Granola

Nothing make me happier than when I'm creating something. Anything. Growing something, knitting something, sewing something, cooking, taking a photograph, developing a new idea, nurturing someone else's idea....really, anything.

So here's my new granola recipe I've been working on. 

2 cups regular raw oats
1/2 cup sliced raw, unsalted almonds
1/2 cup or so of unsweetened coconut chips or flakes ... or however they come for you
1T wheat germ or flax meal

Mix it up & sprinkle as much or little cinnamon and/or nutmeg as you like

Microwave 1/4 cup honey + 1 tsp vanilla so it's thin enough to mix well into the dry mixture....like 10-15 seconds.  (I try to use local honey to assist in the building up of tolerance to local pollen during allergy season.)

Mix wet & dry ingredients together and spread out on either parchment or a silpat mat on a cookie sheet.

Bake at 200 for an hour, turning and mixing half way thru. At the end of the hour I turn the oven off and let it cool in the oven, the granola gets just THAT much more golden and dry.

I mix in dried fruit, but you don't have to.  Enjoy !!

Update ...

I've been very delinquent in my postings .. here's an update.  

Things are GROWING !!

And scene.

 Just kidding ..... Just before Memorial Day I went to Ossining to visit the 4x8 plot that my good and long time friend Gayle has graciously lent me for the summer. 

I cleaned it up, and planted 6 very tiny, premmie tomato plants and the herb sisters, Rosemary, Oregano & Baby Parsley.

 They're in there, I promise.

During the first week of June I returned to the plot to find that the premmie tomato plants hadn't survived. They were just too small to brave the elements......lucky for me, I had backups. AND while I was visiting my parents over Memorial Day weekend Mother passed along to me her left over leeks, cucumbers & ONE LUFFA plant. Get this - Luffa is a squash !!  Mother has decided she wants to attempt to grow luffa. I'm super excited !

Luffa

Baby Parsley

Cucumbers

     

 Purple Cherokee Tomato 2.0  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leeks

Gayle's home is in a town called Ossining, directly on the Hudson River (in the winter months she has the most amazing view of the river and Palisades) so there can be a bit of wind and possibly cooler temperatures. This time I created a very make shift greenhouse around the tomato seedlings by wrapping the tomato cage in plastic wrap. My thinking was that the plants would be protected a bit from the elements and stay warm & cozy. So far so good.