There’s nothing like cinnamon in the morning

daphne on February 11, 2009

My kitchen smells amazing.   Unbelievably incredibly amazing.  And I’ll tell you, I don’t typically waste superlatives on things that don’t include chocolate.  In the interest of full disclosure, though, I probably should mention that I am writing this before my first attempt at homemade granola is ready for a taste test; at least this way I can carry on and on about the scrumptious smell even if the resulting snack comes out less edible than my exploding glass bread.

I’ve never made granola before, but the price of the stuff I buy at the store keeps climbing like an Ever-ready Sherpa.  And to hear my friends tell it, this stuff is even easier to make than pancakes from scratch.  So far, I’m a believer; I mixed up a batch in the time it took the girls to brush their teeth this morning.

Ten minutes to go according to the timer, and my house smells terrific. Forget lemon-scented cleansers, I may never clean again.  Close your eyes…could a house that smells this heavenly be dirty? I just don’t think so.

Speaking of smells, according to some new research pleasant odors, like peppermint or cinnamon, can increase alertness and reduce fatigue.  And, they found, it might even help with road rage.  I’m just saying, if you need a reason to mix up a batch of granola, think of your reputation:  you could be the most pleasant car-pooler out there.  Even without a mini-van.  And speaking of minivans, cinnamon is a powerful aphrodisiac too.  And it costs a mere fraction of the pricetag of a new car.

Therefore, in conclusion, here is is. . . My list of convincing reasons why you should stop everything and make  granola:

  1. These are tough economic times, homemade is cheaper.
  2. The sweet smell of cinnamon means an end to boring house cleaning.
  3. The sweet smell of cinnamon is the right spice for heating up a marriage.
  4. It’ll make you perky, alert, and happy behind the wheel.
  5. You can hide healthy stuff in there, like flax seeds
  6. You can hide healthy stuff in there, And THE KIDS WILL EAT IT.
  7. THE NUMBER ONE REASON TO MAKE GRANOLA (listed here at number 7)–it tastes really, really good.
  8. Really, it does.  I just tasted my first attempt at homemade granola.  And it is good.

Homemade Granola

daphne on February 11, 2009

This is the recipe that I cobbled together from a few sources.  Based on my wholly unscientific research, I found that the recipe is extremely forgiving.  Use what you’ve got in the kitchen. The kids will eat it.

  • 1/3 – 1/2 cup honey
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 1/3 cup canola oil
  • 2 Tbls water
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups of rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup of ground flax seeds
  • ¾ cup chopped pecans (or any other nut)
  • ¾ cup shredded coconut (unsweetened if you can find it. I couldn’t.)
  • 1 cup dried cranberries, raisins, or any other fruit combo.

Preheat oven to 350°.  Butter or spray a baking sheet.

Mix the first 7 ingredients together, and set aside.

Combine the dry ingredients—except for the dried fruit–in a large bowl, and add wet ingredients. Mix until everything is coated.

Spread the mixture on the baking sheet. Bake about 30 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the granola is golden brown.

After baking, add the fruit.  Cool, and store in jars or Tupperware.

My favorite way to eat it is over plain yogurt and drizzled with a little more honey.  But then, I like things sweet.