Tuesday, June 28, 2011

And now for the healthy stuff

I confess, I have an annoying sweet tooth.  When it kicks in, I usually go for the chocolate.  I've tried the 12-step program but have never made it past step 2.  However homemade granola, especially sprinkled on top of yogurt can often satisfy even the most nagging sweet tooth - not to mention the fiber and calcium, which is important for someone of my increasingly advancing age.  This is one of our favorites ...

Combine 1/3 cup of honey with 2 tablespoons of butter in a small microwave safe bowl and microwave about 30 seconds or until melted and bubbly.





In a large bowl stir together 4 cups of old-fashioned oats, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 2 cups of nuts.  I usually choose walnuts and almonds, although I found a few tablespoons of pecans in the pantry and threw them in for good measure.  Drizzle with the honey mixture and stir to coat.

Spread mixture on baking sheet and bake about 25 minutes at 350 degrees, stirring several times, until golden brown.  If you line the sheet with foil it makes for much quicker clean up although you need to watch the granola more closely in case it bakes quicker ... I'll take my chances and opt for the shorter cleaning time. 

Let the granola mix cool a bit then pour back into your bowl and stir in about 1 1/2 cups of assorted dried fruits.  I used golden raisins, dried cranberries and diced, dried apricots.

Now I don't have any excuse for grabbing that bag of candy-coated chocolate candies, even if they do melt in your mouth and not in your hand ... the plain variety is my bag of choice. 

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