Crunchy Granola

One of the blogs I first read, before starting my own, was a family and lifestyle oriented journal called "Crunchy Granola", something that just occurred to me as I was typing up this recipe. The blog (which is still being updated!) really has nothing to do with granola at all, but mind you neither does the whole "slang" definition of the term. If you're to believe the Urban Dictionary (and really - who doesn't believe all those peer edited fora?) you'll love the definition I found there (and I quote):

"a person who is into all that all natural crap and eats tofu and does yoga and hugs trees... and not in the sexual way


everyone at wesleyan university (excluding Emily and i)" (c/o professor chaos).

Well, I eat tofu and love doing yoga (and pilates, and even yogalates!), but I don't think I've ever hugged a tree. At least not that I'll admit to willingly in my recent memory. Does that make me slightly chewy granola then? Muesli? Trail mix? Hmm, I'll have to find that out.

But for now, I'll serve some crunchy granola of my own - as a topper for this sweet and spicy cake. Something to take to my tofu-munching yoga convention... and professor chaos gets none of it!

Crunch - Topped Spice Cake
Serves 9
1/4 cup softened butter
1/4 cup low-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 tbsp vanilla
1 cup whole wheat flour
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tbsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
1/4 tsp black pepper (trust me on this one)
2 tbsp ground flaxseed
1 cup buttermilk
2 tbsp crunchy granola

1. Preheat oven to 350F, grease a 9" square pan.
2. In a bowl, cream together butter, cheese, sugar, egg and vanilla.
3. Stir in the dry ingredients, followed by the buttermilk, until a thick, smooth batter is formed.
4. Spread in the prepared pan and top with granola.
5. Bake 40-45 minutes, until tests done. Cool completely in the pan.

Amount Per Serving
Calories: 194.5
Total Fat: 8.1 g
Cholesterol: 42.0 mg
Sodium: 98.1 mg
Total Carbs: 29.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.3 g
Protein: 5.5 g