bowl of winter

Not a snowflake in sight.....but it's starting to feel a bit wintry. 

Yeah, ok.....maybe I still have a yard full (FULL!) of leaves to rake, 

but the trees are all bare and the nights are quite frosty. 

My oven begs each day to be filled with something delicious. 

We love granola, and eat it often. 

It's a good hearty breakfast, and the boy even likes to take it to school for lunch. 

But sometimes, I just make it because I LOVE how it makes the house smell while it's baking. 

It smells just like winter.

Cozy. Cinnamony. Edible. Winter.

It's very versatile, and you can add whatever combinations of grains and nuts you have in your cupboard.

Cinnamon Granola

add to large bowl:

2 cups rolled oats

2 cups rolled wheat (found in the bulk section of health food stores. you could also use more rolled oats or rolled rye)

2 cups puffed wheat (unsweetened)

1 cup chopped pecans

1 cup chopped almonds

1/2 cup ground flax seed

1/2 cup wheat germ

3/4 c pure maple syrup (not the fake stuff)

1/3 c coconut oil, in liquid form

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp cinnamon

pinch of salt

mix all ingredients until well coated.

Spread out onto two lined baking sheets, and bake at 300° for 30-45°, until oats are browned and crispy.

Make sure to rotate the pans and give them a few good shakes during the baking process.

add milk or yogurt and your favorite fruit (we like it with pomegranate!)

enjoy!