My breakfast lately has been so lame. Applesauce and a cheese stick, leftover angel hair with cheese, blueberries and a cookie. Yep. I finally decided that is SO not appropriate for this food blogger nutrition professor / associate / ? , no matter how busy I am, I know at least if I get in a good breakfast – I will function better throughout my busy day.

I made myself pancakes. Gluten Free pancakes.

I did put maple syrup on them. Because I can. Of course a glob of chocolate peanut butter. And, I rounded it out with scrambled eggs and blueberries. Oh and…

Coffee…. WITH Cream. No Kahula, that was just the mug from my co-worker Katie.

What has been your lamest breakfast ever?

Asiago Bagel + Half of this monstrosity aka cobblestone

Lunchtime!

Dinnerrr…

What was the worst or best thing you ate this week?

Best: Asiago Bagel + Starbucks
Worst: I had a string cheese stick and applesauce for breakfast one morning because I was rushed. Breakfast of champions I think not but it’ll do.

Pumpkin is a pet name.

Pumpkin is a great flavor for beer.

Pumpkin is a fall favorite for coffee.

Pumpkin goes well in recipes for dessert, breakfast, soups, sauces, smoothies, parfait, chili, and dips. Pumpkin is moderately successful at every combination it makes.

Apparently, pumpkin can do it all.

I’ve certainly explored pumpkin more in the past few years than I had in my whole life before blogging. I decided that it was time to jump on the Autumnal Bandwagon with a pumpkin recipe. I took my Banana Bread recipe and substituted pumpkin puree instead of bananas and the result: Winning. This bread is like Fall in a bite, especially if you top it with apple butter.

Ingredients:

Wet Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup granulated sugar
• 3 Tbsp butter, room temperature  (1 stick = 8 Tbsp)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon almond extract ( or vanilla)

Dry Ingredients:

• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 + teaspoon nutmeg
• 2 cups flour (I grind old fashioned oats into flour)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cream the sugar and butter  (or use melted butter and mix) in a large mixing bowl. Add the eggs one at a time beating until yolk disappears.  Add pumpkin, milk and almond extract and mix. In another medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients- (oat) flour, spices, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the dry mixture to the wet, stir until just combined. Pour this batter into prepared pan and bake 50 minutes ~ 1 hour. Cool bread before slicing.

Being Healthier:
The bright orange color of pumpkin is a dead giveaway that its packed with beta-carotene, an antioxidant and carotenoid that assists with providing us Vitamin A. Here is what else you get in 1 cup of cooked pumpkin:

Calories 49
Protein 2 grams
Carbohydrate 12 grams
Dietary Fiber 3 grams
Calcium 37 mg
Iron 1.4 mg
Magnesium 22 mg
Potassium 564 mg
Zinc 1 mg
Selenium .50 mg
Vitamin C 12 mg
Niacin 1 mg
Folate 21 mcg
Vitamin A 2650 IU
Vitamin E 3 mg

Because of the antioxidants, it may also be an anti-ager and cancer fighter!

More Pumpkin Facts:

• The top pumpkin producing states are Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and California.
• Pumpkin seeds can be roasted as a snack.
• Pumpkins are used for feed for animals.
• Pumpkin flowers are edible.
• Native Americans flattened strips of pumpkins, dried them and made mats.
• Native Americans called pumpkins “isqoutm squash.”
• Pumpkins are fruit.
• Eighty percent of the pumpkin supply in the United States is available in October…

3 more weeks of October left to reap in the pumpkins people — go eat your pumpkins while you still can!!!!

I did not know that pumpkins are fruit?!

I feel so surprised, like a revelation.

Any revelations for you lately?

#12 crumbled into organic vanilla yogurt with a nectarine, which was a delicious breakfast combo!

Okay, I’m not obsessed with banana bread. I had a few requests for it after the first couple loaves then it just become my new favorite thing since it is easy and inexpensive to make, gluten free, and healthy!  I love having my healthier version for breakfast because the whole entire loaf contains:

• 4 bananas ( ~2 cups)
• 1 1/2 cup of oats
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2+ tbsp butter…
• 1 tsp each of  cinnamon, salt, baking soda and powder… Throw a little nutmeg in if you like.

A usual serving size for breads, loafs and cakes is 1/12th or 1/16th. If you think about it, 1/4th of the entire recipe equates to  ~ 1/2 cup oats, 1 banana, 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of butter.  I was about to analyze it for you BUT then I remembered …Vega asked me to take part in their Breakfast Challenge!

I decided to compare my banana bread breakfast with their Whole Food Health Optimizer smoothie for this challenge using Vega’s online nutrition calculator. I was not quite sure what to expect when I entered into the Breakfast Challenge Nutrition Calculator. I doubt that any of the other Vega Breakfast Challenge reviewers have had extensive knowledge with nutrient databases – you see-  I have.  My thoughts (frustrations) are included after the analysis below but for now, here are the items I was able to input into the calculator to “build your breakfast”…

1 cup 1 cup

sugars, brown
Select the Size 1 cup ( my recipe uses 1/2 cup)
Select the Quantity 1 cup

butter,with salt
Select the Size 1 cup  ( my recipe uses 2 Tbsp)
Select the Quantity 1 cup

bananas,raw
Select the Size 1 cup
Select the Quantity 2 cup

cereals,oats,inst,fort,pln,p
Select the Size 1 cup
Select the Quantity 2 cup

 

Because of the calculator’s limitations, I had to divide the numbers by the appropriate amounts to get to what would really be the nutrition of a serving of my banana bread recipe. Here is the comparison of Whole Food Health Optimizer (WHFO)

with 1/8th of the Banana Bread recipe I’ve been using. Here is the comparison breakdown:

Calories (cal)
WHFO: 240    Banana Bread: 157

Protein (g)
WHFO: 26    Banana Bread: 2

Carbs (g)
WHFO: 22    Banana Bread: 26

Sugar (g)
WHFO: 1    Banana Bread:  13

Fiber (g)
WHFO: 15    Banana Bread: 4

Fat (g)
WHFO: 6    Banana Bread: 5

Omega-3 (g)
WHFO: 2500    Banana Bread: 0

Saturated fat (g)
WHFO: 1    Banana Bread: 3

Cholesterol (mg)
WHFO:0    Banana Bread: 80

Sodium (mg)
WHFO:0    Banana Bread: 125

Vitamin A (iu)
WHFO: 5000    Banana Bread: 190

Vitamin C (mg)
WHFO: 60    Banana Bread: 9

Vitamin B12 (mcg)
WHFO:6    Banana Bread: 0

Calcium (mg)
WHFO: 1100     Banana Bread: 220

Iron (mg)
WHFO: 18    Banana Bread: 11

 

WHFO vs BB Winner…..?

You can see 1/8th of the entire loaf of Banana Bread is only 157 calories, low in protein, low in fat, fairly higher in sugar (bananas are naturally high in sugar) but has 4 grams of fiber! The Whole Food Health Optimizer does pack nutrients that the banana bread did not though– Omega 3 fatty acids, Protein, Fiber, Calcium and Vitamin A.

Which one would you choose ??

I choose both!

For my actual “usual breakfast” you can see I added the banana bread to protein-packed and probiotic packed organic yogurt and snagged some extra vitamins and minerals with a fresh nectarine. This “made up for” what a lot of what was missing in the WHFO smoothie. I could only add 5 items to the nutrition calculator though.  If we are just speaking about nutrients and functionality- a WHFO smoothie is going to be fantastic.

Chewing is a psychological, behavioral and physiological event! Chewing helps break down our food AND releases chemicals to our brain to indicate we need to digest. Drinking your breakfast all the time is not a good idea, in my humble opinion, but variety is!

How do you think your usual breakfast?

 

Keep reading for my rant and frustrations about Vega’s Breakfast Challenge Nutrition Calculator…

I received samples of WHFO to review and compare for The Breakfast Challenge, and I honestly enjoythe products that Vega offers ( I have a giveaway coming up this week!). I firmly believe in giving my honest opinion as opposed to a swayed vote for getting something free. So here goes….Part of my last job was to work with nutrient databases to analyze recipes for nutrition content and enter in food recall forms from participants into a nutrient database. The databases that I am accustomed to compared to what is on Vega’s site are much more efficient, larger, comprehensive databases that allow endless input options of quantities- from tablespoons, teaspoons, fractions of cups ( 1/3rd cup, 1/10th etc.), to fluid ounces, grams, 1 inch thick slices, etc.

Vega’s Breakfast Calculator only allows you to enter in “1 ” or more of something, such as “Bananas, raw” … 1 cup is the only option, which calculates to 227 calories. While some bananas might be large enough to equal 227 calories, I know the bananas I use do not.

It isn’t really an accurate measuring tool!  This frustrated me because I tried several other “usual breakfasts” that I eat, but none were either listed or accurate in the calculation. I understand the purpose is to show you the amazing benefits of Whole Food Health Optimizer, which I actually agree that it is one great smoothie I will continue to drink, but the average person that does NOT work with nutrient databases or nutrition analysis could have an inaccurate calculation on their “usual breakfast”.

Here is an example of the inaccurate calculation- Greek Yogurt ( a staple in many blogger’s breakfasts). One Chobani is 130 -160 calories per container depending on the flavor. If you put in yogurt on this nutrition calculator,  the only options for yogurt that come close on this calculator are “yogurt, 12 grams protein per 8 oz” which calculates to  254 calories in their analysis- clearly inaccurate. In their defense, the calculator is using information from one of the larger databases I’ve used- USDA’s National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference www.ars.usda.gov.

Any Banana Bread recipe will tell you that you need “Overripe” bananas. I hate waiting that long, that could take an entire day or multiple days and I’m impatient. If you are lucky, you will find the ripe banana section at your store so that you can purchase bananas that are already well on their way to over-ripeness before you start blogging about the quick recipe you just made with non-ripe bananas, however, these are not always available or easy to find based on my personal experience. So I tried experimenting with my banana bread recipe, combining my impatience with healthier ideas. Low n behold, it worked.

Impatient & Healthier…
Banana Bread

1/2 stick butter (down from 1 whole stick)
1⁄2 cup sugar  (down from 1 cup)
4 medium bananas
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp baking soda
1 1⁄2 cups old fashioned oats, blended into flour consistency ( or use AP Flour)
1⁄4 tsp salt
1⁄2 tsp cinnamon
1⁄4 tsp nutmeg

* Optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts

Preparation

• Melt the butter, one more thing I don’t like to wait around on is butter coming to room temperature!
• Preheat oven to 350* F
• Prep your loaf pan – I used the butter’s wax paper to lightly grease the pan, you can use nonstick spray if desired
• In a large bowl, mix the butter and sugar. Add almond extract
• In another bowl, mix all dry ingredients (baking powder, baking soda, oat flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg)
• Peel bananas and place in (yet) another bowl. Beat the bananas until they are almost liquid like consistency…I used my hand-mixer but a potato masher also works well
• Add the blended bananas and the dry ingredient mixture to the butter sugar mixture
• Mix well but do not overmix!
• Pour into your loaf pan
• Bake for approximately 60 minutes

Raspberry White Chocolate Muffin Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp low-fat buttermilk *
• 1 large egg (I use cage free)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp pure almond extract (vanilla if not almond)
• 1 pint fresh raspberries, dried
• 1/2 cup white chocolate morsels, optional*

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Prep muffin tin by greasing or line with cups. Mix dry ingredients ( flour, sugar, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). If you decided white chocolate morsels are not option but required, mix those in now into your dry ingredients. Toss the raspberries with the dry mixture gently. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients (buttermilk, egg, oil, and extract). Create a well in the middle of the dry bowl, add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until incorporated. Pour batter into greased or lined muffin cups.

White Chocolate Cream Cheese Frosting
Directions:
In a small bowl, melt ~1/2 cup white chocolate chips and 1 teaspoon butter. For testing purposes, I used Godiva. Mix in ~ 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar into melted chocolate and butter. Take a sip of wine because you deserve it .  Stir in ~ 2 tablespoons of whipped cream cheese and ~ 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.  Drop 1 large teaspoon into each muffin middle and spread with spoon.

Two separate bowls for wet and dry...

when two worlds collide...

all ready to bake!

Muffins

"Ladies, Frost Yourself"...... Name the Movie ?!

Working Out Wednesday Recap:

(8/5) Friday: Travel day
(8/6) Saturday: Rest – Unfortunately, I had 3 hours of sleep. I indeed woke up to run but I follow a strict “Rest is Best” policy…  
(8/7) Sunday: Rest and Travel… 10 miler missed…
(8/8)Monday: Gym at Lunch (Back, Biceps, Quads & Elliptical)
(8/9) Tuesday:  Running Club! I was the first runner out of the gate and the first runner doing the 5 miler and… the first runner on the 5 miler to finish! Distance: 5.35 mi ( I got lost since I was first I turned the wrong way and soon realized it). Time: 38.5 minutes.
(Today!) Wednesday: Rest- Faculty Orientation is this evening
(8/11)Thursday: Strength and Hip Hop (I’m excited to learn the 2nd half of last week’s dance!)
(8/12) Friday: Long Run post work day
(8/13) Saturday : Yoga Podcast
(8/14) Sunday: Rest

The rest is best policy came up for a post I wrote on Stress and Diet for the Thrive in 30 series. I think it was great to hear validation from an athlete like Brendan on taking a break from training if you know that is what your body needs. Rest IS so important and I agree with Brendan, sometimes a break is ultimately better for your performance long term! Don’t forget to check out all of my other Thrive in 30 posts!

What was your favorite workout this week?!

What is your “rest” policy when it comes to sleep vs exercise?

Stevia is a sugar substitute (think Splenda, Equal, Sweet n Low) but it is the most “natural” type becaues it comes from the stevia plant’s sweet leaves. You can actually make it yourself with the leaf of a stevia plant, boil it with alcohol (the alcohol evaporates), and voila. It is ideal for low-carb diets and is a low-sugar alternative.

I tried my own version of one recipe from this collection but made several changes.  I actually made three batches because the first batch flopped pretty much, the second batch used too much applesauce and well, third time is a charm. This recipe incorporates two really important Alkaline forming foods that we learned about in this Thrive in 30 post: Alkaline vs. Acid.  When I started the Thrive in 30 series, I was actually eating a piece of carrot cake when I watched in the introductory video.  I think this series has definitely inspired me to cut out the processed foods and keep making healthier versions! I used Here is my adaptation from this recipe collection for Carrot Cake Muffins, the photos are actually from the first flop!

Displayed with my Scarlet Thread's Apron

Dry Ingredients:
1 3/4 cups flour
1/4 cup sugar ( I used 1 Tablespoon NuNaturals Stevia (3 packets) and 3 Tablespoons sugar)
3/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1 Tablespoon ground flax (If you are not Vegan, I would use 1 egg)

Wet Ingredients:
1 cup shredded carrots
1/8 cup liquid ( I would use lowfat milk or Katie suggests water)
3/4 cup applesauce
1/2 cup raisins for baking

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350* F and prepare muffin tray. Since this recipe contains minimal fat, use a nonstick spray or butter to grease the muffin cups (using paper liners or not, the dough will stick to the paper!). As with any muffin method, blend dry ingredients very well and do the same for the wet ingredients. Add wet ingredients to dry, being careful not to overmix. Drop batter into muffin cups, filling 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 12-15 minutes, allow muffins to cool for ~ 5 minutes.

“Carrot Cake Frosting” Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons whipped cream cheese
1 teaspoon sweetener ( I would use powdered sugar or you could use NuNaturals Stevia)1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup crushed walnut pieces
shredded carrots

Into the Oven

Nourish yourself in the most appropriate ways- be it Carrots or Carrot Cake, Water or Wine, Laughter or Aerobics...

Want FREE SAMPLES of these NuNaturals products?

Ron @ NuNaturals emailed to let me know that Being Healthier readers can obtain a little stevia present! All my continental U.S. readers can receive ” FREE SAMPLES ” of NuStevia Packets by sending a SELF-ADDRESSED, STAMPED, # 10 envelope to the following location :

NuNaturals, INC
2220 West 2nd Ave. # 1
Eugene, OR  97402

PLUS, you can take full advantage of SPECIAL DISCOUNTS on all future orders only available from ordering through www.nunaturals.com . When you get to the checkout page, enter in this CODE :  BLG930  to get 15% off your order, free shipping on orders of $35 too.

P.S: I will be hosting a giveaway next week so stay tuned!

Happy Friday!!

What are you up to this weekend ?

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3/4 cup + 2 Tbsp low-fat buttermilk
• 1 large egg (I use cage free)
• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 tsp pure almond extract (vanilla if not almond)
• 1 pint fresh blueberries, washed and dried

Cream Cheese Filling:

• 1/4 cup whipped cream cheese, at room temperature (1/3 less-fat cream cheese works too!)
• 1 Tbsp brown sugar

Crumb Topping

• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 cup quick cook oats
• ~ 1/3 cup brown sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Prep muffin tin by greasing or line with cups. Mix dry ingredients ( flour, sugar, rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Toss the blueberries with the dry mixture. In another bowl, mix wet ingredients (buttermilk, egg, oil, and extract). Create a well in the middle of the dry bowl, add the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until incorporated. Pour batter into greased or lined muffin cups.

Cream Cheese Time!
In a small bowl, stir together the cream cheese and sugar. Drop 1 large teaspoon into each muffin middle.

Crumbalicious
In a small bowl, mix all crumb topping ingredients together until a crumbly texture. I always eyeball this so apologies in advance on exact ingredient amounts. Sprinkle clumps on top of each muffin.

Bake for approximately 15 minutes. The toothpick in-center method is not ideal here because the cream cheese and blueberry juice will stick to the toothpick so it will be harder to discern uncooked batter from those.   Cool in pan for a few minutes then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.

These made my Sunday MUCH more enjoyable!

I finally got to break in the new kitchen this weekend and have settled in more to my new place! I made a quick stir fry for dinner…

Shortly after that, I got to work on the most fabulous recipe ever. In 2008, I traveled to the beach with my friends Andrea and Rachelle to firm up details for Andrea’s wedding venue. We were treated to dinner and dessert from the wedding caterers’. The dessert that evening was a banana bread ice cream sandwich. It was like two perfect worlds colliding in one dessert. I made my own version shortly after that trip for one of our frequent get-togethers but haven’t attempted it since 2008. Andrea’s birthday is tomorrow (Tuesday the 21st) and I thought it would be the perfect recipe to attempt in my new kick-a** kitchen!

Ingredients

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 stick butter, room temperature  (1 stick = 8 Tbsp)
• 2 large eggs
• 3 ripe bananas
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup oat flour ( ground old fashioned oats)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl. This is what it should look like, light and fluffy!

Then, add the eggs one at a time beating until yolk disappears. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas. I used a potato masher that I got a long time ago but you can use a fork if you do not have a masher. Add the the milk, cinnamon and almond extract and mix. In another medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Add the banana mixture to the butter/egg mixture and stir until combined. Mix in the dry ingredient bowl just until flour is blended. Over mixing can make the end result less spongy and light.

Pour this  batter into prepared pan (2 buttered loaf pans or 1, 9X13) and bake 50 minutes ~ 1 hour. Ovens vary and my new oven had the toothpick-in-center-clean at 49 minutes.  Cool bread before slicing. I realized mid recipe that I no longer had my loaf pans after moving! I had to do this recipe in a longer 11x 14-

Now that is a fantastic banana bread on its own but if you want the over-the-top dessert, keep reading!

Banana “Ice Cream” Filling

Ingredients
4 bananas, peeled and broken into chunks
1/4 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Blend banana pieces in blender until smooth and creamy. Add chocolate chips and pulse lightly to incorporate chocolate pieces. Pour mixture into freezer safe baggie and freeze flat for approximately 2.5 hours. Remove from freezer once banana bread is cool so that it is malleable for spreading onto slices. Slice banana bread into desired size for sandwiches. I recommend thin and shorter to make more sandwiches. Spread “ice cream” onto slice, top with second slice and re-freeze sandwich overnight. I individually wrapped these so that they were similar to true ice cream sandwiches and because it makes it easier to freeze!

Absolutely best banana recipe ever, in my opinion and I’m never bias.

How was your weekend?

 

Dairy-Free Version

My friends’ baby girl is actually allergic to cow’s milk so this recipe can be easily dairy-free. Substitute 1/2 cup applesauce for the butter. Omit the 1 Tablespoon of milk or use alternate ( i.e almond milk, soy milk). The “ice cream” filling is really just bananas, so omit the chocolate chips or use dairy-free chips.

Gluten Free Version

Substitute ground oats to make 2 cups of oat flour or use 1 cup GF all purpose flour (its just more expensive than blending oats into flour).

I’m not kidding- This is an 1893 Ad for Granola from Kellogg’s!

It seems easy and of course a “better quality nutriment” since 1893, especially when you see a bag of granola in the store these days for anywhere around $5 – $6.50 or more! I bought a big ol` tub of oats for many things- but the main thing, most important thing, the reason why I write this post today… was for a Homemade Granola Recipe!

Oatmeal makes one fantastic breakfast bowl, full of fiber ( 4g in 1/2 cup serving), protein (5 g in 1/2 cup), and part of my usual morning routine. When the weather turns warmer though, a hot bowl of oats- once I am already hot enough from taking Jack for his morning routine- just does not do the trick!

Granola is the best because…you can put it in cool, creamy yogurt (my favorite way), put it in milk (my other favorite way),  eat it straight outta the bag, take it hiking, eat it in the car for a snack and it doesn’t need heated nor cooled after its made!  As if I had to sell it to you, when you make your own you can add in exactly what you want! Apricots, almonds, coconut, cranberries, m&m’s, reese’s pieces, butterfingers …Alright, not going down that road! Here is Being Healthier’s Homemade Granola :

Being Healthier’s Granola Ingredients:
2 cups rolled oats
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/4 cup honey
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup Applesauce
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Add Ins:
1/3 cup whole walnut pieces [Note: I used slivered almonds, and they worked fine.]
1/3 cup whole dried apricots (diced)
1/3 cup gigantic organic raisins
1/3 cup dried cranberries

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. I used a little oil to coat the baking sheet, you could use non-stick spray or parchment if you have it! In a large bowl, toss the oats, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl (small to medium size), stir together the oil, honey, brown sugar, applesauce and vanilla until well blended.

Pour the honey mixture over the oats mixture, mixing very well to make sure all the oats are coated really well.  Use your hands, use baggies, use a spoon- whatever you want. Spread the granola onto a baking sheet, leaving the size of the clumps however you prefer your granola to be. I like my texture to be big and clumpy.

Bake for 10 minutes, remove and flip the granola around. Sprinkle your nuts into the granola. I used only walnuts here. If you use any other nuts or multiples, add them at this stage so that they can roast a little.

Bake for 10 more minutes, flipping the granola +nuts around again (it’s flipping nutso!). Add your fruits, which do not need to bake, but I like to get them a little juicy & warm.  Bake for 2-3 minutes, keeping your nose on the oven. I use my nose quite a bit in cooking, being careful to mentally track the undertones of delight and burnt-to-dust.

Voila.
Let the mixture cool, placing it inside an air-tight container. It can be stored for approximately 1 week, if it lasts that long!

Chef Notes:
This recipe will turn out softer and less crunchy than other granola. If you do not want softer granola, add 3-4 minutes on your first baking time OR omit the applesauce.

I add ground flaxseed to mine, especially if I have it with yogurt! Mmm I can just taste the omega-3 fatty acids giving my cells new life!
Have you ever made homemade granola?

What are your favorite tidbits in granola?