Oh, Monday. Never mind. I’m not ready for you. Can we try again tomorrow?
I found the weekend relaxing and refreshing. Keith on the other hand would describe his as fun, but exhausting. He made it back from Florida without any serious trouble.
Don’t know if you’ve checked out the Weather Channel or listed to ol’ Al Roker recently, but we’re getting fall-like weather here in DC. We were greeted by a chilling 48 degrees and a drizzle this morning. Bleh! Deciding what to wear was a little more challenging than I like on a Monday morning. Regardless, it was nice to know breakfast would be worth it once I got around.
Since we usually order Chinese takeout on Sundays, I don’t have to worry about dinner. Instead, I get a jump-start on the week ahead. Last night I was making a small batch of granola. I find it to be my breakfast staple and who knew it’s actually really easy to make? I use to buy it regularly out of the bulk bins at Whole Foods, but then I wanted to control what was going into or was not going into it.
Here’s my super simple approach to granola. (Details with quantities below.) I start with some thick cut oats, sliced almonds, agave nectar, coconut oil, and cinnamon. I’ve learned Bob’s Red Mill oats are the best for this. You could also substitute maple syrup or honey. Lastly, feel free to play around with the cinnamon. I’ve also played around with cinnamon and ground ginger with a pinch of nutmeg. Just find what works for you.
Dump your dry ingredients into the bowl and toss together. On the stove, melt the coconut oil and agave nectar together until it’s smooth. Pour this on the dry stuff and toss. You’ll then pour that out onto a parchment lined baking sheet. And seriously, don’t skip the parchment. I’ve learned the hard way. Then bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes. You can toss every 5 minutes or so, but if you want those delicious clusters don’t touch it. Pull it out just when it starts to look golden. It will bake a tad more once you pull it out of the oven. Once cool dump into an airtight container.
I’ve found this recipe to be pretty flexible. Some mornings, I eat it like cereal topped with fresh berries and skim milk. Other days, I sprinkle it over Greek yogurt with fresh strawberries, which was this morning. Or you can enjoy it plain right out of the storage container for an on the go breakfast. I’m telling you it’s awesome! Not to mention, you can mix in dry fruit if you want like cranberries, currants, or raisins. You also have the option of topping it with fresh fruit, which is what I’ve been enjoying a lot lately.
Super Simple Granola
1 c. thick cut oats
1/2 c. sliced almonds (You could use pecans, walnuts, etc.)
1 heaping tablespoon of coconut oil (When it melts it gives you more.)
1 T. agave nectar (You can use more to taste. You could also swap for honey, maple syrup, etc.)
1/2 t. cinnamon
Pinch of sea salt
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, almonds, cinnamon and salt. Toss to combine.
3. Combine the coconut oil and agave nectar in a small saucepan and heat until melted. Continuously stir to combine.
4. Remove the oil mixture and carefully pour it over the dry ingredients. Mix thoroughly to ensure all of the oats and nuts are evenly coated.
5. Spread the sticky oat mixture onto the parchment lined baking sheet. Be sure to pat it down and keep it rather close together.
6. Place into your preheated oven and back for 15 to 20 minutes. You can stir every 5-7 minutes or leave it alone to get the clusters. If you leave it be, start checking on it at the 15 minute mark to see if it’s ready.
7. Remove from the oven and let cool. Once cool, pour into an airtight container or large sealable plastic bag. If you want, you can now mix in dried fruit such as raisins, cranberries, currents, apricots, etc.
8. Enjoy!
