Apple Cherry Granola

Today I got adventurous and decided to make granola so I would have something other than eggs and protein shakes for breakfast.  I usually make a pumpkin granola in the fall, but I wanted something different for summer that was a little lighter.So Apple Cherry Granola was born.

It was a fun process making this and it tastes great.  So a win-win for me.  Now I can eat something cold when my husband has cold cereal for his breakfast.  I know that for most people that is something that they don't have to think about, but for me, I am trying to get off processed foods and eat super healthy.

Here is my recipe so you can enjoy this too!

APPLE CHERRY GRANOLA

prep time: 20 min
cook time: 35 min
total time: 55 min

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 cup Apple Sauce
• 2/3 cup Coconut Oil - Melted
• 1/2 cup Raw Honey (I microwaved mine for 15 sec to make sure it was liquidy)
• 1 TBSP Vanilla Extract
• 1 TBSP Apple Pie Spice
• 1/4 tsp Ground Ginger
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 1/2 cups Sliced Almonds
• 1 cup chopped Pecans
• 10 dried dates, pits removed and then chopped
• 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
• 2/3 cup dried apple slices broken into small pieces
• 1 cup pumpkin seeds (Pepitas)
• 1/2 cup sunflower seeds
• 1/2 cup dried cherries 

INSTRUCTIONS: 

1. Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.
2. In a large bowl, add apple sauce, coconut oil, honey, vanilla extract and all of your spices and mix well.
3. Add in your nuts, seeds and dates and mix well with the wet ingredients.
4. Place on a large jelly-roll pan lined with parchment paper or if your like me I use a silicone mat.  Spread out the mix evenly so that it will all cook the same.
5. Place in your oven and bake for 20 minutes then turn over and bake for an additional 15 min.  Be sure to watch so that it doesn't burn.
6. Let cool!  This will help you get the crunchiness that you want from granola.
7. Enjoy!!

It's a little time intensive at first cutting up your dates and such, but I think it's well worth it in the end and this will last me for a long time stored in the fridge in a air tight container.  

I'm by no means a food blogger, but once in awhile I'll post something that I find that I like.  Hope you do to!

Crazy Weeks of Summer

The last couple of weeks have  been fun, but crazy busy.  What with getting a new grandbaby, kayaking on Bear Lake and attending Family Reunions besides all of the July Holidays it has been a bit wild.

Yesterday we drove to Talmage, Utah for my husband's family reunion.  We stayed there 2 hours and turned around and drove back to Ogden for my family reunion.  We also have one in Idaho next week.  I know it was a crazy driving day, but it was so enjoyable to spend just those few hours with people we haven't seen for years in some cases and for at least one year in other cases.  We have such a wonderful family.

Maddi had another sweet little girl on July 16th and she is already a blessing in our family.  She has such as sweet demeanor.  She looks just like Maddi did when she was born.  I love that!! It's fun when you hold a grandchild and it's like holding your little one again, but without all of the worries that you had as a new parent.

I love this time of year.  It seems like I take all of the Summer sun and memories and store them up to carry me through the long dreary days of Winter.  I only wish I had a little longer to store them up.  I love the time we have with family and friends making memories!!

Today is the First Day of the Rest of My Life!

Today I turned 51.  It's crazy because I don't feel that old, until I look in the mirror.   That being said, I've decided that I want to set some goals and see if I can a year from now read this and know that I have grown.

I think my first goal is something that I've been thinking about a lot lately.  I want to find out what my Spiritual gifts are so that I can improve them.  So that I can become closer to my Savior by showing my gratitude by using them to help myself and others come to know Him better.

My second goal is that I want to make this the healthiest year of my life.  I am going off processed foods as well as those with added sugar.  I am also going off dairy, and grains.  Hopefully this will also help in getting my Celiac Disease under control.

Third, I want to do simple acts of kindness for others without their knowledge.  I want to serve and not have it be known.  I think this always helps to keep my mind on others and off of my own problems.  I have struggled, even this Summer with depression and I am hoping that this helps.

And I guess my final goal is one that I've been trying to do already for about 2 months and that is that I want to continue going to the Temple at least once a week.  I find my balance there and know that my family is blessed for this service.  It has helped my focus more on my relationship with my Heavenly Father and Savior, Jesus Christ.   It is one place that I am able to truly find peace.

So hopefully this time next year I can look back and know that I have grown in these things.  That I have accomplished these things that are so important to me.

Look out world, this old lady is on the move!!

Three and a Half Years Later ~

I can't believe I haven't posted here on this blog for 3 1/2 years.  But life has moved on.  We now have 3 children married.  We have 3 beautiful grandchildren with another one due in 2 weeks.  Life couldn't be better.

In the past on this blog I wrote about trials that I have had.  I have to admit that during them it is hard to focus.  However, the Lord gives them to us to strengthen us and to help us to become more than we would ever be without them.  I know that at the time I was going through them it seemed like I would never be the same, and I'm not.   I have changed and learned to be more tolerant, forgiving, and kind.

During the past 3 1/2 years my testimony of my Savior, Jesus Christ has grown.  I know he knows me personally and that he loves me.  Loves me enough to have given his life for me.  So I am trying with all my heart to be worthy of His sacrifice on my behalf.  He is my strength and my rock.  He is what I hold to when times get hard.  He is the one I look to for approval, inspiration and guidance.

My family is what is most dear to me.  I am so grateful for them.  They are all such unique and beautiful people.  I am so grateful to have them as part of my life.  They bring me joy.  They each and everyone of them teach me how to be better.

So I will try and document our lives as best I can.  I will post things that make me happy.  I will try and share things that are uplifting.

I hope that those who read will be inspired, uplifted and happy when they are done reading!