Vanilla Granola

Happy Sunday!!!  It’s 3am and here I am!  Couldn’t sleep!  I woke up and I was just laying in bed thinking of food and then I felt something on my arm.  I jumped out of bed, turned on the light and there it was a HUGE Spider!  I’m not kidding!  I’m not one of those girly girls that freaks over a spider, but this one was about the size of a half dollar.  Ewwww!  So I ran to the kitchen, grabbed some paper towels and thought I could get him.  Um, I don’t think so!  Every time I moved, he moved!  He was watching me!  So I ran back into the kitchen got the fly swatter and waited.  I thought I can’t get him on the bed, I just washed my sheets yesterday!  So I waited, he waited, who was going to make the first move?  He did, Sucker!  He went on the floor and I wacked the crap out of him!  I smashed him so much that you couldn’t identify the body!  Yuck, I’m mean, I know, but what do you expect at 3am?  So now that I’m up, I think I’m going to make some cranberry walnut bread!  It should be done by the normal breakfast time!!

Today I’m happy to report, that I stuck to my work out schedule and I lost 1lbs.   My calorie burn goal for the week was 1700 and I made 2000.   I know I could do better then that, but I got lazy!  However, goes to show that exercise conquers all!!  I also bought some 10lbs. dumb bells yesterday, so I can kick it up a knotch!  Before bed I did 20 minutes of arm exercises and Wow!  It’s amazing what 2 extra pounds could do (I was lifting 8lbs) I was struggling with my reps!  Yah!  It’s means I pushed my muscles to the limit!

Saturday I spent my day making bread and making granola.  I went to the Farmers Market and there’s a lady there that sells killer granola , and I love it!  But with winter coming I won’t be able to get it, so my brain started to go into over drive.  HA HA  Eureka!!  I bought a couple of bags, drove a 100 miles an hour home, ate some, examined it, ate some more and read her ingredients list and thought I think I can do this!  I shall try to recreate her granola, so I can have it anytime I want!!   I didn’t duplicate it  exactly, not sure of her precise measurements or her cooking time, but I came pretty close!  They taste almost the same!  Gold star for me!

As I was typing this, Jenny and her boyfriend came over and they did the taste test between the two granola’s and they said that they taste the same!!  he he  Jenny said she liked mine better, tasted fresher.  Now I get two Gold Stars!

Her granola is almost like a cookie, where mine is more granola like.  In mine, I could taste all the different ingredients, in her’s I had to look at it to determine what was in it and how she processed it.  Here is her granola.

Here is mine, next to hers, mine is the one on the right.

I really like her granola, being more of a sweet cookie like dessert.  Mine is a true granola.  But  I was looking for flavor over texture and I got what I was looking for!!  Bulls Eye!!!

What I did, to try to get her size and texture of the granola, is put it in the food processor and pulsate it a few times.  I guess I should of done it more.  Here it is going into the oven.

I  baked it for 20 minutes, flipped it and baked for another 40 minutes and then I turned the oven off and let it cool in there.  I didn’t get the clumps that she did, only a few.  I like the clumps!  But this granola makes better for putting on yogurt and oatmeal!  Plus more portion control,  I can eat a lot of clumps and that’s not good!  🙂

Did I ever tell you about my 5lbs weight gain in one week?  I truly looked like I was pregnant, like I had a big round ball in my stomach.  I was really worried, freaking out actually and what I had was an alien baby!  That’s when you eat way to much fiber and I was eating granola like there was no tomorrow.  Needless to say, I realized my problem and I stopped with granola for a few days, and I lost the 5lbs almost instantly!  Amazing what to much granola can do to you!

Vanilla Granola

3 Cups of Rolled Oats – I used Trader Joe’s,, but Old Fashion Oats will work too!

2 1/4  Cups of Steel Cut Oats

1/2 Cup of Almonds – processed small

1/2 Cup of Ground Flax Seed

1/4 Cup of Unsweetened Shredded Coconut

1/4 Cup Sesame Seeds

1/3 Cup Vanilla Extract

1/3 Cup of Canola Oil

1/3 Cup Brown Sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 300

NOTE:  This is totally optional, you can make this without the food processor.  Just put all the dry ingredients in a large bowl and proceed to step 2.

1.  In a food processor ground your almonds until small piece, about 10 pulses.  Add your Rolled Oats and process until small but not flour consistency.  Add the rest of the dry ingredients and pulse for about 10 pulses.  Dump into a big bowl.

2.  In a small bowl, add your vanilla extract, canola oil and brown sugar.  Wisk until all combined.  Pour over granola mixture and stir until everything is coated.

3.  On a baking sheet lined with parchment, add your granola.  Bake for 20 minutes, flip and bake for 20 more minutes, flip. Check it the last 10 minutes or so to make sure it doesn’t burn.

4.  Turn the oven off and leave the granola in there to cool.  I do this so my dogs don’t get at it.   Just make sure it doesn’t get to crispy or just leave on the counter to cool.

Once cool, store in an air tight container.

It’s really good granola, I am sure you love it!!

Makes 21- 1/2 cup servings.

Calories per 1/2 Cup:  196,  fat:  9.0,  Salt:  1.7,  Potassium:  50,  Carbs:24,  Fiber:4.5,  Sugar:  3.9,  Protein:  5.9

All sealed up and put away!

The geeky person that I am, I bought my dogs Halloween Costumes from Target. Samantha decided to be a pumpkin, since she loves those Pumpkin Muffins I made for her and her brother.

Sampson, decided to be a Hot Dog because he loves food!!!!

I sent my Husband these pictures and look what he made himself for dinner.

He calls them sh!tty Canoes!  Yuck!  After all sweet granola, I wanted spicy!  So I made myself this!

Wonder what that is?  Looks like a blob mess, but it’s one of my favorite quick meals!  Grilled Chicken breast with sweet bell pepper, onions, Trader Joe’s Con Queso Cheese (I don’t know what’s in that stuff, but 2tbsp. is only 15 calories, and tastes great nice!) and Trader Joe’s Chunky Salsa with my Franks Hot Sauce.  On the side I had a homemade dinner roll and a plain salad.  Want to know a secret?  Whenever I grill my meat, I always make a foil pack out of aluminum foil and throw my veggies in it with some olive oil.  It’s quick, easy and no mess and it’s always done the same time my meat is.

What’s your favorite quick go to meal?  Any cooking secrets you want to share?  How about a scary Spider Story?

Have a great Sunday!!