There's a far side I saw a long time ago with a group of chipmunks huddled football-style together on a tree branch chanting, "Nuts, nuts, get 'em!" The title was something like, "How chipmunks psyche themselves up in the morning."I entered the chipmunk zone today. That's what Ryan likes to call it anyway. It's the 'laying up in store' fever that's been hitting lately. I honestly can't tell you what it is, accredit it to too much Utah if you will, but I'm getting the biggest kick out of getting a respectable food storage, finding healthy alternatives to regular, store-bought food, and learning how to make things that I would normally buy because:
1-) They are ever-so-much healthier, no yucky bad for you additives and
2-) They're cheaper too, and who doesn't love saving money? ("Who doesn't love the zoo?!" Points to the person that can name that trivia)
So after a trip to the health food store (their bulk section is my new favorite place), and a quick but thorough showing-off of my purchases and savings to my ever-supportive yet snickering husband I made granola, and homemade instant oatmeal packets. I'm such a nerd, but it was fun, and I suppose I'm secretly proud that my family eats mangos n' cream oatmeal while the rest of the unfortunate world has to settle for plain old peaches.
Here's the recipe for the granola if you're interested to try it. So very yummy!
6 c. rolled grain- oats, wheat, etc.
1/2 c. wheat germ
1/2 -1 c. bran
2 T. vanilla
1-2 T. almond flavoring
1/4 c. each sunflower seeds, pumpkin seeds, flax seeds, and sesame seeds
1 c. chopped almonds
1/2 c. coconut
1/2 c. canola oil
1 c. water
1/2 c. honey (you can add a little bit more for more sweetness)
1 c. raisins, golden raisins and/or other dried fruit (craisins, apricots, blueberries, etc.)
Mix grains, nuts, and coconut in large bowl. Mix oil, water, and honey separately and pour over grain mixture. Stir to coat evenly. Pour onto two well-greased cookie sheets and bake in oven at 350 for 15 minutes. Stir, rotate pans (move top pan to bottom, and vica versa), and bake another 10 minutes. Add raisins and flavoring, stir well, and bake another 5-8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Store in jars or ziplock bags- this recipe freezes well. Serve with milk or yogurt and fresh fruit.
4 comments:
That recipe sounds VERY good. I LOVE homemade granola! I will definitely have to try out this recipe. And I too love the bulk section in the health food stores but hardly ever go there. Just because of money issues! But, if you haven't tried it yet you should try making your own peanut butter at the health food store. I don't think it is to expensive, it might depend when you buy it or something but it is DELICIOUS!! and so much healthier! My sister-in-law always makes her own and every time we go to their house I have a PB&Honey to taste the peanut butter!
We really should get together for lunch again, I need friends! And I might try to come to 172nd wards exercise group when I can if you don't mind.
Erin P
So I too am getting into making things myself. I even ground wheat for the first time last week. It was so exciting. My mother in law gave me a recipe for granola a few months ago and I never gotaround to making it. She even bought me all the ingredients. It sounds very similar to yours. Maybe that will be my next project. thanks for getting me on the ball all the time. I dunno what I would do with out you!
Yum! I'll try it! You go squirrel!
Thanks for the comment on my blog. The homemade peanut butter isn't really a recipe. You just buy the nuts that you want and then from what I understand they have a machine that grinds them up and makes the peanut butter right there for you. My sister-in-law does it all the time and just buys the nuts there and grinds.
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