making granola!!

i am not a vegan green smoothie holistic eater.

we do eat healthy- just not super, super healthy.

but, boxed/bagged cereal bugs me.

it just seems so unhealthy and processed.

i LOVE homemade granola.

it tastes good.

it feels healthy.

it seems REAL.

i am happy every time i pour a bowl for me or my kids.

what you need to buy:

oats-- regular not quick (but i use quick if that's all i have)

coconut-- (if you go to a health food store you can get really small un-sweetened coconut- good if your kids don't like coconut.  i just use regular from the bulk section because it seems the freshest to me.)

nuts-- i like to put in almond pieces or cashews or pecans.

seeds-- i like to get pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flax seeds, etc.

brown sugar-- my favorite comes from the bulk foods section, it tastes more like molasses

real maple syrup-- i like pure maple syrup or molasses or honey to sweeten it with.

think about the granola you buy-- sometimes i do cinnamon raisin or craisin almond or french vanilla or i add cut up dried apricots or apples or strawberries...  actually, my kids don't like fruit in it, so i buy it and we add it separately.

I started with this recipe from Kelsey's Granola here... thanks Melissa.

and i stole it made it my own.

Kelsey's Jen's Favorite Granola

6 cups oats (regular work better than quick)
3/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup or a smaller amount of molasses
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1-2 Tbs cinnamon (depending on your preference- i like less)
2 Tbs vanilla
1 cup coconut 
1 cup craisins, raisins, or other dried fruit (my kids pick out the raisins so we just add them when we eat it.)
1/2 cup brown sugar (or less!)
1/2 cup almonds (or any other nuts you have-- i get the crushed up kinds and really just throw whatever i have in my pantry into it.)
1/2 cup flax seed or wheat germ or pumpkin seeds or sunflower seeds or sesame seeds...

Combine all ingredients in a LARGE bowl. 

Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and bake at 375 for 10-30 minutes, or until golden brown. 

I never follow that recipe exactly...

i just wing it...

granola is a good DUMP for a lot of the nuts/seeds that you have lying around.

granola is VERY forgiving.

i do always add the oil and i always add some sugar (not always what the recipe calls for).

i like pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds more than flax and wheat germ.

and that's it...

i always double the recipe.

spread it out on two cookie sheets and bake it.

i like my granola CRISP-- so i bake it longer (until it gets a little bit brownish).

i want it crisp because later we add it to yogurt or milk and i don't want it soggy too fast.

i always worry that it's burnt and then when i eat it i think it's perfect. 

NOTE-- you know me by now.

i am ridiculous at making decisions.

i read HUNDREDS of granola recipes before i tried to make it the first time.

i even loved this recipe and still tried a few more labor intensive recipes because they promised to be the "best ever".

Nope.

this simple, easy recipe really is PERFECT every time.

i love it.

just try it-- you'll be so glad you did.

i just saw this recipe for Granola cookies-- yes please!!

this recipe is from The Brown Eyed Baker... 

i just copied and pasted it on my blog so it would be easier for you to find.  

hope i'm not going to go to copyright jail after this post.

 Granola Cookies

Yield: 24 cookies

Prep Time: 10 minutes | Bake Time: 12 minutes

3 cups granola, without the fruit or nuts
¾ cup raisins (regular or golden)
½ cup peanuts
½ cup slivered almonds
½ cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/3 cup wheat germ
14 tablespoons (7 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; set aside.

2. Put the granola in a large bowl and break up any clumps with your fingers. Add the raisins, peanuts, almonds, coconut and wheat germ and mix together.

3. With an electric mixer, beat the butter at medium speed until smooth, about 2 minutes. Add the sugars and beat for another 3 minutes, or until creamy. Add the egg and salt and beat until well blended. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, mixing only until it is incorporated, then steadily add the granola mixture. Stop the mixer when most of the granola mixture is blended into the batter and finish the job with a sturdy rubber spatula, making sure to get up any bits of dry ingredients left in the bottom of the bowl.

4. Scoop out about two tablespoonfuls of dough, pack the scoops between your palms and arrange the mounds on the baking sheets. Flatten the mounds lightly with your fingertips.

5. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The cookies should be golden brown but not firm. Allow them to rest on the sheets for 1 to 2 minutes before transferring them to racks to cool to room temperature. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.

i'm totally making them.

homemade granola is one of my FAVORITE things in the whole world.

i know.  simple pleasures for simple people.

um.  i would also find joy in a really cute rain jacket...

like this.

just saying.

so good.

one can of pumpkin.

do you have one big can of pumpkin?

this is what you should make...

MMMMmmmmm.

use half a can for this---  i found the recipe here.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients

• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips


Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Grease and flour muffin pan or use paper liners.
2. Mix sugar, oil, eggs. Add pumpkin and water. In separate bowl mix together the baking flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices and salt.. Add wet mixture and stir in chocolate chips.
3. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full with batter. Bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Note-- I took a bar of cream cheese and blended it with sugar.  For each muffin, I filled the liner half full, then put a spoonful of cream cheese in, then cover the top with batter.  SOOO good!

and the other half a can for this-- from Brown Eyed Baker here. 

(I'm not someone that struggles with baked goods... but I really wanted to eat the WHOLE pan of these bars.)
Pumpkin Pie Bars

Yield: 24 pie bars


Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 30 minutes


2 cups all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (8 ounces) butter, melted
2 cups dark brown sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin

For the top:
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on both sides.
2. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt; set aside.
3. In a large bowl whisk together the sugar and butter. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Add the pumpkin and whisk until thoroughly combined. Add the flour mixture and, using a rubber spatula, gently stir or fold the flour into the pumpkin mixture until just combined.

4. Scraped the batter into the pan and smooth the top. In a small bowl, stir together the granulated sugar and cinnamon, and then sprinkle evenly over the top of the batter. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until a thin knife inserted into the center has just a few moist crumbs on it. Cool completely and then, using the parchment as handles, lift out of the pan and cut into 24 squares. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.

seriously.

make these.

they taste like FALL!!

you will thank me.

and so will your husband.

firsts...

oh yes i did... 

my own pie crust-- from scratch.

and meringue... real-live meringue... like you get when you go to a restaurant.

(is that embarrassing to admit i have NEVER made pie crust from scratch in all my 34 years...)

i think i may have tried before, but i've never felt successful.

this time i conquered.

it's easy sailing from here.

anyone want a pie?

guess what else i did?
wait for it...

beans.  real-live beans.  from scratch.

the hard ones.

i always buy them, but i've NEVER cooked them.

i had to move my crock pot pot to the oven because my beans weren't cooking fast enough,

but they did cook.

and they were good.

and my kids loved dinner.

so, bring it on betty crocker... 

pie crust, raw beans... perhaps souffle' is in my future?

{honestly, it may be a bad sign that i don't even know what a souffle' is?} 

ghetto mcmuffins.

i love egg mcmuffins.

last weekend my sister showed me how to make my own in the microwave.

i love them!

But, they are a little bit ghetto.

Here's what I use...

 english muffin, american cheese, an egg, a mug, and vegetable spray.

 While you are toasting your english muffin, spray your mug and put an egg in it.
The egg in the mug is making your ghetto round egg.
(My sister says you need to break to yoke so it doesn't explode.  My eggs kinda explode even when I do break the egg-- that's why I say they are "ghetto".)
Cover the mug (with saran wrap or with another plate) and cook in the microwave for 1 minute.
The egg just slides out.
Layer muffin, egg and cheese.

mmmmm.  so good!

kids love Oatmeal!!

chocolate, cranberry, almond and cream oatmeal... mmmm!

last night we had oatmeal for dinner.

it was fun.

i pulled out tons of toppings...

apple butter, raspberry jam, whipping cream, chocolate chips, nuts, blueberries, etc.

Then, I let the kids "create" their own instant oatmeal mix...

i reminded them of peaches and cream, maple and brown sugar, apples and cinnamon, etc.

They had fun creating and naming their oats... so much fun that they FORGOT they normally complain about eating oatmeal.

Just an idea... on how to make oatmeal fun!

green smoothies.

 my sister in law's family is on a health kick... they've read some books that advocate more fresh fruits and veggies and less man-made food. 
in addition to cutting off refined sugars and white flours, they recommend no milk, meat, eggs, yogurt, etc...
AND very little GRAINS- sprouted grains are OK.  (huh?!)
from what i understand (not having read the books)
the philosophy is Vegetables and Fruit FUEL your body.
grains are fillers.
meat is to be used sparingly.
and animal products were never meant to be mass produced as a staple in our diet.
ultimately, if you followed the diet you would be considered a vegan...

i am not a person who lives in EXTREMES. 
extremes to me are as difficult as schedules.
but, i like this concept... 
and, as i've thought about it more i've noticed just how FEW fruits and vegetables we eat.
it is HARD to make green veggies the main thing we eat...
my kids are used to a plate of white rice with a few veggies and some meat...
NOT a plate of veggies with a small cup of rice.

i am amazed at how many carbs i eat... fillers... instead of using my food to feul my body.

plus, i LOVE vegetables.  LOVE them.
my body is naturally vegan...
i do eat meat, and i can't eat pb&j without a cup of milk... but, my FAVORITE meals are green.  for sure.

the other thing i like about this concept is that it is natural. 
one of the things i HATE about "natural" foods is that as soon as you go to the health store they try to sell you hundreds of dollars of additives and pills and creams and tinctures to add to your diet.
i can handle "eat more salad" or "eat an apple".  it feels right.

i don't have $400 to buy a turbo mixer... but my bosch mixer works pretty well.
i'm still buying milk, and still serving eggs for breakfast sometimes...
but, i do drink a "green smoothie" every day- usually after i exercise.
(for me, this is just a smoothie with frozen fruit and lots of spinach or mixed greens and a banana)
and, i feel energized.
i try to eat more fresh stuff.
i try to feed my family more veggies at dinner time than starches or proteins...
and, it's going good.
how about you?
have you heard about the green smoothie diet?
don't you love RAW fruits and veggies?
look at your diet, i bet you'll be surprised how few you eat...
Here are some links i've found, if you want to read more...
green smoothie girl
whole foods vegan momma
vegan dad

nope.  not vegan... but trying to be more veggie-an.

help!!??

ok.  so i'm doing the food for a youth conference at our church NEXT WEEK.
for 100 teenagers.
i need some BRUNCH recipes.
for Saturday morning.
have any good ones?
and, on Friday night i thought we were doing a cookout and it turns out we're doing a FORMAL dinner with a ROYAL theme.
i'm trying to get a pig for a pig roast. if i can't, we'll do ham.
do you have a great cheesy potatoe recipe??
do you do anything wonderful to green beans for 100?
a lovely dessert? 
thanks.

summer ideas- signature linen.

i saw this idea on home and family and knew i had to do it.  (go look at hers, it's so fun!)
we have a special linen table cloth.
when friends come over, we have them sign it and date it.
and then i stitch on top of their signature...
with my tiniest stitches.
while i'm watching netflix
(leave it to beaver, or brady bunch, wishing i had an ALICE.  really, i could be Mrs. Brady with Alice.)

when they come back, they just add a date!!
isn't that fun?!!
i LOVE pulling out my table cloth and remembering all my sweet friendships.
i only wish i had started this tradition when we were first married.
i have so many "ghost" signatures on my cloth.

come on over for dinner and become part of our friendly signature linen!! 

want to hear a funny story about this dinner??
these sweet friends are from the Philippians.
Edeley and Marlin, live here.  they are ADORABLE. 
Josie, Edely's mom (in the purple shirt) is just visiting.
this is her first time in America. she is also ADORABLE.
she is going to teach me to sew a dress.
we fed them american enchiladas.  :)
gave them their first experience with our life-defying trampoline
and made home-made ice cream.
josie makes ice cream in the Philippians.
it takes her at least 4 hours...
she mixes it up, then puts it in the freezer and takes it out to stir every 20 minutes till it's frozen.
oh, i taught her... this is an ice cream maker... it only takes 40 minutes.
"but does it get hard? does it freeze without the freezer?" she kept asking.
"Oh Yes!!" i insisted.
this is america.  home of the EASY way.  :)
her daughter said, "Mom, if you want, we can buy you an ice cream maker to take back with you."

so, fast forward 40 minutes.
we had the ice cream maker in our master bathroom because it is loud.
the professor kept going to check on it, he kept whispering to me that it was still pretty soft.
finally, i decided it was long enough, we could handle softer homemade ice cream over our brownies.
i used pioneer woman's recipe for vanilla ice cream... with a REAL vanilla bean. 
it looked just like Breyers.
well, Breyers soup.
not even a milkshake.
more soup.
Josie taught me, "Yes, it is good.  You just need to put it in the freezer."
i smiled.
this, i thought, is AMERICA in all her glory.

after they left, i re-read the recipe.
turns out that ON THE RECIPE, it says to use an ice cream maker and THEN freeze for 8 hours before serving.
seriously.
next time, i'll read the fine print.
or... i'll bake her American Apple Pie.
with Pilsbury crust.
cause, after all folks, i'm a native.
no picture of the ice cream soup.  just look at a glass of milk.

summer ideas- berries!!

don't you love berries in the summer?
fresh berries in the grocery store all year round makes me proud to be an american...
and proud to live in the 21st century.
when we lived in Michigan, we could pick our own raspberries... it was magical.
here in texas, not so much.
but, we do love to buy berries...
and eat them.
i make fruit salad once a week.
fresh pineapple, strawberries, blueberries and a little bit of splenda.

and strawberry shortcake with fresh cream.
mmm
 but my FAVORITE, FAVORITE berry thing this summer has been...
this blackberry/blueberry cobbler from Pioneer Woman.

Some people call it cup-a, cup-a, cup-a.
This is the EASY recipe.
1 stick of butter
1 c. milk
1c. sugar (plus 1/4 c. to sprinkle on top)
1c. flour
1 pint of berries.

I melt the butter in a pie tin while the oven is preheating to 350*.
Then I pour most of the butter into the batter and mix it up before i pour the batter into the pie tin.
Don't forget to sprinkle the sugar on top before you bake.

350* for an hour.

oh my gosh.  this is SOOO good.
once i doubled the recipe and poured it into an 8x8 pan.
it was still divine, but i REALLY love the consistency of the pie pan cobbler.
next time, i think i'll double the recipe and pour it into 2 pie tins.
seriously.
try this.
sooo good. sooo easy and very summer.
ps.  i'm sick.
fever, sweaty, stuffy nose, sick.
who gets sick in the SUMMER?
i'm kinda mad... cause i was having a GREAT summer.
i keep telling myself this is just a speed bump, not a dead end...
tomorrow i'll be feeling better.
tomorrow.

summer ideas- make homemade ice cream!

you might have an ice cream maker in your attic... and not even know it.

get it out, dust it off, buy some half n half, whipping cream, ice, rock salt (or Kosher salt if you can't find rock salt), and berries.
go ahead and buy extra-- so you'll have to make ice cream a couple times!...
and, so you'll have cream to pour over fresh peaches.

i think i have an unhealthy addiction to peaches and cream.  it started in my childhood.  i can still remember my aunt mill making peaches and cream for her and my mother- no kids allowed.
so, when summertime comes, i just have to put my kids to bed and indulge in my very own bowl full of peaches covered with a tiny bit of sugar, and cream or fat free half n half, depending on my self control.
no kids allowed.

back to ice cream.
pick a great recipe-- i tried Pioneer Woman's Blackberry Ice Cream... double this recipe, it didn't fill my ice cream maker...

making ice cream is not that hard...
if you tell your kids in the morning that you're going to have homemade ice cream for dessert, they spend the whole day in frosty anticipation.
it's worth the wait.
kinda.

i ruined the recipe because i didn't double it, and at the end i just poured tons of whipping cream in so we'd have enough...
our ice cream kinda tasted like whipped cream.
but... i did find a REAL vanilla bean to try this vanilla recipe...
oh, the joys of creation.

ps- my friend maggie says on the ranch they used to make vanilla ice cream and eat it with pretzels.
kinda like french fries dipped in a frosty...

mmm.

don't have an ice cream maker???  try making slushies in the freezer, again this recipe from the pioneer woman looks FABULOUS!!

what's for breakfast, lunch and dinner?

breakfast:  we have oatmeal on monday, with fruit shakes.  i went to pour the fruit shakes into cups and realized i was actually pouring the fruit shake into the professor's oatmeal.  he ate it anyway.  ewe!

lunch: i love artichokes.  i know, weird.  i love them for lunch.  i just cook it in the microwave, in a bowl covered with Saran Wrap for 6 minutes.  mmm.

dinner:  tacos.  because we live in texas we eat lots of tacos.  ok.  here's my dumb moment.  i never knew you were supposed to COOK corn tortillas.  they always broke apart when i tried to eat them.  a friend of mine invited me over and i saw them fry their tortillas... light bulb moment.  mmmm.  real tocos.

yum. 

non-recipes for leah...

Lunch Salad...

Lettuce (I like triple-washed baby spinach)

Stuff (this day i put cherry tomatoes, a pear, sugar snap peas, and almonds)

Non-Fat Cottage Cheese (it's my dressing)

so good.
i am a bit odd health-wise though.
i'm always a little embarrassed by my concoctions.

Friday Night Pizza...

(you have my crust recipe i think...)

everyone makes their own half a pizza... that was a picture of my half.

Drew's half has bar-b-q sauce and chicken

Jakob's half has lots of meat

Girls have cheese

Anna has no sauce
the professor, he changes week to week...

and me... mmmm...

i like white sauce (many nights i use Newman's all natural Alfredo) last Friday i just used olive oil mayo.  just a little.

We use a whole big bag of shredded mozzarella, but I also buy the square block of fresh mozzarella and add that to the top...mmm.

i love fresh tomatoes on my pizza, zucchini, SPINACH LEAVES, mushrooms, olives, sometimes chicken (i just buy a rotisserie chicken and peal some off) and artichoke hearts (from a can).

Don't forget the fresh mozzarella...
and, if you don't eat it all on your pizza, just eat it with tomato slices and a little bit of italian dressing.
SO GOOD.
love ya!  

what's for breakfast? crepes

Crepes… ohhhh Crepes!!

If you don’t have crepes on your list of REGULAR meals, you really need to try them out.

SUPER easy, HEALTHY, and SOOOO good!

This is the recipe that I use… (always doubled)

1 cup flour (I use whole wheat)

2 eggs

½ cup milk

½ cup water

Salt

2 Tb melted butter

Powdered sugar (optional if you want to make them sweeter).

Mix it all together.

Heat up your frying pan and spray it with non-stick cooking spray.

(Don’t use butter because it burns really fast and makes the crepes blackish on the bottom.)

Put about ¼ cup of the batter in the pan and tilt the pan a bit to make the crepe larger.

Then just wait, the edges will get all cooked and they are VERY EASY to flip.

I usually chop up some apples and fry them in a different frying pan with some juice or concentrate, cinnamon, nutmeg and powdered sugar.

And, I cut up some fresh strawberries, if we have them, at drizzle them with sugar so they get saucy. MMMMMM.

And, we LOVE whip cream. Either homemade or from the spray bottle.

This is probably our FAVORITE Sunday morning tradition.

Try em… You’ll be changed forever.