granola

Geoff mentioned to me the other day that I haven't made granola in a long time. True. Last time I did it was during the start of the pandemic, back in the other house. It was summer, I remember being on a call and stepping away to check the doneness of the mix. My colleagues were ... amused. 

I went on a baking and cooking spree, and made all kinds of stuff during the early pandemic. I do love to bake and cook, but I'm trying not to do too much, because if you bake, you eat. Right?  

My jam recently with oatmeal has been oatmeal craisin cookies, which Doug loves. So I made a butt ton of cookies in the early spring/late winter and then got sick of it. 

Today I was looking for something in the pantry and saw 4 containers of quick oats. So I said, "I'll take Geoff up on his suggestion."

It's easy to make granola. I get a stick of butter and mix in 2 cups of honey, a healthy dose of vanilla. Melt that in the microwave or on the stove top. I dump the oats into my biggest bowl, and then pour the butter/vanilla/honey mix on top. Stir it up, bake it on a sheet pan at 350. 

I take it out of the oven after 1/2 hour, and mix nuts in like pecans and walnuts (if you add nuts at the beginning, sometimes they burn), and sprinkle cinnamon in, mixing it all up. 20 more minutes.

Then if I toss in some raisins or craisins in, it is very close to the end. Just enough for them to get incorporated. Those will definitely burn if you add them at the same time as the nuts.

The goal is for the oats to toast, not become totally dry. Taking them out of the oven while still damp is good, they air dry over a couple hours and are delicious. I slightly overcooked this batch, but it is still super tasty.

What to do with granola?  Pour milk over it, have it as a breakfast cereal. Chop up fruits and get it all going together with some greek yogurt. Ice cream+granola+fruit. It's delicious, high fiber, and delightful. 

Digits below the lil wee parfait I treated myself to this evening.

digits

exercise: 12/12 hours of 250 steps. 

blood glucose:

7:45am: 177
5pm: 154
10pm: 141

food:

coffee, water
11am: 4 sausage links w/one slice of cheese
noon: Metformin
1:30: small bowl of chili w/ cheese+the last of the fritos, sour cream
6pm: cheesesteak meat, w/cheddar, onion, mushrooms, no bun
vodka tonic
7:30: Metformin+jardiance
10pm: granola+cup of greek yogurt