Friday Food Day

Besides cleaning and freezing all the strawberries on Friday, I also made a loaf of our favorite white wheat bread.   It is so nice and soft for sandwiches and toasts up with large nooks and crannies for the butter to melt in....yum!

 While the bread was baking I put together 2 different batches of my homemade granola cereal.   If you use gluten-free oats, this becomes a tasty cereal for those who are trying to eat gluten-free.   It's so much fun to replenish our pantry, one item at a time.   And Friday was the day I set aside to make the granola so I'd have a ready made breakfast for the next few weeks to come.

 First, I made a batch of Cranberry-Orange Granola.....

 ....and then I made the Blueberry Coconut granola.   Yum!

I found our label maker, popped out labels for the Tupperware and called it breakfast.  done.   yippee!
I've made granola several times using different recipes off the internet and this is the version I have adapted for myself.

Here's the easy recipe:
Debbie's Granola Cereal

In a bowl, mix:
4 cups Old Fashioned Oats (or gluten-free oats from the health food store)
1 cup nuts (I prefer walnuts or pecans)
1/4 cup flaxseed
Dash of salt
1/4-1/2 cup brown sugar, depending on your sweet tooth preference

In a separate bowl, mix together:
1/3 cup Tropical Traditions Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
1/4 cup honey
1 tsp. vanilla

1.  Pour wet ingredients into dry and mix thoroughly.
2.  Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
3.  Pour half the mixture onto each cookie sheet and spread evenly.
4.  Bake at 300 degrees, taking each pan out every 15 minutes to stir so the granola browns
     evenly.  When the granola is evenly brown (about 45 minutes) take out and let cool.
5.  When cool, store in airtight container.

*For Blueberry Coconut granola, add 1/2 cup coconut before baking, then when cool add 1 cup dried blueberries.
*For Cranberry Orange granola, substitute orange flavoring for the vanilla and add 1 tsp. grated orange zest to the granola.   When cool add 1 cup dried cranberries (Craisins) and stir.  

Hope you decide to try these recipes for yourself.  The recipe can be altered for any fruit you would like to add to it.  You can also add things like sunflower seed, or pumpkin seeds and cinnamon in the fall.   Let your imagination run wild.

Have a Fun Food Friday yourself,
Debbie