A good start

On Sunday nights I usually make a big batch of granola, so that I'm armed for the week with a healthy and quick breakfast.  Granola also makes a pretty yummy snack, too.  I know my limitations, so I don't have normal "snack food" in my house - no chips, crackers, candy, ice cream - they wouldn't stand a chance around here!  A handful of this granola with a little yogurt on top usually takes care of the snack craving.

Store-bought granola can often be so full of sugar that you may as well eat a Three Musketeer's bar for breakfast (shoot, now I'll be thinking about Three Musketeer's bars all day).  I have found some brands at Whole Foods and Trader Joe's that are pretty good, but I started making my own granola about 6 months ago.  I can control what goes into it, I can pronounce everything that goes into it, and it makes the house smell yummy.

You can make one quick stop at the bulk bin aisle to find most of what you need: rolled oats (not quick cooking oats), nuts, seeds, dried fruit.  Nuts are one of the healthiest foods you can eat - in moderation.  They are high in fat, so go easy, but it's a healthy fat and it is one of the best plant-based sources of omega 3's.  There is a strong link between eating nuts and good heart health: the omega 3's and L-arginine found in many nuts have been shown to lower bad cholesterol, build strong artery walls, reduce plaque build-up and prevent blood clots. 

Be careful with the dried fruit; a lot of those are very high in sugar.  Check the labels.  I love dried banana chips, they are much lower in sugar than other dried fruit, so I add more of them to my granola and supplement just a little of the higher sugar fruits, like dried cranberries, cherries, and blueberries.  And try to go natural and avoid the packaged fruit that has added sugar (you know who you are, craisins) - fruit has plenty of natural sugar in them, you don't need anything but what nature gave it.  I'm going to play with drying my own fruit - my toaster oven goes as low as 150 degrees, which is perfect for dehydrating foods.   Hmmmm, does someone have a control problem??

Suzanne's Granola

2 cups rolled oats
3/4 cup chopped nuts - I use walnuts, almonds and pecans
2 tablespoons chia seeds
2 tablespoons sunflower seeds
2 tablespoons shredded coconut
2 tablespoons grade B maple syrup
1 tablespoon flax meal (for extra omega 3's)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
1 tablespoon coconut oil, melted
pinch salt
1/4 cup dried fruit - cherries, blueberries, cranerries
1/2 cup dried banana chips, broken into small pieces

Preheat oven to 325. Combine the first 11 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl, mixing to coat all the oats.  Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for 15 -20 minutes, stirring halfway through, until toasted.  Remove from oven and add fruit.  When cool, place in glass container and store for one week.

I love mine topped with a little bit of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of local honey (honey from your area helps build your immune system as we get ready for cold season)