Granola

I really thought when I got back into blogging, I would begin by telling my birth story.

But that's not going to happen. Instead, let's talk about happy, wonderful things. Like, homemade granola.

In the last month, I have attempted to make granola. I scoured the internet for a recipe, and found one that satisfies. So yes, for my return to blogging after pregnancy and birth hiatus, I am referring you to someone else's blog. This foodie is a genius and her granola is way better than my experimental attempts ever were:

Crunchy Granola

I do think, however, that I have made enough changes to warrant this my own recipe, but I still rely on her steps. This is how I do it:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Whisk together,
 1/2 cup coconut oil
1/3 cup blackstrap molasses (or maple syrup is awesome, here)
 1/3 cup coconut sugar
3 teaspoons vanilla
and a dash of salt.

Then, I mix in,
 5 cups of regular oats
 1 cup of walnuts (or pecans)
1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
1/2 cup sunflower seeds

Read this lady's blog, she gets credit for the ramekin pressing. I'm guessing this seals the deal with the crunchy-holding-togetherness.

Dump your mixture onto a pan with parchment paper and use the back of a ramekin or glass jar to PRESS the mixture down.

I also cannot bake this longer than 20 minutes or it burns. I cook 10 minutes, rotate pan, 10 more minutes. Let it sit 45 minutes, and break it apart. It holds together so perfectly and beautifully, you'll feel like a 5 star chef. A mom chef. It's hard to get 5 stars, people. My critics are tough on me. After all, cereal makes them happy. If I use more than 3 ingredients things get tricky. This is a winner, though, and I hope you will make it!

Another optimistic tidbit: the recipe makes so much, there is no way you can eat it in one sitting! Yes!

Add ins at the end: coconut flakes, organic raisins, cranberries, and maybe a pinch of chocolate powder or cinnamon. Get creative, it's a flexible granola.