Grrr...anola!

Todays recipe choice is on the healthier side of the spectrum. No thanks to me! Your gratitude for giving the waistband a break this week can be directed to our newest house guest, Sarah. She suggested I try to whip up a homemade granola to be added to fruit or yogurt {or ice-cream... *my contribution} for a healthy and quick snack.a.roo. So we did just that!

Sarah did the leg work finding a recipe that she thought fit the bill and settled with good ol' Martha. The clear choice every time. You can find the original recipe here. And with Martha as my guide, I rolled up my sleeves and set to work. *The term work is actually laughable in this circumstance. Sarah definitely ended up with the short end of the stick on this one. Which leads me to question, why have we not been doing this all along?

To try this yourself, or your own twisted version {in a good way}, you will need the following ingredients:

3 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup chopped almonds
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
5 teaspoons vegetable oil
5 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 teaspoons honey
1/4 cup dried cranberries/raisins

{You could also try adding wheat germ, oat bran, sunflower seeds, coconut and/or walnuts. Anything you want really. We opted to start out small and build from there. You know what Im sayin'?}

Go ahead and preheat the oven to 325º. Then in a large bowl, combine everything except the cranberries/raisins. Once thoroughly mixed, spread on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake until golden brown, approximately 25 minutes, rotating sheet halfway through. *While baking I recommend you sit, relax and enjoy the delicious aroma. Tea and reading material optional here. Or, better yet, have someone stop by within that time span. Without a doubt they will comment on the delectable aroma rolling from your home. You'll be the next Martha!

Let it cool, then stir in the raisins or cranberries before storing in an airtight container.


Now all that is left is to enjoy at your own discretion. Tea and reading material recommended again, but still technically optional.

Chat soon! & Happy Sunday.