Home accessories: The Novel Bakers Present Lavender Week: Day 2

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

The Novel Bakers Present Lavender Week: Day 2

The Novel Bakers have been cooking all summer to bring you seven days

of lavender-themed recipes, tablescapes, gardens, and more.

I can't wait to see what the girls have been up to:

home is where the boat is

During yesterday's introduction, I talked about being a lavender virgin. Before I

read The Lavender Cookbook by the late Sharon Shipley, I'd never worked with this herb.

To me, lavender evoked memories of the perfume factories in Grasse, France.

I remember how I wandered through the stores, moving through great drifts of fragrance.

I bought gifts for my family, tucking soap and bath salts into my luggage. When I got home and unzipped my suitcase, the lush, purple fields of Provence tumbled out.

The whole time I was in France, I didn't buy a single bag of culinary lavender,

mainly because I wanted to wear the fragrance, not chew it.

Now, I'm mesmerized by this whimsical herb.

However, my family needs a bit of prodding.

I modified our favorite granola recipe to include lavender.

Lavender Granola

What You Need:

1 large baking pan (I used a disposable turkey pan)

4 c. old fashioned oats

1 c. chopped pecans

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 T. organic flax seed

1 T. wheat germ

Add your favorite goodies:

raisins

chopped dates

dried cranberries

dried cherries

dried raspberries

blueberries

coconut flakes

breakfast trail mixes

Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

Place dry ingredients into the pan and mix.

Add:

1/2 cup lavender honey

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 to 1/2 cup canola oil

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 t. ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon culinary lavender

Mix and pour over dry ingredients.

Blend well.

Place pan in oven and bake 15 minutes. Stir.

Bake 15 more minutes Stir. Continue baking in 5 minute increments or

until granola is brown. Watch it carefully!

Remove from oven and cool.

Lavender adds a layer of magic to this recipe.

It's delicious by itself, with milk, or sprinkled over ice cream.

This granola can be incorporated into a key lime or lemon pie crust. Just add graham cracker crumbs and pulverize in a food processor. But you'll probably want to eat this cereal with a spoon.

It's a good thing that it's healthy--because it's addictive.