Granola

Ingredients
(This recipe can easily be halved for smaller batches)

6 cups of old fashioned rolled oats

1/4 cup whey

3/4 cup honey

2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 cups of "additions such as coconut, raisins, cranberries, banana chips, dried pineapple, any dried fruit really, nuts, seeds...use you imagination!

Directions

1. Mix together all of the above ingredients - except for the additions.

2. Cover the bowl of the sticky mixture, and let it sit out on your counter overnight. (Let it sit for 7 to 30 hours.)

3. Mix the oat mixture, and spread it out on a large baking pan.

4. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes, then stir the mixture, then bake it for another 15 minutes.

5. If the mixture has turned light brown or golden, then it's done. If not, then mix it and put it back into the over for 15 more minutes.

6. Pour the mixture into a bowl, and mix in the additions. Let it cool.

This is so good and good for you! I like to make yogurt parfaits by layering yogurt, granola, and fruit. It is also good eaten like boxed cereal

Sanity Sunday!

Sunday is Preparation Day around here! I often joke that I would love a Sunday for every day of the week but Alas! I have to make due with the one that I have.

During the school year I have noticed that a routine has evolved while I was unaware. It happened out of necessity. There are a few things I need to take care of on Sundays or I am guaranteed a stressful week. In order to avoid this, I need to make sure I have:

• A week's worth of outfits for everyone


• Healthy School snacks for the week (often requires baking something)


• A menu plan for the week including breakfast, lunch after-school snacks and dinners


• Healthy School snacks for the weeks

Having these things in place maintains the harmony of the house. This week I am making an Apple Spice Cookies (see recipe below) and cutting up veggie sticks for school snacks. For after school I have cheese and crackers, bagels and yogurt cheese, fresh fruit slices and yogurt dip for the children to choose from.

My Menu plan for the week is:

• Roast Pork with rutabagas, sweet potatoes, green beans and coleslaw


• Pork Fried Rice


• Sweet and sour Chicken Thighs with buttery egg noodles and spinach salad


• Potato Leek Soup and multi-grain buns


• spaghetti with marinara sauce

Of course during the course of this day we also plan some good quality family fun! On this day we plan to go for a toboggan on the hill in our neighbourhood. On that note I better get to it! I have a busy day!

Happy Sanity Sunday everyone!

Apple Spice Cookies

Ingredients:

1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs
2 cups flour (can be spelt, or whole wheat)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cloves and nutmeg
2/3 cup apple juice
1 cup chopped walnuts (I will omit these for use as school snacks)
1 cup shredded apple
1 cup raisins (soaked for 20 minutes in water to soften, drain well)

Method:

Preheat your oven to 375F. Grease Cookie sheet or line with parchment paper. Smooth the coconut oil and sugar. Add the eggs and combine fully. Slowly add the flour, baking soda and spices, combine until smooth. Add apple juice and stir again. Stir in nuts, apples and raisins until well combined. Drop cookies onto sheet with a big spoon.
Bake for 12 minutes.