No Waste Wednesday - #44 Granola - Finally From Scratch

For years, I have been trying to make a tasty granola cereal from scratch.  Finally I found a recipe that works!  It also takes advantage of some local home grown ingredients.

Our little organic store, Nash's Produce, down the road, grows and makes their own rolled oats.  All organic and lots of flavor.  Use 4 cups rolled oats as the first ingredient.

Another local store, Sunny Farms (they stay warm in the winter with a huge wood burning stove--smells so good), carries local fresh maple syrup.  Pour 1/4 cup into the oats.

Next, slivered almonds.  Although not local, Costco has a large bag of organic almonds that are pretty darn good.  One cup of slivered almonds is added to the above.

NOT local or organic, I love coconut flakes in my granola.  I add a cup to the whole concoction.  But if you want to stay true to the organic, I have replaced the coconut with dried berries on occasion.

Stir well and spread out on a cooking sheet with sides.  Place in a preheated oven at 325 F degrees.  Bake for 15 minutes and then stir.  Cook for another 5 minutes.  And you are done.  Beware! It is easy to burn--watch CLOSELY.  It needs to be a golden brown.

This is the best cereal.  Easy to make.  And A LOT cheaper than the boxed cereal.  And it is A LOT tastier.

Lighten Your Load

My Mom recently stayed a couple of days with us along with my Aunt and sister.  We did a little shopping and did a lot of eating and drinking.  I noticed my Mom still carried a huge purse.  For as long as I can remember she has carried a huge purse filled with "stuff" and it is extremely heavy.  She also has serious back issues.

I also have some serious back issues.  Which is why I have been limited in my hiking and golfing the last couple of years.  But, I work at strengthening my core and I ditched the purse.  I am serious--the purse is gone.  Not only does it avoid the back acting up, but I feel so free and unencumbered.  Not to mention the closet space gained from eliminating all those purses.  I still keep two small purses and one large for travel (extra paperwork and stashing the coat).

Some time in the last 60 years the marketing people have convinced women that they need to carry their life on their hip.  And they need a different purse for every occasion and day of the week.  Stop the madness!

All you need is a credit card, a debit card, driver's license, a twenty dollar bill, 2 personal checks and your smart phone.  They make wallets to contain all of this and it fits in your coat pocket or in hot weather, I agree, a small purse. 

So, Mom!, if you are reading this lighten your load and be kind to your back!