

In a large bowl, toss the pumpkin seeds, almonds, and sunflower seeds with the syrup until evenly coated.  Spread the nuts and seeds out in an even, single layer on the lined baking sheets and season with salt.  Bake them, stirring several times with a spatula or wooden spoon, until just golden, about 20 minutes.  Cool the nuts and seeds completely on the sheet tray, then add the cherries and toss to combine.

Store the cooled trail mix in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two weeks.

(Tasty, grain-free version of granola.  I used apple juice-sweetened cranberries, which were a nice alternative to the super sugary versions of most dried fruits.  I ate this alone, and as a topping to various chia pudding breakfast concoctions.  It has a perfect sweet/salty flavor mix.)