The Granola I Make Once a Week
Ready yourself.
I’m about to ask a presumptuous question.
Have you ever wondered how I decide what to write about?
See? Presumptuous of me to think you might wonder.
I’m cringing too, but I needed a jumping off point for this post.
Today I decided to write about the granola I make once a week because of sunlight. Yep, sunlight.
As I was cleaning the table up after lunch I realized the outside light was streaming in on my jar of granola so beautifully.
Pretty light on a jar of granola sitting on a messy table.
The lens through which I view my surroundings might be a little…unconventional.
Then I yelled “Quick! Everyone move!”
Followed by a “Where’s the camera? I need the camera right now!”
Of course, no one was there to answer. You don’t have to ask my kids twice to scatter BEFORE the dishes are done.
Halfway through the light changing (darn clouds!) I decided maybe I should tell you about this granola.
I do indeed make it once a week or so. And it’s so easy!
We use it as a topping on yogurt, fresh fruit, applesauce and salads. If you put granola on top of warm, homemade applesauce it tastes like apple crisp!
Handy Husband eats this granola like it’s a snack mix.
It’s not my granola recipe, which is why I haven’t written about it before. I have tweaked the recipe though and it’s very forgiving to an adaptation of ingredients.
I need recipes that are forgiving because I tend not to follow them very closely. In my mind a recipe is more of a suggestion rather than a hard and fast rule. It’s a good thing I didn’t pursue a career in chemistry! Or space travel. Or anything else that requires exact formulas and hard and fast rules.
So to circle back to the question of how I come up with writing topics.
There should be a master plan, but there isn’t one. I try to be a couple of weeks ahead on my posting schedule, but I don’t create blog content solely for the sake of blog content. I write about things I actually use, eat, create, like, experience, think about, bring me happiness, etc.
My inspiration comes from many different sources such as pretty light shining on a jar of granola. That’s why this blog can be quite random and I don’t know how to do it any other way!
Once a Week Granola (adapted from a food genius – Alton Brown’s granola recipe)
Base Recipe:
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup chopped cashews (I use salted because that’s what we snack on)
1/4 cup coconut oil (melted)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons real maple syrup (this makes it so good!)
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed brown sugar (also makes it good)
Optional Add Ons:
Quick glug of vanilla
Dash of cinnamon
Handful of chopped almonds or any other nuts in the pantry
Handful of sunflower seeds
Handful of unsweetened shredded coconut
Handful of raisins or dried cranberries added at the very end of baking
Combine all ingredients in a bowl making sure the wet ingredients coat the dry ingredients. Pour granola mixture onto a rimmed sheet pan or divide it among two pans. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes at 250F. Stir every 15 minutes or so for even browning. I get granola chunks if I don’t stir it as much though.
Let it cool (and snack while it is cooling) and then store in a glass jar! I don’t know how long it lasts because ours doesn’t last more than a week or 10 days.
Thanks for hanging out with me and letting me ask presumptuous questions! Here are some other posts inspired by all sorts of random things…
You May Also Like
Moving to Ireland: Grocery Look Alikes
Deconstructed Fresh Berry Oatmeal Crisp
