There is that top layer of everyday life, the one filled with duties and distractions; where we are engaged and active. And then there is the layer behind that, the one where things happen without us being conscious of them or being involved directly. Think of the accrual of interest on a savings account, the ticking down of the expiration date on a tub of yogurt, or – the slow dissolve of one’s domain name as it slides first into renewal payment due, then past due, then into the misty purgatory of the “redemption period,” until finally it drops back into public circulation to be picked up during an auction by a wingless vulture who has, apparently, been slowly and patiently waiting to snatch up the name. This is exactly what happened to the domain name that I’ve had since 2011: An Unrefined Vegan. While I went about the mundane business of daily life; while I was enjoying a “girls’ weekend” over Halloween, while I planned holiday menus and spent a week with my dad in Ohio, the name An Unrefined Vegan progressed from mine to not mine (admittedly through my own negligence; so there is that). For most of that period, I hadn’t even realized that my website was no longer visible to the public.
Although I debated joining the auction that happened over a period of three days earlier this month, I opted not to try to pick up the name again. Last I looked, someone had bid $700 – the winner, perhaps. That was too rich for my blood anyway. I also thought about just letting it all go – all of the recipes and photos and words – and not returning to blogging, but in the end, I felt that there was still some life in the site and in me for the site. So, I bought the name Unrefined Vegan and will keep things going until I definitively lose interest, or forget to renew that domain name, whichever comes first! The site itself hasn’t changed, except for a new header image reflecting the new name.
I’d be lying if I said it didn’t sting a little. But in the grand scheme of things it’s really not that big of a deal. My blog had taken a way, way back seat (like that cramped third row of foldable seats in a very large SUV) and promoting it had never been my thing anyway. There are now a lot of orphaned links and connections and Pinterest posts floating in the ether, though. But perhaps the most disturbing part is thinking what the auction winner intends to do with the name An Unrefined Vegan. I’m not sure I will investigate. I will wish this unknown entity much success with it and hope that they treat it with respect.
With that, I share with you today a riff on an old recipe of mine from 2015, Superfood Granola, which has enjoyed some success over the years. I further “unrefined” it a little bit and I hope you enjoy it.
Vegan Superfood II Granola. Oil- and Sugar-free
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 35
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: ~5 cups
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
A healthy oil- and sugar-free vegan superfood granola recipe that’s great for snacking or breakfast. Just add fresh fruit and your favorite non-dairy milk!
Ingredients
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 3/4 cup Grape Nuts or Food for Life Ezekial Cereal
- 1/2 cup raw sunflower seeds
- 1/2 cup raw pumpkin seeds
- 1/2 cup goji berries (or other dried fruit)
- 1/4 cup chia seeds
- 1/4 cacao nibs
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon açaí powder, optional
- 1 cup chopped medjool dates, soaked in water to soften (reserve water)
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 unsweetened sunbutter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 250-degrees F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, Grape Nuts, berries, seeds, cacao nibs, cinnamon and açaí powder.
- In a blender or food processor, blend the dates, maple syrup, and sunbutter. If needed, add a tablespoon or two of the date soaking water if the mixture is too thick to blend. Scrape into the oat mixture and stir until the ingredients are thoroughly coated.
- Scrape granola onto a large baking sheet and bake, stirring every 15-20 minutes, until firm and beginning to crisp. As the granola cools, it will crisp up even more. Let it cool completely before storing in a air-tight container.
Notes
Make it gluten-free by using more oats in the place of the Grape-Nuts.
Keywords: granola, oats, dates, breakfast, snack, easy, quick, healthy
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