Do you like to make your own granola??
I haven't made this in years, back in the '70's and '80s I would make it all the time.
Lately I am finding that these gluten free granola cereals-the good ones-are in small packages and really just too expensive. To get myself off of salty snacks I eat a little granola in the evening instead.
The other day I searched online for recipes-I settled on this one I found Bob's Red Mill old fashioned organic gluten free oats in my freezer. Grabbed organic sliced almonds, and also organic coconut along with little bags of mixed quality dried fruits that needed to get used up.
I like different honeys but I really don't use them very much any more so I grabbed a couple jars that really needed to get used. We were gifted a quart jar of tupelo honey from one of Larry's customers back in 2017-it was a local product from him. Searching to buy more last year-this is rather rare and very expensive to ship. It has a very unique flavor profile which I thought should work out for my first batch of granola. Here is the history about tupelo-it is Not your ordinary honey
I never add salt to any recipe-even baked goods, but the author made it sound like it was necessary so this time I added the fine pink himalayan salt that I keep around for popcorn. Hoping I won't taste too much salt in this.
While I am waiting for the oats to cool so I can add the rest of the ingredients, I forgot that I wanted to share these winter snowmen magnet-clips for the frig. They have me smiling when I see them I do have two of each color-the 6th one is not in the photo Oh and didn't realize til Deb mentioned it in comments-she made me a little green frog magnet-that I loveeee-he is on the paper bottom left corner.
The granola is cooled now and the rest of the ingredients added. The tupelo honey flavor stands out but that's ok
The recipe said to cool down for 45 minutes, I wanted it to be slightly warm for the dried fruit to soften up a bit so added i around 35 minutes.
The nice thing about a recipe like this is that you can add what you want to and like-just go by the quantities and don't go over that for the add ins. I love nuts but I can't digest them well-so I added less nuts, no seeds this time, but added more of the dried fruits and the large dried coconut. Also if you don't have to make gluten free there are all sorts of grain flakes available besides just oats.
I am pleased with this recipe, I like chunks so I broke mine into small chunks-you can smash it up a bit if you don't want it chunky. Next time I will not add the salt I can really taste it and I put in 3/4 teaspoon instead of the 1 teaspoon. Next batch I will also use a lighter honey as the tupelo is a strong flavor-but I like it. I have just a little bit of the tupelo now-so I guess next batch I will add it in so all used up.😀
Out of the oven and cooled
after the add ins
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No wintry weather here so far, but bummer yesterday morning early I had errands to run and my car would not start. huge bummer, as I have never driven Larry's suburban-too large for me and it's the newer push button vehicle which I know nothing about-my Mountainer is a 1999-so not a good idea to figure out his vehicle.
So I called my friend Mary down the lake from us and she said she had errands to do too-she had allot of errands and they were an hour's drive away. I hadn't planned on being gone that long in case Larry needed me, but it was good for me to get out of the house. There was the new Aldi store near where she was going-so I went in there to pick up all the fresh items. I really miss not having a Aldi near me, they also had the ground bison meat which I love-I like it better than ground venison-so I picked up one of those as it was more pricey than I remembered.
So I guess Monday I will call the place we go for our cars and see if they will make an exception and do a house call-otherwise not sure what I will do for help-ugh.
Can you believe it is the 6th day of the new year already??
enjoy your weekend
Love your Snowmen! I even spotted a little frog i sent you.. I've never made granola but have enjoyed store bought ones.. although i try to stay away from it as it is high in calories and i'am not one to just take 'a little bit'.. I read about the Tupelo Honey... very interesting.. Not a huge honey fan but i do try some now and then.. Oh man what a bummer about your car... like you need another thing to worry about.. Hope they make house calls... fingers crossed.. Our truck is push button and really is a dream to drive.. In ours you just have to put your foot on the break and push the button... ta daaa.. and the same to turn it off.. otherwise it drives the same.. I prefer to drive smaller cars but as long as i go slow i manage just fine and i enjoy sitting up higher in the pickup.. easier to see everything.. I'm glad your friend could take you to the store though! Enjoy your weekend Kathy.. not too cold here but WINDY!!! No moisture of any kind... Count down until the kids get here... Wednesday late afternoon.. Hugs! deb
ReplyDeleteI know about my car just what I don't need-more stress ugh.
DeleteYes granola is high in carbs for sure-but If there are any kind of chips n the house I can't stop eating-my favorite food for sure I must stop buying them as sometimes I just can't resist if I know they are in the cupboard. I figure the granola is a bit heathier with the oats, nuts and fruits, and I don't eat much at at time-just a quarter cup perhaps a 1/2 cup at a time so in the end a healthier food for me over potato chips etc
I love your little frog and didn't realize he got in the photo-I will go an mention him in my post-thanks
enjoy your kids hugs
Dear Katie, it's great that you make your own granola! This is definitely a healthy snack. I like to eat muesli or porridge for breakfast, but when I want to snack in the evening, I usually need something spicy. I try to avoid chips and the like with olives or pickles.
ReplyDeleteYour snowmen are cute!
I wish you and everyone you love a happy, healthy (as healthy as possible, you know!) and peaceful New Year 🍄🍀!
Hugs and all the best from Austria, Traude
https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2024/01/rostrosen-weihnachten-2023-tiergarten.html
Hi, I love cooked oatmeal for sure for breakfast and sometimes grits too. I am sooo bad eating chips or fritos my go to snack always -I need tojust stop buying them so I can't eat them-smiles
DeleteI am not much of a granola eater My daughter always loved the almond granola that we use to purchase bulk for her yogurt.
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you are having car issues. Do you have towing or roadside assist on your
car insurance?
Cathy
Larry likes granola with yogurt too, usually eat mine with milk
DeleteI totally forgot about that I do have a card for that that goes with my insurance but we have never used it in all the years we had it--not sure if it works if my car is at home though--may call them thanks
Good job Kathy!
ReplyDeletethank you I will make this again and leave out the salt turned out really good
DeleteBeing sick has thrown my day of the week and dates way off. But your granola sounds good. I haven't granola for several years, but it is yummy. Have a great end of your weekend. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteI am sorry you still dealing with covid and now I see the east will get hit with a winter storm-are you in it's path? take care Hugs Kathy
DeleteWe sell local honey in our gift shop. I was always told that you should use local honey as it helps your immune system. I always keep it in our home. The granola recipe looked like a keeper. Will need to try when I have more time. Your snowman are adorable. We finally got some snow today. Only an inch, but was happy to see it falling. By February I will hate to see it though. LOL Janice
ReplyDeleteI have heard that too about the honey. no wintry weather here yet but it looks very cold end of next week. I agree december and january are the best times for snow I think-happy new week
DeleteYour granola looks great, enjoy. My friend Heike is in hospital, she collapsed because the Natrium (salt) amount in her blood was too low. Perhaps you can have your blood checked from time to time if you are avoiding salt. Hope Larry is doing well, hugs, Valerie
ReplyDeleteOh no, so sorry about your friend Heike-hoping she wil better soon-hugs I do have blood tests every 6 months Larry is doing better thank you
DeleteI'm glad you got a little out-of-house break. I've never made granola before and always interested in maybe doing so one day. Those magnets are darling!
ReplyDeleteI fell love with these snowmen magnets so had to have them-smiles. Yes it was good to get out with my friend. just heard we have snow storm coming in monday night
DeleteManaka honey has a low subtle sweet flavor, not bright like the local clover honey I buy. I like the Manaka in tea because it doesn't overwhelm.
ReplyDeleteHimalayan salt, I was told that's the best to buy. Then I see online that Boulder salt is better, less sodium. Nowadays, it isn't easy to keep up on what is gluten free best organic whatever. lol
I do like himalayan salt if I am going to use it or a crafted salt if I can find it. will into that honey-thanks
ReplyDelete