Granola is the food of gods!

I don't think there are many foods that I enjoy as much as a good granola or trail mix.  My friend Lauren actually got me started making granola.  She makes it at her school, and I helped her once, then figured I'd give it a whirl myself, since it is quite good for you, if you include the right ingredients.
I tried it a couple times this summer, mixing up the ingredients a bit this time, even including some vitamins and supplements once (that batch turned out ok, but some parts tasted a little funky.  I don't recommend it.).
My most recent batch turned out fantastic!  I definitely can't give you exact measurements, but i'll at least tell you the ingredients, and proportions.

Combine dry ingredients:

• Crumbs from all natural "Life" cereal (the brand is "Barbara's" that we use). About 3/4 cup
• Whole Oats (about a cup)
• Nuts (I used walnuts, pecans, almonds) (total: about 1-2 cups)
• Pollen (about 1/4 cup)
• Ground flaxseed (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 packet of maple brown sugar instant oatmeal

In separate bowl, combine wet ingredients (unless listed, everything is about equal, except less olive oil and a lot more honey). You want enough to coat all the dry ingredients, without excess liquid. Roughly 1.5 cups, perhaps.

• Olive oil
• Pure Maple Syrup
• Honey
• Applesauce
• 2 Tbs butter (softened)

Mix all the ingredients together, until clumpy.  Grease a baking sheet, and plop all of the mixture on top.  Spread it out a bit, but don't worry too much about making sure it is PERFECTLY even.  Coat all with cinnamon, and bake for 10 mins.  Take out and stir it around (the bottom will still be really moist), and put back in for 5 mins.  Repeat the stirring and 5 minute increments until the gooeyness is starting to go, and some are turning hard.  The rest will dry out.

Sit out, and enjoy while it is still warm, or wait until it cools, then put it in an airtight container to enjoy with milk in the mornings, on top of vanilla yogurt or ice cream, or simply as a delicious snack!!

Until next time!
Cheers!

Family dinner- baked, spiced, cheesy, and fishy

Well, it's been a while, but I figured I might as well start this again, seeing as I made a super yummy meal for dinner!

Basically, the idea for this meal was born out of a recent extreme health turn for my family, lots of frozen veggies, and a ridiculous amount of garden tomatoes.

I love fish, and it is so good for you, and you can use whatever kind of fish you want for this recipe.  For those who don't really like the taste of fish, I suggest tilapia, or leave and go to McDonald's.  You should like fish.  Tonight, I used Whiting, because it was in the freezer (that's basically how my meals are born).
Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. 
• Pour a tablespoon of olive oil into the bottom of a 13x9 glass baking dish and then cover the bottom with whatever frozen veggies you want (I used green peppers, broccoli and spinach).  I also addeed some frozen whole ginger, because my dad always keeps some in the fridge.  It adds a lovely flavor to the veggies.  Put the veggies in the oven while it preheats.
• Thaw the fish (it doesn't take long. Just put them in a plastic bag and drown in warm water for a little bit).
• When the oven is preheated and the veggies aren't frozen anymore, sprinkle spices over the veggies before you lay the filets of fish in the pan (over the veggies).  You are going to use the same amounts of spices both on top of the veggies, and then again on top of the fish.  These amounts are approximate for each layer:
• 2 Tbs Garam Masala
• 1 Tb Ground Cardamom
• 2 Tbs Curry Powder
• 1.5 Tbs Onion Powder
• Pepper to Taste
• Lay the fish on top of the veggies; put another layer of spices on.
• Cover the fish with slices of pepper jack cheese.
• On top of the cheese, put slices of tomato until all of it is covered. 
• Bake in 375 degree oven for about 25 minutes, or until the fish flakes with a fork.  If using Whiting, don't expect the fish to turn white.  It doesn't.  Tilapia, on the other hand, will have turned milky white.  Both should flake though.  Whiting is a moister fish, while Tilapia is enjoyed, because it is not a "fishy" fish.

Add a slice of whole grain toast, a glass of ice water, and you have a spectacular meal that serves about 6 people.  Yum!

Well that's all for now!

P.S. If anyone wants some tomatoes, we have a TON!  The garden gave us plenty this year.  We've started canning! Let me know if you want some!