Simple, Tasty Granola

One of God’s finest moments was creating granola and then combining it with yogurt. I was experimenting making my own yogurt, so naturally, I had to make granola. (I’ll be sharing the yogurt recipe with you next week).

Instead of using honey (some people are allergic), molasses (sticky mess) or real maple syrup (expensive), I wanted to experiment with Agave Nectar. And boy, was I not disappointed. Crunchy, slightly sweet and super tasty. Throw some homemade yogurt in the mix, and you will be in heaven.

Here’s all that you’ll need to make your own Simple, Tasty Granola:
4 C Regular Rolled Oats (not the quick kind)
2 C Chopped Walnuts, Almonds, Pecans or a mix of all three
1 C Shelled Sunflower Seeds
1/2 C Toasted Wheat Germ
1/2 C Milled Flax Seed
1 C Agave Nectar (or honey)
4 TBS Cooking Oil
2 C Dried Raisins, Cranberries, Cherries

Spray two 9 x 13 casserole dishes with cooking spray.
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.

In a very large bowl, measure out 4 Cups Regular Rolled Oats.

Add to the oats the 2 Cups of Nuts and 1 Cup of Sunflower Seeds.

Next, add the 1/2 Cup of Wheat Germ and 1/2 Cup Flax Seed. Stir the dry mixture until everything is evenly distributed.

Measure out 1 Cup of Agave Nectar or Honey.

Add the 4 Tablespoons of Cooking Oil to the Agave Nectar.

Make a well in the middle of the dry mixture and pour the wet mixture all at once. Stir until everything is mixed evenly.

Distribute the granola between the two greased casserole dishes. Pop them in the oven and bake for 30 minutes total, stirring halfway through the cooking time.

Remove from oven and stir in dried fruit.

Spread the granola out on tin foil to cool. (Lock up the kittens at this point).

Once the granola is cool to the touch, store it in an airtight container. It lasts a little over a week. I divide mine in half and put part of it in the freezer for later.

This Simple, Tasty Granola lives up to its name-all by itself-or add a little chilled milk or homemade yogurt. Then, invite a few friends over and show off what you made and enjoy it together!

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It’s about Bloomin’ Time!

Guess what’s blooming around my backyard? My garden is showing the signs of its intended purposes.

Hello, little banana peppers. Soon, you will be pickled in hopes of adorning one of my Whole Wheat Pizzas. Get ready. I have a lot of plans for you.

And my dear spicy jalapenos…how could I not have a garden without you? Not only will I dehydrate you and can you, but I will be making sweet, sweet Jalapeno Jelly out of you. (Geez, what were you thinking?)

Dear Tiny Tomatoes. How I long for you to ripen, to turn red and to be atop a crispy baguette slice in bruschetta glory! Or, perhaps I will make a little Spicy Salsa out of you. The possibilities are endless.

I count down the days for the harvest, eagerly awaiting your maturity. I love you, dear garden.
In the words of many a pastor across the midwest that I’ve met, eaten chicken fingers with and sang on their stage as a pre-teen, “Don’t let me down, cuz’ my waterin’s real good.” Amen.

Simple, Spicy Salsa

I’m off to visit these weirdos for the next couple of days, leaving behind Biceps and two very needy kitties. I think Biceps might be stressed out a little about the kittens’ extreme cuddle needs-I’ve set the bar pretty high for cuddles around our house. Pray for him…

But, I love you dear readers and didn’t want to leave you without something simple and yummy to make this weekend. After all, it’s Memorial Day Weekend and I bet most of you are cooking up a storm, heading out to your yachts and tanning yourself in your hot little bikinis.

However, I will be going to a feed store and a Holocaust museum. Almost the same thing, right?
And since my garden is in full swing, I am getting excited about making and canning my own salsa once more. When life gives you tomatoes, jalapenos and other assorted peppers, what else do you do, but make Simple, Spicy Salsa!

(I originally posted this back in 2010, but not many got to see it before my site went belly up. So, it’s back for your viewing pleasure.)

Here’s what you’ll need to make this Simple, Spicy Salsa:

Food Processor
5+ Beefy Tomatoes-I used several different varieties
1/2 Bunch Cilantro
3 Garlic Cloves
2 Tbsp Lime Juice
2-3 Jalapeno or Spicy Chili Peppers
3 Banana Peppers

You’ll want to balance these with….

…with these nice fellas to make your Spicy Salsa. Now, let’s get to work.

Throw whole tomatoes into your food processor and set it to ‘Puree’.

I know most people would tell you to seed them, take the cores out, etc. But, I promised you “simple” and you are getting “simple”. Plus, it doesn’t taste any different, so there.

It should look like this when you are done beating the puddin’ out of it.

Now, see those little unassuming jalapenos and that red pepper? Take the stems off of the tops and throw them in-you may seed them if you want it to be less spicy.
Hit the ‘Puree’ button once more and laugh evil-like for good measure.

Add the Chartreuse (Banana) Peppers and do the same. You may “evil laugh” at your own discretion.

Toss in your cilantro and turn the ‘Puree’ button down to a nice ‘Chop’.

Mince 3 cloves of garlic and add it to the  mix.
‘Chop’ this for a few seconds, using the ‘Pulse’ button if you have one.
Add the lime juice and hit the ‘Mix’ button for a few more seconds.

Hello, yummy. This stuff is a little spicy, but oh so good. If you need to tone it down for daintier pallets, seed the spicy peppers or add a tad bit of sugar.

Now, grab yourself a bag of chips and get busy. Chef’s orders.

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No Calorie Sweet Green Tea

During the summer, there’s nothing better than a cold glass of sweet tea. I enjoy the beverage but wanted a low calorie option that was also healthy for you. There are numerous antioxidants, along with Vitamins C and E found in Green Tea. (*See a report by Harvard Health Publications at the end of this post on the benefits of drinking green tea.)

This simple No Calorie Sweet Green Tea is good for you, easy to make and tastes wonderful.

Here’s all that is needed to make your very own No Calorie Sweet Green Tea:
Tea Kettle
Glass Tea Jar
10 Green Tea Bags (I use 5 Caffeinated and 5 Decaffeinated Tea Bags)
6 + 4 Cups of Water
1/2 tsp Liquid Stevia

Using a clothespin, use the tab at the end of the string to corral your tea bags.

Clip the tea bags to the side of your glass tea jar. Boil 6 cups of water in your tea kettle.

After the water in the tea kettle whistles, pour the boiling water into the glass tea jar. Aim for the tea bags as you pour.

Steep for 5 minutes.

After 5 minutes, pull the tea bags from the liquid but still inside of the tea jar. Slowly squeeze out any remaining water from the tea bags using a wooden spoon.

Add the 1/2 tsp Liquid Stevia.

Add 4 Cups of cold water to the tea jar.

Stir the tea a few times to mix the stevia in.

Let the tea cool in the fridge for several hours. Once it’s cool, pour yourself a glass and enjoy!

[*Tea’s health benefits are largely due to its high content of flavonoids — plant-derived compounds that are antioxidants. Green tea is the best food source of a group called catechins. In test tubes, catechins are more powerful than vitamins C and E in halting oxidative damage to cells and appear to have other disease-fighting properties. Studies have found an association between consuming green tea and a reduced risk for several cancers, including, skin, breast, lung, colon, esophageal, and bladder.
Additional benefits for regular consumers of green and black teas include a reduced risk for heart disease. The antioxidants in green, black, and oolong teas can help block the oxidation of LDL (bad) cholesterol, increase HDL (good) cholesterol and improve artery function. A Chinese study published recently in the Archives of Internal Medicine showed a 46%-65% reduction in hypertension risk in regular consumers of oolong or green tea, compared to non-consumers of tea.

Source: Harvard Health Publications]

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